In addition to offering refreshments and games, the morning event featured 50 vendors as well as a house fire escape demonstration by the Merrillville Fire Department.
Keesha Harris of Merrillville believes her two children need a menu overhaul and better eating habits. To that end, she is reading nutrition books as well as learning to cook lighter.
‘Teaching the kids that healthy food can taste good is an uphill battle,” she said, at the recent Healthy Kids Day at the Hobart YMCA. “But the snacks here — the peanut butter and crackers, especially — are making that a little easier.”
In addition to offering refreshments and games, the morning event featured 50 vendors as well as a house fire escape demonstration by the Merrillville Fire Department.
“I know this (event) has been going on for many years, and we’re always one of the first families to get here,” said Kyle Murphy of Hobart, as his two children ran to see the Culver’s Ice Cream mascot. “This is not just a play-some-games and get some popcorn type of community event. They have some very helpful information on community resources, some we can really use.”
Healthy Kids Day is a national Initiative to help keep children and their families active and aware of developing good habits such as healthy eating, according to Sharon Tarry, senior program director, who has served in her position for 28 years.
“We used to have an annual Open House when I first started here, and a few years later we added Healthy Kids Day to that event,” she said. “It has became very popular since then, hundreds of families visit each year.”
Additional festivities and vendors are added to the agenda each year.
This year, myriad of representatives of organizations and companies handed out information and talked with families about their roles in the community.
The Hobart Police Department again offered fingerprinting and photo identification of the children with no charge. “You never know when we’ll need these,” said Heidi Franklin of Hammond, as she contemplated standing in line with her son Joshua, 6. “And that they’re doing this at no charge is a blessing.”
The James Knaver family of Hobart found many programs that could be beneficial to their family, their father said..
“With four children ranging in age from 2-6 years old, we are always on the lookout for ways to promote family togetherness,” James said. “These kinds of family fairs like the one today give us a chance to see what what’s out there for us.”
Free swim sessions also were on the day’s schedule, as well as a stop in the cafeteria for some carrot sticks, celery sticks and peanut butter crackers.
“This is the biggest challenge we have as parents,” said Janey Harrison of Hobart, as she watched her three children choose some of the healthy snacks. “Even if we eat the right way at home – and I definitely try to do that – everywhere else we go, the kids are faced with some not-so-healthy food choices. But I believe they can learn to like what’s good for them, it’s up to the parents to teach this.”
Information about programs at the Hobart YMCA is at 219-942-2183.
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Sue Ellen Ross is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.