That's because more than a dozen kids from Central and East hillsides were recently given disposable cameras and asked to capture these images from their home lives. The idea was to celebrate and honor the families and children, said Gene Johnson McKeever of Neighborhood Youth Services in Duluth's Washington Center.

"What they brought back shows how much they love their families and how they love in their homes," she said. "And some of them are quite professional."

Many of the photos, which were shot mostly by children ages 10 to 14, were not straight-on head shots or people in poses. They photographed their parents, grandparents and siblings from different angles just being themselves.

All this week, Neighborhood Youth Services staff have organized events geared toward bringing the parents into the Washington Center. They held a gallery opening Monday for the photo exhibit, cooked a turkey feast on Tuesday night and sponsored an art activity party on Wednesday.

The children made mosaics and Christmas ornaments, painted banners and drew with volunteer artists who live in the co-op apartments in the same building.

"We're painting a banner with the word 'Respect' on it. The last one got torn down, so we're going to try again," textile artist Kirsten Aune said with a grin and more than a hint of irony.

It often is a challenge to get parents involved in the activities, said program supervisor Aaron Gelineau. Most have low incomes and many have other serious problems at home, he said.

"We very rarely have time to get everyone together," Gelineau said. "And this is a nice opportunity for them to have a holiday meal. A lot of them don't have those resources."

Josie Burley works at Woodland Middle School and is a mother and frequent volunteer at the center. Her 16-year-old son, Tyshawn, is a regular there.

The Woodland Hills residential treatment center developed Neighborhood Youth Services in 1992 to provide activities for kids ages 10 to 18 Monday through Friday from 3:30 to 8 p.m. Those are the hours when kids are most at risk to get into trouble, since parents are often still at work.

The nonprofit is supported by the city and through grants. It serves 45 to 100 children per day and emphasizes respect, responsibility and caring in a positive and safe environment.

Mayor Herb Bergson proclaimed this week in Duluth National Family Week, a time when communities are supposed to organize events that promote strong families. It intentionally coincides with the Thanksgiving holiday, according to the Alliance for Children and Families, which promotes the event.

The theme this year of National Family Week is "Connections Count." Information on how to create positive relationships within families and support from community networks and institutions can be found at www.nationalfamilyweek.org .

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