September 26, 2001
Day made just for kids
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Kids Day America was a feast for the ears: the click-thwack of Ping-Pong balls and grunts of effort by whirling gymnasts merged with ki-yas of karate wannabes and the booming rhythms of African drums.
Stirred together in the YMCA Saturday afternoon, for three hours hundreds of kids and their parents went from booth to mat to fire truck. It was a busy time for the kids in attendance, with a lot to do in just a few short hours.
"We've done gymnastics, got some free candy and stickers and saw the fire trucks," said Leah Miller, 10, who roamed the event with buddy Kelsey Bartosek, 9, reveling in the day's fun.
The name of the game was fun, but a serious message of health, safety and environmental awareness was the foundation of the event.
Kids Day America is held nationwide and in Canada to spread information about non-invasive health care, safety and the environment. Locally, members of the Northern Michigan Chiropractic Alliance organized the Kids Day America. The group donates all proceeds from the event to the YMCA, their partner in the event.
"Our mission is to get education about non-invasive types of health care out to the public," said Dr. Teri Stockwell, a member of the Northern Michigan Chiropractic Alliance. "This is about education here, not promotion; getting the word out."
The second annual Kids Day America included more than 30 different organizations. Stockwell said that this year she had many organizations calling her asking to participate, a sign of the event's appeal to the community.
Participants ranged from the Watershed Council, the Grand Traverse County Fire Department and Michigan State University Extension to the Girl Scouts, an art therapist and a local midwife. Booths featured art projects, hands-on games and an abundance of stickers, pencils and key chains for the kids to take home.
All came to share a message of education and safety.
"Any time we can access the public with safety information, we'll be there," said Sgt. Bill Sholten of the Michigan State Police, on hand to talk about infant and child restraints. "There are still a lot of misunderstandings about how to install and use car seats."
Celebrity guests included Stuffie, the giant doll from the Great Lakes Children's Museum, and Erro, the K-9 dog member of the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Department, who wagged his way through many hands of eager petting.
Erro was temporarily called away during the afternoon when his handler, Deputy Mark Alford, had to respond to a call. But the department's only K-9 team returned in time to give a narcotics detection demo.
"Erro is trained in tracking, building search, criminal detection, handler protection and narcotics," Alford told the audience. "I give him commands in Dutch."
Outside the YMCA, the members of Grand Traverse County Fire Department's Battalion 11 gave a tour of their equipment and personal gear while discussing accident and fire-fighting procedures. An ambulance from Northflight also demonstrated its facilities and a planned visit by a Coast Guard helicopter was derailed by a duty call elsewhere.
Musical events included drawing to music as part of art therapy, African drumming and dancing plus a demonstration by the Sun Radius Percussion Ensemble and Steel Pan band.