County calls on student artists to design Walk for Warmth theme
The Ottawa County Community Action Agency is calling on local high school artists to design the official poster and T-shirt for its annual Walk for Warmth fundraiser.
HOLLAND — The Ottawa County Community Action Agency is calling on local high school artists to design the official poster and T-shirt for its annual Walk for Warmth fundraiser.
The 2027 Walk for Warmth is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, 2027, at EV Construction, located at 86 E. Sixth St. in Holland.
The annual two-mile event raises emergency funding for qualifying Ottawa County working families who have received utility shut-off notices for gas, electric, water, or deliverable fuels such as propane.
All funds raised stay within Ottawa County to help local residents settle bills during financial hardships. Money is raised through pledges, donations, and event sponsorships, though community members are also encouraged to participate in the walk to raise awareness.
The annual two-mile Walk for Warmth raises emergency funding for qualifying Ottawa County working families who have received utility shut-off notices for gas, electric, water, or deliverable fuels such as propane. [Courtesy/Ottawa County]
The annual design contest offers local students an opportunity to showcase their artistic talents, build their creative portfolios, and gain regional recognition while supporting the cause.
Interested high school artists must submit both poster and T-shirt concepts. Entries must meet the following technical specifications:
- Poster specifications: Artwork must be created at 11-by-17 inches with a resolution of at least 300 dpi, a 0.25-inch bleed (if applicable), and a 0.5-inch safe margin for text and design elements. Designs must include the primary or secondary OCCAA logo, the provided event QR code, the website URL, and the event's time, date and location.
- T-shirt specifications: Poster concepts must be adapted for use on a T-shirt using a transparent background, resolution of at least 300 dpi, and fewer than eight colors. T-shirt designs must feature the primary or secondary OCCAA logo and the event name, "2027 Walk for Warmth."
All work must be created using Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, or InDesign. Organizers emphasize that designs must consist of original artwork and cannot include trademarked imagery. While fully AI-generated entries are prohibited, built-in AI tools within standard graphic design software are permitted to support human creativity.
Submissions are due by 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6. Student artists should email PDF versions of both design files to info.occaa@miottawa.org alongside their name, age, grade, email address, phone number and optional school name. Applicants under 18 must also include a guardian's name, email address and phone number.
The winning designer will be announced on Monday, Nov. 16, at which point OCCAA will request the native project files for production. For more information about the event or submission guidelines, contact info.occaa@miottawa.org.
— To submit a news tip, email newsroom@ottawanewsnetwork.org.
