Patients' Artwork on City Busses

Usually when kids color a picture, they expect Mom and Dad to hang it up on the fridge.  The kids at Sanford Children's Hospital are getting an even bigger display for thier masterpieces.  Public busses in Sioux Falls now have hundreds of pictures hanging up for all to see. 

9 year old Raymond Clark is a budding young artist.  

Raymond says, "I like to draw pictures for my mom."

Raymond has a congenital heart defect, which means he spends more time in the hospital than his father Michael would like. Michael says coloring is a good way to keep Raymond busy.

Michael Clark says, "In the hospital, you're limited in what you can do, so coloring pictures is a way to pass the time, and it's something he enjoys doing."

A couple weeks ago, the kids in Sanford Children's hospital were asked to create artwork for Sioux Area Metro Busses.

Michael Clark says,"They brought by a bunch of crayons, and Raymond said, 'Okay!' and started making up pictures."

 Raymond drew 3 different pictures...one for the past.
 Raymond says, "The first one is a picture of a dinosaur ..."
One for his present.... 
Raymond says,"The second one is my house."
...and one for his future.
Raymond says,"In the last one are flying cars and robots."

Raymond's dad suggested he leave the pictures of his future blank since it's unknown, but Raymond didn't like that idea.

Raymond says,"In the future, it can't be blank, because if it was blank, we wouldn't be here."

Raymond's pieces are among the hundreds of pictures on display in 29 Sioux Area Metro Busses in place of paid advertising.  The kids' pictures are such a hit with passengers, Sioux Area Metro plans to keep them around.

Dennis Erickfritz of Sioux Area Metro Busses says,"As far as we're concerned, we'll continue.  As long as kids want to draw pictures, we'll keep putting them on the busses."

Metro officials say there's still room for plenty more pictures on the busses, but Raymond doesn't plan to draw anymore for them.  Michael says that's okay, because Raymond and the other kids at Sanford's Children's hospital get to become a bigger part of their community.