The Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation was established in 2012 to help curb the kind of alcohol-fuelled violence that robbed Thomas Kelly of his life. TAKE Kare
About "Take Kare"
Thomas’ peers and friends knew him throughout his school life as “TK”.
One summer holiday in Hawaii (10th January 2010) Thomas drew a ‘TK’ in the sand. Tom’s younger sister Madeleine moved her brother’s thongs next to his sand drawing and took a photo.
When their father Ralph saw the photo on the camera the following day he asked them both why Thomas had drawn it and why Madeleine had placed his thongs next to the image and taken a photo. Neither of them knew what had inspired them – both just replied that they felt compelled for some reason.
Two and a half years later it would prove to be a spine-chilling influence and one of many unexplainable coincidences in the foundations quest to launch a brand that would encapsulate our mission to reduce alcohol fuelled violence in our youth.
Bittersweet in that alcohol was the major cause of Thomas’ death but the potential opportunity to send clear concise messages through our youth communities that it’s time we all need to take better care of each other and ourselves.
The image, unknown to two young innocent children at the time, would reflect the brand – with the thongs a symbol of the journey to follow. Whilst no one in the Kelly family is superstitious, the photograph forms the basis of a clear message of what the foundation will try to achieve in the future.
“Take care” is what we say to our loved ones when we say goodbye and ask them to look after themselves. It’s what we say in email communications as a sign-off, to strangers in the streets – it knows no boundaries. It was only natural that we could use our personal tragedy and Thomas’ initials to look at cultural and social change – through a platform to be known as “TAKE Kare”.
Donate to the 'Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation' - http://a.pgtb.me/XSMbgF
- Category:
- Non-governmental organization (ngo)