Marina with her pets. Submitted photo

This is a sample of Marina’s work. Submitted photo

REGION — United Way of the Tri-Valley Area is excited to announce an opportunity for kids in the Franklin County, Livermore, Livermore Falls area! As a result of meeting a Miss Marina Karkos, we want to highlight and encourage kids to share their talents!
Everyone meet Marina! Marina Karkos has been drawing and painting since about age three – and she has never stopped. Her personality-filled watercolors of animals caught the eye of United Way staff and a conversation began where they learned that Marina “paints to make people happy.” When asked how she feels about painting for other people, she says shyly, “It is an honor to do that.” Well, it is an honor to share that Marina’s art is now going to get even greater attention as she is partnering with United Way of the Tri-Valley Area. Marina is the first in a new program to spotlight Creative Kids and raise money to benefit programs that strengthen children and families and give opportunities to youth. Marina and her mom are excited to give back to the community, giving half the proceeds of every painting sold to United Way.
As part of this endeavor, Marina’s paintings measure 9 x 12” unframed and are $15 each. Marina is particularly skilled and interested in painting animals from photos. Commissioned paintings of your pets are available for $30. Please contact United Way for more information or to purchase a painting, or visit https://www.uwtva.org/what-we-do/projects/creative-kids or www.facebook.com/UWTVA.
Marina’s mother, Melissa Karkos, is very proud of her daughter’s passion for art and her interest in giving back to the community. As Marina sat hugging her new dog on her Mom’s lap, she gradually showed one painting after another with her mom encouraging her to share even the one Marina was not quite happy with – a remarkable likeness of the puppy she was now cuddling.
Melissa owns Subway sandwich shops in Farmington and Gardiner and is a partner in the Walmart location also in Farmington. She is getting attention for being the youngest multi-store owner in the State of Maine. Marina and her family have lived in Jay and New Sharon, and recently moved to Rome where Marina will be attending Messalonskee Middle School in the fall.
Are you or do you know a Creative Kid? We would love to grow our program and call attention to the budding talent in the region, so please contact United Way to be considered as our next ‘Creative Kid.’
For more information about the United Way, visit their website www.uwtva.org. Call (207) 778-5048; visit the office 218 Fairbanks Road, or check out Facebook (www.facebook.com/uwtva) and Instagram for up-to-date information.