Looking For Some Family Friendly Fun?

The Family Services Expo is scheduled for Saturday, May 18 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Fremont High School.  Admission is free and snacks, waters, and hotdogs will be provided.   
This is always a great time with lots of giveaways, door prizes, games, crafts, and the opportunity to learn about the many services available  to local families.
Best of all?
Free.
Yes that four letter word we all love to hear means it won’t cost a penny to experience one of the premier family events of the year.
Kids can grab some fun by doing a little bounce house action, hitting the climbing wall or the gaga pit .
Some of the services being offered up?
Vision checks for children. preschool and kindergarten enrollment info,
car seat checks and more.

Great Start Collaborative Coordinator Karen Clark:
“This year we are changing things us a bit.  There will be a new location and new date.
“We will be combining vendors and activities from the Great Start Family Expo and Spectrum's Community Health & Safety Day.. The high school offers plenty of indoor and outdoor spaces to accommodate all vendors, as well as great parking for the public.  We think that this is a great way to combine events and increase the number of attendees.”

This is a wonderful opportunity for organizations to share the programs and services they provide to local families in Newaygo County.  Each vendor will provide an activity that parents and children can engage in together.

Here’s  a rundown of what is being offered up.

Key Services

• White Cloud Lions Club is providing free vision screening for children
• Safe Kids is providing free car seat checks
• Spectrum is providing free diabetes testing
• Preschool & kindergarten enrollment information
• Prescription medication drop box

Free Stuff

• Great Start is providing a free book to every child that attends
• Kent Foods is providing free hotdogs
• Nestle is providing free waters
• Great Start is providing free energy efficient light bulbs to families completing the expo survey

Fun Stuff

• Emergency response vehicles (hummers, police cars, fire trucks, swat vehicles, Life EMS, water patrol)
• Five bounce houses
• Rock climbing wall - provided by Camp Newaygo
• Gaga pit - provided by Camp Henry
• Therapy dogs
• McGruff the crime dog
• K-9 drug search demonstration

Door Prizes

• Everyone will win something.
• Attendees will spin a wheel for prizes  
• Each vendor will provide a large door prize (70+ door prizes)

While Great Start (overseen by NCRESA) is coordinating the event Clark credits the collaborative efforts that went into the event.
“We could not put it together without help from the planning committee including  employees from Great Start, Spectrum Health, Fremont PD, Sheriff's Dept, and Family Health Care.”

Here is a link to the event.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1518816021582474/?active_tab=discussion