The saying ‘third time lucky’ rang true for the 3rd annual Fun Family Day Picnic – for the first time, it was bathed in glorious sunshine instead of rain! The sun brought out 200 people on June 20th, 2015 to this event for deaf/hard of hearing children, their siblings and parents, and children with their Deaf/hard of hearing parents (CODA).
It was held at Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Victory Hill Residence in Burnaby, BC. What a fantastic site to host the event. It’s internal courtyard provides a traffic-free safe haven for our children to run around. Parents can relax knowing that their little ones are entertained, and are free to connect with other families. This year, the shady picnic spots provided by the tree canopy were much appreciated. A group of families with babes in arms settled under the boughs of the biggest tree to enjoy one another’s company. The pot luck was a great addition to the hot dogs that were laid on, and the iced tea at the tea & coffee station was a popular choice on this hot day.
The calibre of the entertainers was impressive. I’ve never seen such amazing balloon creations and bedazzling facepaints and airbrush tattoos – thank you A-Star Art Parlour! Eileen Edgar the clown brought a smile to all the children, and the skills of the Vancouver Circus School were impressive, as was their patience as they supported children and adults alike to try the acts for themselves. Let me tell you, plate spinning is a lot harder than it looks!
Facepaint to dazzle the youngest guests!
As well as giving families the chance to mingle with one another, a highlight of the event for me was the opportunity to connect with youth/young adults who are deaf or hard of hearing. The Deaf Youth Today (DYT) staff really helped the event run smoothly right from the get-go, directing families to parking spots and towards the event entrance. During the picnic, they kept the momentum with lots of fun games. The water balloons were a big success. I must admit, when I first heard about this activity I thought it an odd choice for this group of children, many of whom wore water-sensitive hearing technology! The DYT staff opened my eyes, and shifted my perspective. It was a hands-on way to demonstrate to families that our children can fully participate in these activites. It was great to see so many role models for our children. Jesse Kazemir’s fiddle playing was awe inspiring, and a reminder to us parents that our deaf/hard-of hearing children can reach for the stars.
The event was jointly hosted by BC Hands and Voices (BC H&V)/Guide By Your Side Program (GBYS), BC Early Hearing Program (BCEHP), Canadian Hard of Hearing Association of B.C. Parents’ Branch (CHHA – BC Parents’ Branch), Family & Community Services (FCS), and Family Network for Deaf Children (FNDC)/ Deaf Youth Today (DYT). For a description of each of the sponsoring organizations, please follow this link: http://www.chhaparents.com/picnic-sponsors.php). For more information, to sign up to receive emails and newsletters, or to find out how you can get involved, you can check out their individual websites:
www.bchandsandvoices.com
www.phsa.ca/our-services/programs-services/bc-early-hearing-program
www.chhaparents.com
www.fndc.ca
http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/pdhhs/community_services.htm
Last but not least, many thanks are extended to the generosity of the board members of these hosting organizations and the many volunteers who all contributed to the great success of the day.
