KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chiefs Rookie Club visited The Children's Center Campus in midtown Kansas City Tuesday, taking part in holiday crafts, cookie decorating and NFL Play 60 activities. The event included kids from Ability KC, YMCA Day Camp and the Children's Center for the Visually Impaired.
Chiefs rookie offensive lineman Kahlil McKenzie discussed what the event meant to him, saying it offered a brief respite from the flurry of distractions surrounding the team in recent days.
"I like to call these my people," McKenize said. "The little kids, the little people. They'll let loose and kind of be yourself around them. They don't got any cares in the world so you just get to hang out.”
McKenzie said taking part in community outreach through the Chiefs helps put things in perspective. He said his family stressed giving back to the community while growing up.
“My family and me, we always tried to be as active as we can in the community, especially around this time,” McKenzie said. “Christmas is such a time when everyone tries to give and have things and for the people who it's kind of hard to do that, it's awesome to be able to make their days a little bit easier and a little bit better.
Ability KC provides therapeutic and educational services for children with disabilities in an environment which fosters their independence and celebrates their success. The YMCA provides on-site daycare for children without disabilities up to pre-K, facilitating social interaction and assimilation with impaired children. The Children’s Center for the Visually Impaired prepares children with visual impairments, including those with multiple disabilities, to reach their highest potential in the sighted world.
