Knoxville High School student Abi Vander Linden is holding a Healthy Body Healthy Mind workshop and a kickoff to a new nonprofit on Sunday.

This workshop will be a meet and greet with Abi who was selected as Miss Marion County for the US American Miss Pageant, a craft promoting confidence, and a dance routine. This event is free and will be broken up into two age divisions with Pre K and Kindergarten from 1:00-2:00 pm and ages up to 5th grade from 2:00-3:00 pm. It will be held at Elite Dance by Nicole in Knoxville.

Abi is also in the process of starting a nonprofit organization called Radiant. This organization is to help bring joy, happiness, and comfort to others. The first outreach of this organization will be in partnership with the new infusion center at Knoxville Hospital and Clinics. Abi tells KNIA/KRLS she got motivation for this cause from watching her grandpa fight brain cancer and that he was always able to stay joyful. She will be creating gift baskets for every person that goes through the infusion center and she is looking for donations for these baskets. People who attend the workshop on Sunday are encouraged to bring donations, but anyone can drop off donations to Elite Dance year round. Abi hopes she can help many people who are going through something difficult with her new organization.

“It’s definitely really hard and you kind of feel a little bit helpless when you’re trying to help your family members or your friends through something that hard. I just want to be able to help out and do everything I can. I think that starting this organization will really help a lot and just bring comfort and joy to everyone. That’s all I want to do. I want to help anyone and families as well because it’s truly hard for everyone.”

For a list of items that are needed for donations and to sign up for the workshop you can visit her Pageant Facebook page here. You can drop off items at Elite Dance from 4:00-7:00 pm Monday-Thursday. Hear more from Abi on today’s Let’s Talk Knoxville.