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Kidsfest: a family-oriented event where children and adults have fun!
That's the definition of this community-wide event hosted by Kids Incorporated for the past nine years. On Saturday, May 1st, 4,000 people joined together to prove once again it is possible to have fun in a family atmosphere playing games, creating arts and c rafts, riding ponies, sitting in a fire truck, jumping in a bounce house or slide down a 22 foot water slide. It demonstrated once more that being together as a fmily and enjoying live entertainment is a great way to spend a Saturday. Some of us have forgotten how much we can laught when trying to keep a hula hoop from hitting the ground or how much can be learned from experiencing a "make believe" fire in the fire house.
For the staff and volunteers associated with Kidsfest, it is a long but rewarding day as there are loads of laughter and seas of smiles on children's faces. For the exhibitors who joined us and provided children's activities, it was a tiring day with positive results. The Marzug Shriners made balloon animals and painted faces and were able to share information about Shriner's Hospital services and will be helping several families as a result of Kidsfest. The Heart Gallery of N. Florida had 6 families ask to be contacted about starting the adoption process and children may find permanent, adoptive homes as a result!
Exit surveys told us that adults learned about a variety of organizations and businesses they previously didn't know existed. Some non-profits have acquired potential volunteers because of their visibility at this event. That's what it's all about...families having fun, while learning about community resources and businesses!
Kidsfest 2010 was made possible by our Title Sponsors: Aramark, Brown & Brown Insurance, CenturyLink and Comcast. Aramark not only donated the food, but also provided the volunteers to prepare and sell it and help through the day! They go the extra mile to make this event special and we thank them for their years of support and their commitment to our community!
Event sponsors included the Florida League of Cities, Rogers Guner Vaughn Insurance, Konica Minolta and Walmart. Acdtivity sponsored included Action Attraction, Battery Source, Blue Ribbon Cleaners, The Krizner Group, Party Headquarters, William J. Peebles, Pepsi, Rita's Italian Ice, Signature Office Products, Uhlfelder & Associates, and Wakulla Bank. Thanks for helping make Kidsfest possible!
We appreciate the collaboration of Capital City Youth Services who help their Capital City Wiffle Ball Cup Tournament as part of Kidsfest. We were glad to have them as partners!
We couldn't put on an event of this magnitude without the wonderful help of a tremendous number of volunteers who helped in more ways than we can say! You were simply awesome!
Special thanks to everyone who came out and played with us this year. We hope you return for next year's Kidsfest -- it will be our 10th Annual Kidsfest and we're already working to plan a spectacular celebration for this anniversary event! Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 7, 2011 and plan on joining us at the Fairgrounds!
(all Kidsfest photos are copyrighted 2010 David Todd & Bonnie Bell) |
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