Carnival a celebration of healthy choices
Ouachita Children’s Center’s Back-to-School Carnival is set for Saturday to educate youths and their families about healthy choices as a continuation of the organization’s prevention efforts.
“It is a way for the community to come together and be supportive of our kids,” said Sallie Culbreth, OCC community relations director. “We have never done it at this level before. We decided, this year, we are going to bump it up, make it great for the community and have it on the airport lawn.”
Dozens of local organizations are scheduled to be attendance between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday at Hot Springs Memorial Field, 525 Airport Field. The carnival is scheduled to offer games, activities, bounce houses and exhibitions, along with visits from an Elvis impersonator, a juggler and monster trucks. Attendance is free.
“We wanted a place that was visible,” Culbreth said. “The airport has been incredible to work with, completely supported the community event and made it so easy for us to put this together.
“The city has been amazing helping us with setting up water. The community has really come behind us and it has been amazing.”
OCC held its first Family Fun Fair in July 2016 at the center, located at 339 Charteroak St. The center provides an emergency shelter and support services for youths in crisis, many of whom have been directly affected by the effects of substance abuse in their own families. The organization partnered with Cooperative Christian Ministries a month prior to host the Block Party at their office in Arkadelphia at 401
Crittenden St.
All of the events are funded by the Strategic Prevention Framework Partnership for Success Grant from the Arkansas Division of Behavioral Health Services Prevention Service. OCC is a partner of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s School of Social Work’s community service unit, MidSouth, through the grant, which began the center’s “Drinks? Drugs? Nah!” campaign.
“It is an event to maybe begin and possibly continue that ongoing conversation we have to have with kids, especially,” Culbreth said. “One of the ways we are doing that is having a scavenger hunt with a scavenger hunt card.
“They are going to need to go around, get their card signed and interact with the message of healthy choices. They will turn that card in for a chance to get a $100 gift card from Walmart.”
Culbreth said partnerships were crucial to the carnival’s success. Businesses like Walmart provided prizes and lockboxes will be available for free through the center’s grant funding.
Organizations were encouraged to utilize the event as a fundraising opportunity. Culbreth said all area organizations, nonprofits, clubs and other groups were invited to participate. Fountain Lake’s Cobra Band booster club will provide hot dogs and drinks.
Representatives from the Hot Springs Police Department, Hot Springs Fire Department, Garland County Sheriff’s Department, LifeNet, United States Army and the National Park Service are scheduled to attend. A number of local groups will be stationed with booths throughout the lawn. No fees were charged to participating organizations.
The focus of the Partnership for Success Grant is prevention of substance abuse, especially prescription drug abuse, and underage drinking. Culbreth said the carnival is intended to be a family friendly event with emphasis on healthy choices for children and their families. She said much of the event is meant to educate students in elementary schools and middle schools.
“There are healthy choices they can make that are going to keep their lives on track,” Culbreth said. “I think that is one of the strong messages we want to put out there to those who are starting to form and make decisions that could have some pretty interesting consequences.”
Activities at the carnival will help introduce families to alternatives to prescription drugs and alcohol use. The event is intended to increase community awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyles, positive decision making and youth leadership skills by celebrating these positive alternatives as local youths pursue academic success and their socio-emotional well-being.