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From free hot dogs and chips and music to rock painting with watercolors most of the fun activities at A Family Affair held at Veterans Memorial Park centered on kids. Adults at Saturday’s event could explore dozens of services available to individuals and families.
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A Family Affair: Free day in the park >br>heavy on fun, showcasing services
August 12, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
It was a day in the park for the entire family where they enjoyed free food, plenty of music, tours of police cars and fire engines, games, kids activities, health screenings and more.
Held at Veterans Memorial Park, the 7th Annual A Family Affair Community Outreach, organized by Santa Paula Vineyard Fellowship Church’s Pastor Johnny Flores and his wife Margarita Flores, who were kept busy greeting visitors.
Co-sponsors of the event were the Santa Paula Police Department, SPIRIT of Santa Paula and the Santa Police Clergy Council.
A SPPD patrol car was a popular stop for the kids: “We’ve had hundreds of kids look at the car, they’ve been attacking me!” joked Senior Reserve Officer Dave Curran as Explorers helped kids explore the vehicle with flashing lights.
The kids noted Curran, “love McGruff,” the crime-fighting dog that between visits with the children could be found dancing at music central.
The Firehouse was also a popular stop for the kids where they could learn fire prevention and safety tips and how to escape a house fire.
The top prize in the free raffle—eight child bicycles—were lined up neatly next to the music mixed with an inspirational message from Sade Champagne with the “Power of a Dream” tour; KNS Rockstar did hip-hop, led the children in dancing and spoke to them about bullying; Daniel Abernathy performed gospel inspired rap.
There were dozens of informational booths at the event including the Girl Scouts where Glenda Learn spent the day spreading the word of the positive programs and activities offered by the organization.
Learn said she was also looking for adults that would like to be involved as troop leaders of girls from 5 to 17 years old.
“We really need leaders,” to help with the program the focus of two recruiting events, August 10 at Blanchard Community Library from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and September 18 in Fillmore at Veterans Memorial Hall starting at 6:30 p.m.
City Councilwoman Jenny Crosswhite was on hand and said the attraction of A Family Affair is multi-faceted: “It’s free, kids get to come and have a good time and there’s a great variety of service providers,” ranging from The Arc and county Child Development Services to Ventura County Health Services and NAMI.
Larry Hicks, a NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) volunteer who is also with Ventura County Behavioral Health Care and Joan Wiggins, a NAMI project coordinator were passing out information about the organization.
According to NAMI its mission is to “provide emotional support, education and resources for families affected by mental illness. Through community collaboration and education,” NAMI advocates for a life of quality and dignity—one without discrimination—for all people affected by mental illness.
Wiggins and Hicks said they were pleased at the stops made at the NAMI table where information about the organization’s services was available in English and Spanish.
“We’ve had good foot traffic,” said Wiggins.
The MVP (Mighty Valiant Purposeful) Kidz van was nearby showing off its renovated delivery van with the bright signage, a joint effort with the SPPD and others to keep youth on the right track; Puenta de Vuda - Bridge of Life Church Pastor Adelita Garza and Liz Perez of Santa Paula Church of Christ were on hand to answer questions and tell visitors that the MVP Kidz van will be at Obergon Park Saturdays at 11 a.m. and Tuesdays at 4 p.m.
Garza and Perez noted that the first week the van and its programs attracted 140 children.
Other churches also provided religious activities and information at the free A Family Affair day in the park that also attracted United Parents, a parent support group for children with mental disorders and the countywide FOOD Share offering produce and information about applying for food stamps.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County was signing up mentors for children and the Rescue Mission Alliance was offering information on emergency shelter, recovery and transitional living programs.
“We come every year,” said Elena Magana of Santa Paula. “The kids really enjoy the music and the hot dogs, I take home produce and we have friends here from Oxnard that are checking into all the services.”
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Above Lisa Lewolt brought her dance msuic to the “Family Affair” and had the crowd “Rockin” during her performance |
