Kids from the Boca Raton chapter of Roots & Shoots, a worldwide organization of young activists, marked  international Peace Day with a gathering and parade across the Intracoastal Waterway.

The kids made peace posters, clay peace signs, decorated bandannas and made their own instruments alongside a lively junk band at Veteran’s Park in Delray Beach on Sunday afternoon.

A local Raging Grannies group sang for an end to war.

Then the kids – from babies in strollers to teenagers and their parents – paraded across the Intracoastal carrying “Sunny,” a giant peace dove puppet, chanting, “Peace for all! Peace for all!”

The event helps kick off a new year for Roots & Shoots, started internationally by the noted chimpanzee researcher Jane Goodall, to get kids involved in local activism.

Susan Caruso, director of Sunflower Creative Arts, brought the program to Boca to give kids an opportunity to do hands-on projects with tangible results.

“I wanted kids to be able to have an impact on their community”, she said. Kids are very concerned about homelessness, the environment and other issues.

Last year, Roots & Shoots planted a community garden in Pearl City. The harvest was given to Boca Helping Hands, which helps feed those in need. The kids will plant it again this year, as well as work with the primate center at Lion Country Safari and help FamilyPromise,  which serves homeless families in south Palm Beach County.

Register your kid for Roots & Shoots (two age groups: 6-9 and 10-18 – it’s free) or learn about Sunflower’s other programs at the organization’s website. See more photos on its Facebook page.

If you see a giant puppet flying over the Intracoastal Waterway bridge in Delray Beach on Sunday evening, that’s a Boca kids group marking international Peace Day.

The local chapter of Roots & Shoots will be joining children around the world in marking the United Nations International Day of Peace.

You can join them at 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19, at Veteran’s Park, on the Intracoastal at Atlantic Avenue, for music and crafts. At 5 p.m., kids and adults will parade over the bridge, flying a giant peace dove puppet.

Roots & Shoots is a global kids activist group founded by Jane Goodall, the famous chimpanzee researcher, to get kids involved in community projects. The local chapter was formed by the nonprofit Sunflower Creative Arts, supported by a grant from the Marie Graber Martens Fund of the Community
Foundation of Palm Beach & Martin Counties.

Last year, Roots & Shoots members planted a community garden and helped out with the animals at Tri-County Humane Society.

The program has two age groups – 9 and younger (Shooting Stars), meets the first Wednesday of the month; and 10-18 (Re-Cycos) meets first Fridays in Sunflower’s space at the back of the Unitarian Universalist Church, 2601 Saint Andrews Blvd.

Sunflower also offers a host of drama programs for children and adults, as well as a parents co-op alternative to preschool. Call 561-482-3412 for more information.