|
diversions
Festival hits
highs
By Tanya Dellaca
Summer Forty-Niner
California childcare
programs expected 5,000 guests at their annual fundraising
festival held at the Queen Mary Events Park in Long Beach.
Comprehensive Child
Development's Bayou Festival featured Cajun and Creole bands,
jitterbug, waltz and two-step dance lessons and cultural workshops.
The six bands brought
with them a taste of Louisiana French culture. "The audience
is very loyal and travel from all over," festival publicist
Theresa Conboy said. "People are always in a good mood,
it's the down-home politeness."
The fundraiser
began Saturday with the Savoy Family Cajun Band and closed
on Sunday with Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie.
"We like to
see the families here," Geno Delafose said, "it
makes it very nice."
Guests of all ages
filled the dance floor and participated in the Climb-It rock
wall, basketball toss and the Kids Bayou activity tent.
"We came to
see Geno," Laura Meier said.
"The face
painting is my favorite," said Meier's daughter, Cheyenne.
Local musician
Monique Gibbs joined with Chris Ardoin and Double Clutchin'
to play the rubboard during Sunday's show.
"She's really
good," Connie Utterback, instructor at Cal State Los
Angeles said. "Its unusual to find a female that plays
the rubboard."
Funds raised at
the Bayou Festival will be used to provide education and care
to low income families in Long Beach, San Pedro and Wilmington.
"The event
was very successful and got a lot of coverage," Connie
Benjamin, festival coordinator and Comprehensive Child Development
organization finance director said. "We have assisted
with certain areas of fundraising for 12 years, and last year
we decided to produce the event." Because the center
produced the whole event, all of the funds raised will go
directly to benefit their projects.
As part of the
Atlantic Corridor Revitalization project, the organization
has been designated the operator for the new Long Beach Center
for Child Development.
The new center
will be in a building that was donated by the city of Long
Beach. State grants will fund the daily operations of the
facility.
The Department
of Education monitors all the organization's programs, and
staff members must meet their education and experience requirements.
"We currently
have 1,000 children on waiting lists," Benjamin said.
"We are planning to open two more centers by the end
of summer."
Current organization
projects include the Cabrillo Child Development Center, a
center to care for about 80 children ages four to five years.
"We benefit
low-income families who can't pay for child care," Benjamin
said, "so they can work and go to school and get a degree
to get a better job. There is a great need for that."
|
