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 Families from across Ventura County enjoyed a free fun day on Sunday courtesy of a nonprofit child care organization based in Oxnard.
Child Development Resources of Ventura County hosted Celebrate the Child family fun day at the Camarillo Ranch with the help of local businesses, restaurants and public safety officials who donated their time and products.
Organizers said about 3,000 parents and children participated, double the number who came last year.
“The focus of the day is the kids of our community,” said Don Henniger, the executive director of CDR. “It’s to provide a day when parents can just enjoy their kids.”
The event was open to anyone in the county, and those who came enjoyed free food, arts and crafts activities, and entertainment as well as the opportunity to get information about child-centered resources available in the community.
Laura Edmondson from Ventura and her two children stumbled across the event after attending River Park Community Church at the Red Barn at Camarillo Ranch, and they were delighted at being allowed into the free event.
“They’re having a great time painting and jumping and having some different food that we’ve never had before,’ Edmondson said.
“It’s a great way of getting the community together.”
Jesus Marmolejo and his three sons ages 2, 4 and 7 stood in line to get animal balloons being made by volunteer Angie Hill, 28, of Tarzana. Marmolejo got tickets to the event through his eldest son’s school, and they were enjoying a day out together while his wife and newborn son stayed home.
“It’s what we needed,” said Marmolejo, a self-employed landscaper who lives with his family in Camarillo.
“In these kinds of times, this is what we need, you know, especially for the kids. They’re our hope, and they make us happy. Even if the economy is bad and everything is bad, we still have our kids who make us smile.”
Noemi Diaz from Oxnard watched as her 3-year-old son Aaron had his face painted like Spider-Man.
“It’s been wonderful, and there’s great information, too, at the booths,” she said,
“I learned about music lessons for my son and different stuff in the community that he can go to.”
Jan Iceland, the president of CDR’s board, said she hoped that the fun day would encourage families to find out more about the services available to them and the ways that CDR can help them.
“Especially in these economic times when a lot of people need more services, we’re offering so much and we want them all to know,” said Ireland, who is also the president of the Oak Park Unified School District board.
“Just anything that can ease the pressures on the parents so the children don’t feel it because, unfortunately, when the parents are under pressure, very often it does pass on down to the children.”
Child Development Resources of Ventura County, which employs about 400 people and manages an annual budget of more than $46 million, has county, state and federal contracts to administer Child Care Resource & Referral Programs and receives federal funding for its Head Start and Early Head Start Programs targeted at the children of low-income and high-risk families.
Don Henniger, the executive director of CDR was extremely thankful for the outstanding support from Santa Barbara Bank And Trust and Streamline Office Solutions.
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