Front Lauren Burks and Kaleena Burks, dancers with the Columbia Classical Ballet. Back row: Harriet Atkinson, director of Children's Garden; Radenko Pavlovich, director of Columbia Classical Ballet; and Liz Simmons, dame knight of The Knights Templar. There are more than 15,000 homeless children in South Carolina. Children's Garden in Columbia has served over 3,000 since 1990. Children's Garden is a childcare center for six weeks to five- year- old children of homeless and needy families. The childcare helps families move beyond crisis and achieve stabilization while offering a setting that gives children a sense of belonging and well being. It is a not- for- profit development center funded through community support, small grants, and federal grants.

Harriet Atkinson, director of Children's Garden received $1,000 from Liz Simmons, dame knight of The Knights Templar Friday, September 4. The Knights Templar began in 1118 A.D. by nine French knights who were devoted to the protection of the Christians during the Crusades. The gift of $1,000 is an example of one of their commitments today, which is to aid the needy.

Children's Garden also received a gift from the proceeds of the January 27th performance of LifeChance, a Columbia Classical Ballet production for the Midlands' community.