COLUSA, CA (MPG) – The Colusa County Office of Education Children’s Services took the Month of a Young Child and made a day of it.
The annual Family Fair on April 12 at the Colusa County Fairgrounds drew in families from all over the region for a day filled with fun, learning, and community spirit.
The annual event, known for its vibrant atmosphere, had a large turnout and featured an array of engaging activities indoors and out that appealed to attendees of all ages.
“This year was just a perfect day,” CCOE Children’s Services Director Vicki Markss said. “I mean, the weather really, really went far this time, and we couldn’t have asked for a better day.”
The Month of the Young Child is an annual celebration observed in April, dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of early childhood education and the well-being of young children.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children established The Month of the Young Child in 1971 for communities to come together to recognize the importance of early childhood education and the critical role that families and communities play in supporting the growth and development of young children.
“Because we serve the county’s youngest children, we put this event on every year,” Markss said.
About 40 agencies participated on Saturday, including Colusa County Public Health, Community Advocates for Parents and Children, American Red Cross, Colusa Medical Center, Cal Fresh, First 5 Colusa, UC Master Gardeners, Pneumacare, Colusa County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, and many others, all with valuable resources on youth services, health and safety programs, and educational opportunities available in the area.
Sandra Cortez, of E Center, located at Arbuckle and Williams, provided information about Migrant Head Start services, which are available at no cost to families working in agriculture who have children aged four weeks to five years.
“We offer a variety of services,” Cortez said. “We provide childcare to working families but not just childcare. We have a researched-based curriculum and actually teach kids stuff to get them ready for kindergarten.”
Several local businesses, including First Northern Bank and Premier (Farmers Fresh) Mushrooms, also had booths and activities.
The Family Fair is a free event, including all the activities and entertainment, which this year includes a new petting zoo. The Colusa Lions Club provided 600 hot dogs at no cost, showing attendance was up over last year when the event was held indoors due to rain.
“Obviously, for the kids, it’s fun, but it also lets families know there is an abundance of community resources available,” Markss said. “We want families to understand how important it is to just spend quality family time. You don’t have to spend money to come out to events like this and you get materials and resources to learn about other things that are being provided in our community. We are very rural, but we are a dynamic community when we pull our resources together.”