Despite the flip-flopping of the weather forecast (due to a nor’easter that drifted further west than originally anticipated) and the occasional sprinkle, over 400 children attended this year’s Celebrate Kids Day hosted by Warren Coalition on September 27th! The organizers were well-prepared for the crowd, thanks to the Senior Center generously allowing the Coalition to use their space, in addition to the 15th Street Gym and surrounding grounds. The Coalition also added a barrel train and an expanded petting zoo provided by Big D’s Pony Rides, and hosted a total of six inflatables, five of which were supplied by Incredible Inflatables.
Attendees painted all 200 pumpkins, and even better, remembered to pick them up at the end of the day! They also took full advantage of free face painting and collected stamps at various games that they then used to claim prizes. There were even performances by students from All-Star Legacy Cheer, Dance & Arts VA, and Jig ‘n’ Jive Dance Studio.
The event brought together more than 20 vendors, agencies, and nonprofits from the local area, and put 11 individuals in the infamous “Pitch Burst.” Those individuals raised funds for the “honor” of sitting under 11-inch water balloons, with a friendly competition to see who could raise the most. Kevin Brooks won the Fundraising Championship title this year, bringing in $2,015, while Sheriff Crystal Cline took second place with $1,525. (After the event, Kevin obtained a final donation of $235 from the Auto Care Clinic, bringing his total to $2,250 and getting the Coalition to the $7,500 goal for the fundraiser!)
“We are thrilled with how this year’s event went,” said Celeste Brooks, Deputy Director of the Warren Coalition. “Things flowed smoothly, because we had wonderful volunteers who were willing to step in and fill gaps wherever needed.”
“I definitely had some periods where I got a little choked up thinking about what we truly accomplish with CKD,” said Warren Coalition Executive Director Christa Shifflett. “The prizes are structured so that kids have to keep trying, work toward a goal and then feel the joy of accomplishment, which I got to witness a couple of times! Children come out and perform, which gets them positive reinforcement while building confidence and maybe creating interest in other kids to sign up. And we have resources available for parents so they can get their kids more involved in the community.”
“We couldn’t have done this event without our sponsors,” Brooks added. “There is no grant paying for Celebrate Kids Day. It is a day that is completely funded by local businesses and organizations.” This year’s sponsors included:
- Giles B. Cook American Legion Post 53 (Inflatables & Pumpkins)
- City National Bank (Petting Zoo)
- Front Royal Dental Care (Event)
- Rotary Club of Warren County (Train)
- Northwestern Community Services Board (Inflatables & Promotions)
- Kiwanis Club of Front Royal (DJ)
- Front Royal/Warren County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #33 (Smile Maker)
- Warren County VA Sheriff’s Office Foundation (Smile Maker)
In-kind gifts were also provided by the Shawnee Farm Market, The River 95.3, National Media Services, and Play Favorites.
