By Michelle Williams
Families gathered at the Hamilton County 4-H Fairgrounds & Exhibition Center on May 9 for the Spring Fling Family Fun Day hosted by the Children’s Bureau, Inc. Community Partners for Child Safety. The theme of the day was safety — and many of the available activities promoted that idea in various ways. Other activities were just plain fun for kids.
Guests were greeted by a brass jazz band and offered complimentary pizza and soft drinks. Kids could play with a bubble machine, get their faces painted, have a competition on the dodgeball course or explore inside and out the fire truck and ambulance on display. Attendees could also participate in scheduled activities such as Zumba, GenMove and a drum circle.
Inside, informational and promotional booths featuring family martial arts, free in-home children’s safety devices such as wall plug protectors, and a raffle station. Each family was provided a “Passport to Prevention” — a card that collected the stamps of vendors and was turned in at the raffle station where bikes, helmets, life vest, pool passes and martial arts memberships were awarded as door prizes.
Outside, Noblesville police officer Matt Johnston was teaching bike safety to children. He coached them on pedaling, steering through obstacles in the controlled braking course and proper use of helmets. “We teach them to take turns with their eyes,” he said. “Where the head goes, the bike follows.”
Children’s Bureau, Inc. is an organization serving Hamilton, Hancock, Madison and Tipton counties. The organization offers prevention and intervention resources that promote the safety of Indiana children. More information is available at www.childrensbureau.org.
