DUSTY RICKETTS @DustyRnwfdn

Children’s Week has become an annual tradition in Tallahassee when tens of thousands of kids contributing hand art to be hung in the Capitol Rotunda.

For the first time, hundreds of pieces of hand art created by local children at the Destin Library will be part of the exhibit during Florida Children’s Week on Jan 21-16.

“This is the first time it’s been done here with the library in Destin,” said Will Rogers, the reference and youth services librarian. “It’s been a lot of fun. The kids are doing a good job. It’s really comical. Some of them are being done by children who are 4 and under, but there are others in the Boys and Girls Club that are all the way up to sixth grade, so we have some interesting ones hanging.”

Children’s Week and the hand art program was established by former Gov. Lawton Chiles more than 20 years ago. The art is intended to serve as a reminder to state legislators and advocates to act on behalf of children.

Children have been able to stop by the Destin Library since late December to design their hand art, with all the supplies provided by the library.

Rogers also partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs in Destin and Fort Walton Beach and reached out to pre-K sites, schools, the Emerald Coast Science Center and other children’s organizations to have them create hand art.

More than 200 pieces of hand art had been collected as of Tuesday morning. They currently are displayed at the library, but Rogers will box them Friday morning to send to Tallahassee.

However, there is still time for children to create their own piece of art. Thursday is the last day new pieces can be turned in, Rogers said.

“Our hanging hands will join hundreds of thousands of others. It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Rogers said. “We have a lot of kids in need, whether it’s health care or education, whatever. (The legislators) need to step up.”