Compassion Party News Article

Front page news article in The Griffin Daily News
Sunday, December 18, 2005

Girl, 9, raises awareness at birthday party
By Anna Boyle

HAMPTON, GEORGIA — As 9-year-old Naomi Palmatier planned her birthday party, she decided to do something a little unusual. Naomi decided to have a compassion party.

The Palmatier family hosted a Mexican-themed party at Naomi’s request, in which she could honor her Mexican heritage.

“I saw the poverty in Mexico,” Naomi said. “And I wanted to help. I collected vitamins and some donations.”

Her mother, Kelly, said she and Naomi were talking about the poverty in Mexico one day when Naomi decided she would host a compassion party. Kelly then contacted the Vermont Associates for Mexican Opportunity and Support (VAMOS), and asked what they could do to help Mexico’s poor.

“Naomi was talking about the Mexican culture,” Kelly said. “How it’s such a beautiful culture but how there are a lot of poor people there. She decided she wanted to help them.”

VAMOS told the Palmatiers that the organization could not ship items to Mexico because of the high customs rates. Officials suggested monetary donations and children’s vitamins instead, which could be carried across the boarder on one of VAMOS’ regular trips to feed the poor.

“We had heard of it, and it’s a good place,” said Naomi of her decision to work with VAMOS. “It’s really good.”

Naomi Palmatier displays the vitamins she collected at a compassion party. The vitamins will be donated to the Mexican children. (Click for enlarged view.)

Naomi collected 11 bottles of vitamins and $105 at her party. And she also had some fun with friends.

“We played my piñata in the dark, and we made maracas filled with candy,” she said. “I had some friends come over. They thought it was a nice thing to do.”

The Palmatiers adopted Naomi and her brother, Ethan. Their birth father was Mexican. Kelly and her husband, Michael, decided to introduce the Mexican culture to honor the children’s heritage, and the children embraced it wholeheartedly.

“We enjoy listening to Mexican music, we do homemade Mexican cooking, and we’re trying to teach them a little Spanish,” Kelly said. “We believe in honoring all the different cultures and religions of the world, but this one had a very personal connection.”

Naomi especially enjoys one aspect of the culture.

“Well, I like the clothes,” she said. “Those are really cool.”

Kelly founded Compassionate Kids, an organization that teaches children compassion towards the earth, people, and animals, more than a year ago. She believes the nonprofit had some influence over Naomi, but Kelly still credited her for the decision.

“She is a very special little girl,” Kelly said. “A child waits all year for his or her birthday, and so it really means a lot to have her make such a compassionate choice.”

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