What do Gov. Baldacci, “Today” show host Al Roker and actress Lauren Graham have in common?

They were all impressed by the compassion of more than a dozen local children who participate in the charitable youth organization Caring Kids of Cape Elizabeth.

The group of junior humanitarians recently received high-profile accolades for participating in a fundraiser that was started by John Ondrasik, a singer/songwriter of the band Five For Fighting. Inspired by his song “World,” Ondrasik created a Web site where people can post homemade videos about what kind of world they want. Every time someone watches the video, 49 cents is donated to a charity. The Cape kids’ charity of choice was Save the Children, an independent organization that works in more than 110 countries to ensure the well-being of children.

The group of Cape kids, between 7 and 11 years old, decided to take on the project of making a video, which was produced by Kim Gillies, mother of Caring Kids members, Zoe, 11, and Christie, 7. In the video, the children hold up signs that say what kind of world they want. The slide show is set to the children singing along to Five for Fighting’s “World.”

The video has already been viewed more than 1,400 times.

Comments can be posted below the video. It was through this feature that the kids learned how widely their production had been viewed.

“They were jumping up and down,” Gillies said of the reaction of Caring Kids when they learned Ondrasik himself had posted a comment.

Gillies got the club going in 2003 when Zoe expressed an interest in joining a group that was dedicated to helping people. They couldn’t find anything age-appropriate, so Zoe suggested that they start their own club. In talking to neighbors and friends, Gillies discovered that there was a strong interest in the community.

Over the past four years, the group has developed traditions, like caroling for seniors in the area and delivering packages to them on May Day. Every year on Sept. 11, they honor the Cape Elizabeth police and firefighters by giving them treats, like flowers or thank-you notes. They won two trophies for floats they’ve decorated for the Family Fun Day parade and have donated money to a soup kitchen.

“It’s fun for me because you get to help people and you get to do it with other kids,” said Julia Ginder, a fourth-grader. “It makes you feel good.”

Since word spread about the video, Gillies said, interest in the group has grown. Though she would like to expand the group and share its vision, “my kitchen’s only so big,” she said. One comment posted on the Web site was from California, where a group wants to start its own Caring Kids chapter.

“I think the movie is great because we’re raising money for charity, and people are realizing from it what we’ve done, and maybe thinking about what they can do,” Zoe Gillies said.

The Caring Kids of Cape Elizabeth gather for a meeting. Front: James Planinsek, Emma Schoonover, Elise Mullen, Christie Gillies, Anna Davis, Ellie Garfield and Kate Ginder. Back: Julia Ginder, Zoe Gillies, Caroline Garfield, Alicia Davis, Monica Planinsek, Claire Zimmerman and Aphrodite Makrides.

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