It was a win-win situation, for the Estevan Kinette Club and local parents and children last weekend. The Kinettes held a popular new event to raise money for Telemiracle, which will fund special medical equipment and assistance for those in need, and children and parents were provided an assortment of games and activities to enjoy.
Saturday鈥檚 inaugural Family Carnival took place at Sacred Heart School/脡cole Sacr茅 Coeur, and was hosted by the Kinettes, with the help of the volunteer efforts of the Girl Guides, Brownies and Pathfinders.
The gymnasium was packed with tables of carnival games, and set up for a cake walk later in the day. Games and activities ranged from the classic ball toss to an inflatable bouncy house. Parents bought strips of tickets at the door for children to play the games, the proceeds of which went to the Telemiracle.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just a fun day to raise a little money for the Telemiracle. It鈥檚 definitely exceeding our expectations,鈥� said Jacquie Mvula, a co-ordinator of the event. 鈥淚鈥檓 impressed. I鈥檝e been too busy to get into the gym, but from out here, it sounds like they鈥檙e having fun.鈥�
Mvula noted many of the youngsters were having so much fun, that their parents were making return trips to the table at the door, to buy more tickets for games and activties.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been very busy,鈥� said Rima Makari-Saliba, while handing out strips of tickets to a stream of guests. 鈥淲e鈥檝e only been here a little over an hour, and there鈥檚 already been a huge turnout.鈥�
Christa Morhart was on the scene with 29 of her girls in Girl Guides, Brownies and Pathfinders, organizing them and assigning them stations where they ran games for the guests.
鈥淲e鈥檙e excited to be here. It鈥檚 a really good opportunity to give back to the community,鈥� said Morhart. 鈥淲e鈥檙e happy to support Telemiracle, and I can tell the girls are having a lot of fun.鈥�
Mvula said the carnival started as an idea among the Kinette board of directors to work in collaboration with schools in the community, for Telemiracle.
鈥淚 reached out to the parent council at (Sacred Heart School/脡cole Sacr茅 Coeur) and started planning an event here,鈥� said Mvula, whose children attend classes at the school. 鈥淭his is the 40th year of Telemiracle. We hope young kids will get the chance to grow up knowing what it鈥檚 about, just like we did,鈥� said Mvula.
This year is shaping up to be an active and productive year, for fundraising, for the Kinettes, with the Family Carnival taking place so soon after the success of the Princess Ball for cystic fibrosis in January.
鈥淭he Kinette clubs saw the Princess Ball as a huge success, so we decided to hold the Family Carnival,鈥� said Mvula. 鈥淚t seems to be the way to go, when you involve kids.鈥�
Mvula added that the schedule keeps her busy, and invited anyone interested in joining the Kinettes or Kinsmen to check out a meeting.
