Kaziah Hancock and other volunteer artists who work with Project Compassion have painted portraits for thousands of military families since 2003.  The video above documents her portrait presentation to the Panchot family of Northome, Minnesota.

Please join the Oglethorpe Women’s Network and OU Center for Civic Engagement tomorrow, November 9 at 4:00 pm at the Conant Performing Arts Center to meet Project Compassion founder and artist Kaziah Hancock.

U.S. Army Sergeant Lakeshia M. Bailey

During the program Kaziah will speak about the work of Project Compassion, a nonprofit dedicated to giving hand-painted portraits to the families of fallen U.S. soldiers. She will present a portrait of U.S. Army Sergeant Lakeshia M. Bailey to the fallen soldier’s family.

Project Compassion founder and artist Kaziah Hancock

A native of Columbus, Ga., Sgt. Bailey died on March 8, 2010, north of Al Kut, Iraq of injuries sustained during a non-combat-related vehicle rollover. Sgt. Bailey was a heavy vehicle driver assigned to the 203rd Brigade Support Battalion, attached to the 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.

A professional artist, Kaziah was impacted by the loss of her father at a young age.  Upon reading about the first death of a soldier from her home state of Utah in the Iraq War, Hancock made a commitment to share and ease the grief of military families. Armed with brushes, paints and passion, she created Project Compassion.

More than 2,500 families around the country have received the healing presence of Hero Portraits, painted by Hancock and her group of volunteer artists.

This unveiling is open to all and is a Petrel Point event.  A reception will follow in the Conant lobby.  For more information on the event, please contact Tamara Nash at 404-504-1976.