If you have never taken part in our Children's Healthy Fun Fair, the opportunity is coming again. The Fourth Annual Children's Healthy Fun Fair will take place on Saturday, March 3, from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. A change of location is in this offing this year. Those of you who joined us in 2006 will know that the fair grew tremendously and so did our crowds. Over 550 adults and children came to the fair at the library. This year it was decided that a larger facility was in order. The fair will be held in the Ag Building on the Seward County Fairgrounds. Already we have 27 different organizations lined up to participate, as well as some groups who will demonstrate fitness activities available right here in our community.

The fair came about when a group of individuals began discussing the possibility of sharing information for the health and well being of children with the community. Some contacts were made with organizations who specialized in that sort of thing and we came together that first year with that goal in mind. The following years saw our numbers grow as others have joined our ranks to send the message of the importance of good health practices and physical fitness. It's so great to open the doors that day to a flood of people and to see that pace sustained the entire day. Our exhibitors are tired from the busy day but feel so good to know their information has reached so many people.

If you are new to the fair, you may wonder what we have to offer. Here's just a sampling. For the first time ever, the fair will feature a giant crawl-through artery. Youngsters will be able to see up close what happens to an artery affected by an unwise diet. Lifetime Smiles will be giving fluoride washes free of charge, Drs. Jury & Farrar's office will provide vision screenings, and Seward County Health, WIC, and the Red Cross are teaming up to help children prepare their own emergency kit and know what to do in an emergency. Representatives from Head Start, USD 480 preschool, Family Resource Center, Kid Connection, Care Connection, and Smart Start of Southwest Kansas will have fun activities children can do. Liberal Parks & Recreation will be on hand with a fitness challenge for youngsters. Fingerprinting will take place with the Liberal Police Department. Parents will also receive a fingerprint kit to do with their child at home and to keep should an emergency arise. therapy dog. At Memorial Library's booth, those who are familiar with Mia, our therapy dog from Colorado, will want to meet and read to Abby, the West Highland Terrier.

Lots of other organizations will be on hand to present information and answer questions. They include Liberal Fire Department, Crossroads Center, Drs. Cauble and Davis, Kansas State Dept. of Education Nutrition Division, Liberal Area Rape Crisis and Domestic Violence Service, M.O.P.S., NRCS/SCCD, Parents and Children Together, United Methodist Mexican American Ministries, SAFE, Southwest Guidance Center, Southwest Medical Center, and Modern Woodmen of America.

Demonstrations of fitness activities will be going on during the fair from Rine's American Freestyle Karate, T-N-T Tumbling, jump ropers from Cottonwood Intermediate School, and Grupo Folklorico Mexicano.

The fair is geared to children birth through the 6th grade and their parents. Come on out on March 3, join in the fun, and see what we have to offer.

The library recently received a materials grant from Healthy Kids C.A.N. Other organizations in Liberal also received this grant. They include Liberal Parks & Recreation, Southwest Medical Center, and USD 480. The materials present various facets of nutrition and fitness in a fun way. Young people in the Latch Key program at Southlawn are currently taking part in a series called Snack Fun a la Cart presented by Memorial Library. Five lessons are in this series, with one being given per month until the end of the school year. Each lesson involves not only creating healthy snack options but a bit about safe food handling and some fitness suggestions too. Fun DVDs from the Healthy Kids C.A.N. materials will be shown at Memorial Library's booth at the Children's Healthy Fun Fair.

Another project in the works with the Healthy Kids C.A.N. grant is a partnering of Liberal Parks and Recreation, Southwest Medical Center, USD 480, and Memorial Library to create a Healthy Kids Club which will meet twice monthly at the Recreation Center. It will officially begin March 28 and plans are to continue until the end of the school year. Young people will keep track of their steps while at the Center and may also receive some useful nutrition information. Anyone who goes to the Recreation Center after school has an opportunity to participate in this program. Ideas for a healthy lifestyle abound all around. Plan to learn what you can.

Come on out to the Children's Healthy Fun Fair on Saturday, March 3, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Ag Building on the Seward County Fairgrounds. See you there!