Staff Writer
The Caribou Cares About Kids Festival held recently showed kids and adults alike that Caribou really does take the extra step to offer insights into available activities within our own community.
Caribou Police Officer Kevin St. Peter helps five-year-old Luc Levesque position his head correctly during an Iris Scan. The scan provides information for children’s identity files. The service was offered free of charge to parents wishing to have their child scanned, during the recent Caribou Cares About Kids Festival.
With an estimated 75 different units participating in the annual Caribou Cares About Kids Parade, the variety of those involved was impressive. From educational floats to animal shelters; from movie theatres to farm tractors, school buses and ATVs, there was an incredible amount of community pride displayed as the hour-long parade wound its way from Bennett Drive to just outside of town on Sweden Street.
Parade unit winners announced by the festival organizers were: The Gray Memorial Methodist Church, the Par ‘n’ Grill and the Caribou Threatre.
On Saturday, the local park was filled with activities ranging from Kid Boot Camp, laser tag, face painting, a magnetic fishing pond, strawberry shortcake vendors, the Merry England Tea Shoppe, locally made maple syrup and a dance exhibition to name only a handful. The weather cooperated and the park was a very busy location until late in the afternoon.
Other Saturday events included a fun and fitness fair, an educational event that featured a massive slide and an 80-foot-long inflatable obstacle course sponsored by Cary Medical Center and the Caribou Recreation Department, a chicken barbecue hosted by the Gray Memorial Methodist Church,
G-Force laser tag was a popular activity during the day with Small Steps Dance, “Kids teaching Kids to Dance” drawing a large crowd.
Other sites included a Caribou Pet Tent sponsored by the Caribou Chamber of Commerce and Industry, author William Tasker reading his kid tested and fun for all ages, Monkey and Uncle stories; the United States Postal Service with the CCC&I, sponsored a commemorative pictorial cancellation stamp celebrating Caribou Cares About Kids.
On the other side of town activities included Iris Scan for children provided at no charge by the Caribou Police Department, there were pets available on site for adoption sponsored by Caribou Fire and Ambulance, Caribou Pet Rescue, Caribou Emergency Management and the Caribou Police Department. Other pet-related services included pet registration with micro-chip implants offered by Dr. James Hotham.
The American Legion Post home was filled with kid bingo players and their parents. With nearly 100 kids participating each player received or (won) some type of back-to-school supplies. Four lucky names were drawn to be the proud new owners of one of three bicycles or a scooter. The Kid Bingo was hosted by the Caribou Senior Citizens Bingo organization which also purchased all prizes given at the event.
Saturday evening didn’t see the events come to a close as a Block Party, sponsored by Virtual Managed Solutions, began at 6 p.m.
Evening events included Napoli’s Pizza offering a free slice of pizza to kids , more G-force laser tag, music, dunking booths, food vendors and street dancing.
On Friday, with the weather threatening enough to reschedule the parade, other activities that went on as scheduled included an Ice Cream Social held at Keiffer’s Insurance and the Movie Under the Stars, “Horton Hears a Who,” (held inside at the Caribou Wellness Center) was sponsored by the Caribou Parks and Recreation Department, Cary Medical Center and Pines Health Services.
Other sponsors of the annual Caribou Cares About Kids Festival include Red’s Motorsports, Jim, Colleen and Mark Cyr and the Kathadin Trust Company.
Four-year-old Ciaah Bernard, below, was enjoying her pizza from Napoli’s after having had a full afternoon of being on the go during the Caribou Cares About Kids festivities.
Marienna St. Peter age 4, stepped right up to receive her backpack and to have her photo taken during the Kids Bingo sponsored by the Caribou Senior Citizens Bingo organization. St. Peter also held the lucky ticket for the scooter during the event.
Second grader Tavia Akerson, above, gets ready to daub the next number called on her bingo card during the Kids Bingo held as part of the annual Caribou Cares About Kids Festival.
Lynn Collins assists an interested customer at her Merry England Tea Shoppe display that featured pies, turnover, tarts, puff pastry, savories and English cookies for kids and adults during the activities held at Teague Park during the Caribou Cares About Festival.
The American Legion Hall was filled with kids and parents during the Kids Bingo, sponsored by the Caribou Senior Citizens Bingo group. All winners received back-to-school supplies along with a chance to win one of three bicycles and a scooter. Nearly a hundred bingo enthusiasts were in attendance. All prizes were bought by the Senior Citizens Bingo organization.
