WHY DIDN'T WE have stuff like this when I was a kid?
That was my first thought as I wandered around SummerFest yesterday at the Ventura Unified School District Education Service Center. This is the third year of this free, family event and the word has gone out that this is one not to be missed. We estimated nearly 6,000 people attended!
My friend and fellow Ventura Education Partnership board member Ed Wehan spends a good part of his life organizing this annual day of healthy and fun activities for children. Wehan's a dynamo. He's a runner, hiker and tireless advocate for all things healthy. He's aided and abetted in his SummerFest efforts by some of the best volunteers around. A big thanks to our great sponsors for making this happen, too!
"SummerFest is an amazing role-model event that allows the youth of this community to celebrate physical activity and good nutritional habits without them ever knowing it," Wehan told me. "With the support of parents, educators, government officials and our business community, kids learn the importance all of us put on a healthy, fit lifestyle. This means smarter and healthier kids."
I watched kids having a blast exercising yesterday on all manner of activities from rope bridges to obstacle courses to bike rodeos to a giant inflatable boat. There was also amazing entertainment on the stage and, of course, healthy food.
It was a great outlet for our local sports- and child-oriented businesses, too, as many rented booths at the venue and signed up lots of new customers.
In an electronic age where kids are often drawn to sedentary activities, this event is a winner!
While I couldn't attend, my wife did and told me that the wonderful "Bronco Band" was the best entertainment on stage.
Thanks to the Will Rogers Elementary School PTA for funding this wonderful opportunity for our students as the only Elementary School band in the District. Thanks also go out to the director Paul Browne and his assistants Jonathon and Kristine Snyder for the work they put in for the kids.
Tim (proud parent of one current and one former Bronco Band members) Hansen
Let me echo Marie's comments about Ed Wehan. Ed is one of the most dedicated volunteer's we have in Ventura. He's always willing to lend a hand. Summerfest is a wonderful example of his selfless involvement for his community. It's a tremendous labor of love...and hard work.
I'm proud to call him my friend !
Thank you for the article, Marie. Summerfest is a great event for our community. Ed Wehan really puts his heart and sole into organizing Summerfest (as he does with everything he is involved in), and that passion rubs off on all the other volunteers. Kudos also needs to go to Adela Trainor and Pat McCart-Malloy, who are also "dynamos". The three of them, along with numerous other volunteers, are the backbone of Summerfest, and it is their commitment and dedication that help make this such a great community event. It gets better every year!
Angie, you deserve a lot of credit yourself! I know you managed and scheduled the stage and this was a lot of work. I think we had the best entertainment yet!
Ventura has an abundance of great volunteers!