Kids Expo a One-Stop Shop for Family Fun, Resources
http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/022410_kids_expo_a_one-stop_shop_for_family_fun_resources/
By Kevin McFadden, Noozhawk Contributor
More than 100 businesses and nonprofits will be on hand for Saturday's event at La Cumbre Plaza
After weathering a few rain delays, the Kids Expo, sponsored by La Cumbre Plaza and SBParent.com, is on tap for this Saturday.
More than 100 local businesses and nonprofits will be on hand to participate in the event, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the plaza, 121 S. Hope Ave. at State Street in Santa Barbara.
SBParent.com, founded by Rachael Steidl, a Santa Barbara native and mother of three, is an online resource guide for families that provides information and assistance from pregnancy through the teen years.
Children and parents will have the opportunity to gather information on programs and activities available for local families. Exhibitors will introduce families to community resources, including camps, classes, fitness, sports and nutrition information, party-planning, newborn/pregnancy assistance, nonprofits and more. There also will be a “Be the Match” bone marrow drive to help support two local children battling cancer.
Julie Sorenson, director of sales and marketing for SBParent.com, said she hopes the Kids Expo will be a day of fun activities for children of all ages, as well as provide a great opportunity for parents to get educated on how to effectively utilize area resources.
“There will be tons of free activities for kids,” Sorenson said. “We will have an entertainment stage set up. We’ll have free face painting, arts and crafts, demonstrations and much more. It should be a really fun day.”
There will also be discussion panels, split into three categories. The preschool discussion panel will be from 9:15 a.m. to 10 a.m., K-12 education will be from 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., and parent education will be from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Included in the group of exhibitors will be five special local nonprofits raising awareness for their respective causes: Angels Bearing Gifts, the Children’s Project, Ice in Paradise, the Junior League of Santa Barbara and the Teddy Bear Foundation.
Also sponsoring the event are KidzArt of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Independent Schools and The Learningden Preschool.
Click here for more information and a complete list of exhibitors.
— Kevin McFadden is a Noozhawk contributor.
http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/022410_kids_expo_a_one-stop_shop_for_family_fun_resources/