Family Fun Fair Fun

From Leah Groppo and Karen Balnis, Health Science:

The Keene Recreation Center hosted a Family Fun Fair, coordinated by Keene State dietetic interns, February 27. Andy Bohannon, Director of Parks and Recreation in Keene, supervised the planning and implementing of the fair. Leah Groppo, a KSC Dietetic Intern, was the fair coordinator, and Leanne Lawrence assisted her with project management. Other dietetic interns and health science students worked on interactive booths and displays for families. Hannaford Supermarket and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene Cheshire Medical Center sponsored the event.

Kids ate local carrots provided by Stonewall Farm and bananas from Hannaford Supermarket. Children also enjoyed the Keene School District physical activity obstacle course, played Fit WIC games, planted seeds with Early Sprouts, and sampled healthy snacks.
Vendors did a great job engaging each family and providing a variety of fun, free stuff. Each child left the fair with a Hannaford Supermarket re-usable bag full of healthy goodies and activity ideas. Students from the New Hampshire Dance Institute concluded the fair, performing and teaching other children their dance.

Karen adds:

KSC offers one of the few wellness-focused programs in the USA, making it a draw for students from across the country. During the program, interns gain community, clinical and food service management experiences. The Family Fun Fair is one example of their health promotion work in the community.