Safety and fun
By Brandon Davis
Published in News on September 25, 2016 1:45 AM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
D.J. Kidd gets a kiss from his dog Engine as he reaches from the front seat of an Arrington Fire Department truck Saturday. Engine was one of the most popular attractions at the annual KidsFest.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Fire trucks from several departments in Wayne County are lined up on display in front of J.C. Penney Saturday for the annual KidsFest at Berkeley Mall.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Daniel Vaughn, 8, gets help from his mother, Kathy, while learning how to call 911 during the annual KidsFest at Berkeley Mall.
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Shepherd Sensabaugh, 1, smiles as he walks through the ambulance on display from Wayne County EMS Saturday during KidsFest.e
The 18th annual KidsFest kicked off Saturday at Berkeley Mall, and families had more than just fun.
They learned how to be safe in their community.
Sponsored by the Wayne County Health Department and the Goldsboro Fire Department, the event presented 39 vendors who were set up throughout the mall, along with the Goldsboro Police Department, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, the Bridge Church, the Partnership for Children of Wayne County, the Wayne County Public Library and Wayne Community College.
Each of the groups set out to educate families on fire safety, crime prevention, health care and more.
"I enjoy the teamwork, the efforts that the community can put out there for our families," Shamika Howell said, who is the event's coordinator and is the health education supervisor for the health department. "And also for our kids that can benefit everyone."
"We have activities that we think will direct the kids of all ages. We have services where families can benefit and know how to do certain things."
Fire marshal John Morton and firefighter Thurman Shakelford set out to teach children how to make one of the most important phone calls of their lives.
Shakelford asked children to sit at a table and pick up the phone. He first asked Bella Sanders, 4, to pick up the phone and dial 911. She hesitated, but he persuaded her to follow through with an offer of a lollipop.
"In case of an emergency, you never know," said Blaine Sanders, Bella's father. "One of us might pass out at the house. Anything could happen."
Sanders and his wife, Connie Sanders, said Bella knows how to dial 911 and can say her address. They said they are teaching Nathan, 2, to learn how to be safe just as his big sister learned.
"If some reason we're not there, the babysitter's there, and something happens, they'll be able to get help to the house," Mrs. Sanders said.
Morton said families were able to register at KidsFest for a free smoke detector. He said the fire department will install the detector one month after registration and people could contact him to register.
Families also got the chance to meet police officers and be fingerprinted. Sgt. Paige Learnard took children's photo and fingerprints to place on a disc for parents to keep in case of an emergency or in case their child is lost.
"What we're doing is child IDs with the Child ID System," she said. "We record their personal information and put it on a disc. We don't retain any of the records. We give the disc back to them, and the parents will have it in case of an emergency."
As families walked from one vendor to the next, they were able to listen to Big Ma O'Dessa read "The Thing That Lived Upstairs."
The book's author, LaVone C. Hicks, who also teaches music at Carver Elementary School, captivated 20 children who sat and watched her perform at the mall's center stage.
Other children ventured to the Wayne County Public Library's table to learn about reading programs. One child in particular loves reading because of what it does to her imagination.
"It makes my imagination go everywhere," Katlyn Casey said, who is 8 years old.
Wayne County Sheriff's Office deputy Robin Stine urged families to stay safe and healthy as well.
She allowed people to drop off out outdated medicine for Operation Medicine Drop at the mall's main entrance. She said the goal was to fill up four 32-gallon tubs with old medicine.
"It's unwanted, unused, outdated prescription medication, over-the-counter medication, and they come just to bring that," she said. "Nowadays, we don't want the medicine getting into the wrong hands."
Inside the mall, more than 1,000 children walked with fire hats on and met Smokey the Bear and Sparky the Fire Dog. Mrs. Howell said she loves seeing children have fun and seeing families learn how to be safe, but she also wants families to come back again.
"I want people to walk away, expecting to see this every year," Mrs. Howell said. "I want them to look forward to this every year because there's going to be something that they can reflect back on. And also meet other people in the community."