A swirl of color, creativity, and compassion filled the grounds of 13th and Union Elementary on Saturday, as families gathered for the first of two annual ChalkPalooza Chalk and Bubble Festivals. The event, presented by The Camel Project in partnership with the City of Reading and the Department of Public Works, featured a lively mix of chalk art, bubbles, food trucks, music, a color run, and a car show—all designed to promote mental wellness through playful expression.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., children and adults alike took to the pavement with chalk in hand, creating vibrant designs and messages. Bubbles floated through the air as music played and a steady crowd made their way between vendor tents, the colorful car show, and family-friendly activities. At 11 a.m., participants joined in the color run, dashing through clouds of powdered pigment, adding even more color to the already joyful scene.
Pam Gockley, Executive Director and Founder of The Camel Project, explained the mission behind the festivities. “Because of the generosity of our sponsors, we’re able to provide most of these things for free,” she said. “It’s a day of wellness and mental wellness. One of the ways you combat trauma, depression, and anxiety is creativity.”
Gockley emphasized the festival’s goal of placing chalk—and opportunities for expression—into the hands of children and adults. “If we can get a piece of chalk in the hands of kids, we have fulfilled a major part of our mission,” she said. “We wanted to move it into the city this year. This is actually a District 4 event through the council, and the city sponsored it as well as Public Works.”
The Camel Project, a nonprofit organization, uses events like ChalkPalooza to support its larger efforts in bullying prevention and trauma-informed care. “All the proceeds from our fundraisers go to matching grants for schools to bring our programs into the schools,” Gockley said. “We train adults on bullying behaviors and how to deescalate situations, and we work directly with students.”
The organization currently works in the Reading School District and serves as an advocate for students experiencing bullying, partnering with families and schools to create resolution plans. “We don’t support the parents. We don’t support the school. We support the student,” Gockley explained.
ChalkPalooza will return for a second event later this year on Saturday, September 6, at Renninger’s Antique and Farmer’s Market in Kutztown. That location features a covered pavilion, which helped keep the fun going despite rain at last year’s event.
For Gockley, the underlying message is simple but urgent. “Seventy-five percent of people who die by suicide or are involved in school shootings have bullying behaviors wound into it,” she said. “This is something we know how to address. We just need the will.”
More information about The Camel Project and its programs can be found at www.thecamelproject.org.
