'Fun Day in the Park' Marks Children's Week

15 April 2010

PAHOKEE – What has 2,012 eyes and runs around?

The 681 children and 325 adults who attended the 2010 Glades Area “Fun Day in the Park” at Paul Rardin Park on April 14.

Employees from preschool and child care centers in Western Palm Beach County, including Lutheran Services Florida’s PEPPI Head Start Child Development Center (Preschool Enrichment Program with Parental Involvement) brought their children to the park as part of the Glades Area Children’s Week celebration. Children’s Week is an annual statewide program sponsored by One Voice for Children that advocates for the health, safety and well-being of children and families in Florida. For more information on Children’s Week, visit www.childrensweek.org.

The third annual picnic drew a large crowd on a sunny but cool and windy day. Children and staff wore brightly colored T-shirts identifying their groups.

“Fun Day” was an opportunity to unite the preschool, child care center and family home child care employees in Western Palm Beach County for a day of fun for them and the children they serve. The area includes the towns of Belle Glade, Canal Point, Pahokee and South Bay.

“It was a lovely event on a wonderful day,” said Dr. Terry Liddell, Manager of Compliance and Special Projects for Early Childhood Education with the School District of Palm Beach County. “I’m sure the children will have great memories. I enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new people.”

According to Irene Figueroa, Executive Center Director for the East Coast Migrant Head Start Project, “Our children came back to our center and just couldn’t stop talking about their outing. I want to thank everyone who made this possible for our children to have had such a wonderful time.”

At the park, children had the opportunity to get their faces painted, eat snow cones, run through obstacle courses, participate in musical chairs, make presentations to their peers, get free books, participate in story time and sing-along sessions, and picnic with their peers.

The adults who participated received a free meal of chicken, hot dogs, sausage, baked beans, roasted corn-on-the cob, sodas and water. To avoid any possible allergic reactions to food, the child care staff provided picnic lunches for their own children.

A representative from the office of State Representative Mack Bernard handed out free pedometers to encourage child care staff to count the number of steps they walked during the event. Over 40,000 steps were counted.

Autrie Williams, PEPPI Head Start’s Family Services Coordinator, coordinated the picnic. Ms. Williams said the “Fun Day” celebration would not have been possible without the planning efforts of numerous child care staff, community clubs and local companies in Western Palm Beach County. She and the Planning Committee offered thanks to the volunteers, participants and sponsors who helped make the 2010 event a success.

Children’s Week participants in addition to PEPPI Head Start included: Beacon Centers (Pahokee and Belle Glade staff); Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay employees; East Coast Migrant Head Start; Family Central; Fortin Family Development; Glades Initiative; HIPPY; Little Hands Child Care Center; Office of State Representative Mack Bernard; Palm Beach County Head Start; Palm Beach County Library System; and Wee Care Child Care Development Center.

Sponsors for the event included Babcock Home Furniture, Gents, Gilbert Jewelers, Glades Ice, Henderson Sanitation, Manny’s Meat Market, Palm Beach County Sherriff’s Office, Taco Bell, and U-Save Grocery.

Click here to view photos from “Fun Day in the Park.”

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