DeKalb County’s Family Sevice Agency Foundation Board is sponsoring a paper doll fundraiser to let area residents know the foundation is part of the county family.

Sandy Garrett, Family Service Agency administrative assistant, said the paper doll collection, “Families in Winter,” is part of an on-going fundraiser based on the agency’s logo that will depict individuals of the county whom the agency helps.

“The collection will focus on parts of the family served by the agency. Each year new dolls will be designed to coincide with each of the programs offered by Family Service Agency,” Garrett said.

The collection series begins this year with the mother and father of a modern healthy family,” said fundraiser organizer Mavis Williams.

Quen Carpenter of Plano, Ill., has been commissioned to design the series, and her original drawings of the mother and father are in the process of being copyrighted, she said.

Agency Foundation Board President Emerson Wells said Carpenter’s “talent makes the paper dolls come alive. She is an excellent artist, and DeKalb County residents will quickly recognize her touch.”

Williams said county residents may recognize Carpenter’s work from her caricature booth at the Sandwich Fair.

“She does caricatures of people walking by. Who else could do people from DeKalb County better than she can, because she does them every year,” she said.

Williams said the concept of the paper doll family sprung from the idea to “start a collection that might be saved so people 30 years from now might see what families were like today.”

Williams is hoping the collection will be bought by collectors who want to store and keep the dolls. It could also be an “eye-opener” for those who would like to start collecting, she said.

There is no set price for each doll, Williams said. “It’s like any contribution—give what you can. If you feel you can only give $1 for each doll, we’ll welcome the contribution, but we hope most people would consider a $5 donation,” she said.

The foundation board is raising money for several reasons, Williams said.

Some funding is needed from local sources for backup if government funding does not come through. Some money will be used for capital improvement to make the agency more convenient for the county’s residents. Also, Williams said the foundation board “would like to have some money in a savings fund to serve as a symbol of something to work for.”

Wells said the foundation board is excited about the paper doll collection and the fundraiser. “The most important thing about our efforts is that we are supporting the vital work of the Family Service Agency,” he said.

Copies of the dolls can be purchased through the Family Service Agency, 3131 Sycamore Rd.

Copies also can be purchased in a packet and signed by the artist for $25, Monday from 7-9:30 p.m. at an autograph party held at Williams’ house, 516 Dresser Rd.