A day for kids set for Saturday

By GINA KINSLOW
Glasgow Daily Times

GLASGOW October 17, 2008 12:07 pm

— Children who attend the fourth annual Kid’s Day event on Saturday will get a chance to do a lot of fun things, as well as undergo a variety of health screenings, according to event organizers.
“It’s going to be a fun time,” said Derek Oldenkamp, event organizer.
Firefighters with the Glasgow Fire Department will be on hand to talk about fire safety, while police officers with the Glasgow Police Department will be fingerprinting children for child identification records.
Deputies with the Barren County Sheriff’s Department will also be on hand to talk about gun safety, and children will also have a chance to have their vision and spines screened, he said.
Representatives with the Barren River Animal Welfare Association will be on hand with pets that are available for adoption, and STATCARE’s medical helicopter is scheduled to arrive at 11 a.m.
The event will also feature demonstrations by the Omega Force Strong Team at 10 a.m. and at noon, Oldenkamp said.
The event is free to the public, however, proceeds from those who sponsor the event go to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Kentucky.
Over the past three years the event has generated $4,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
“The money goes right back into our community-based and school-based mentoring programs,” said John Botts, outreach coordinator for Big Brothers and Big Sisters.
The money is also used to fund background checks on adults who volunteer for the organization, as well as the cost of marketing materials and field trips for children who participate in the program, he said.
The Kid’s Day event is not Big Brothers and Big Sisters only fundraiser.
“Our biggest fundraiser is our Bowl for Kids’ Sake,” Botts said. “That is the one that pays most of the bills.”
Other funding for Big Brothers and Big Sisters comes from grants, as well as donations, he said.