By Nancy Young
Enquirer contributor

Sixth-grader Christine Tritschler paints a piece of luggage that students are personalizing for children in foster care who would otherwise have to use plastic bags to move their belongings. The Cincinnati Enquirer/CRAIG RUTTLE

DELHI TOWNSHIP -Family Art Night is always an eclectic evening at Delhi Middle School, with family members from toddlers to grandparents participating in a joint art project.

This year's event on March 4 will have a humanitarian theme, thanks to a project called Love Luggage.

Love Luggage is the brainchild of art teachers Susan Lawrence and Joni Farrow, who learned about a similar project undertaken at a school in northern Ohio.

As part of the project, students and their families will spend Family Art Night decorating used, donated luggage that has been cleaned, sanded and primed. The luggage will then be donated to social service agencies for use by foster children and children taken out of abusive or dangerous home situations.

"When children are abruptly removed from a home, they are frequently told to quickly put a few belongings in a garbage bag or brown grocery bag," Lawrence says. "This project allows them to retain their dignity, and to have a nice piece of luggage that is theirs to keep and decorated with their age in mind."

Luggage will be decorated in a variety of styles for children and adolescents of all ages and interests. Lawrence and Farrow expect decorating themes to include dinosaurs, dolls, handprints, tie-dye and graffiti designs.

"It sounds horrible that they frequently have to leave their home on short notice during a bad situation, so maybe our colorful suitcases will make them feel a little bit better," says eighth-grader Xochi Velasquez, 14.

Lawrence said the school has already received about 30 donations of luggage, from cosmetic bags to large pieces. "We may extend this to become an ongoing project."

"March is National Youth Art Month, so we felt this project would allow us to focus on art while making a compassionate gesture for local children," Lawrence says.

"We are also hoping that an organization will step forward with goodies to go in the luggage, such as teddy bears or toothbrushes and toothpaste. Our students will include notes in each suitcase, making it more personal for the recipient and letting them know someone cares about them."

To donate to the Love Luggage project, contact Delhi Middle School, 922-8400. Social service agencies and social work professionals are invited to contact the school office to receive donations of decorated luggage.

E-mail nancy@cincyhomes.com