Head Start prepares for festival

St. Mary Community Action Head Start will host the Fit Fun Festival in Franklin’s Caffery Park on Oct. 20. This Fun in the Park event is in observance of National Head Start Awareness Month.

“This is a wonderful celebration of Head Start and all the advances that have been made over the many years,” said St. Mary Community Action CEO Almetra Franklin.

“This celebration will display that we are community driven, family oriented, and service based.”

The festival will begin with each Head Start Center participating in a walk parade at 9:30 a.m.

Afterward, Red Ribbon committee members and Scruff McGruff the Crime Dog are scheduled to speak with children and their families.

Attendees can play games, get their faces painted and participate in other outdoor activities at the festival.

Special guest DJs and other entertainers will be joining the festivities in the park.

Head Start has provided education for children and family services to the St. Mary Parish community for 50 years.

A 50th annual celebration will be held at Cypress Bayou Casino/Pavilion at 6 p.m. May 5.

All Head Start Alumni and former St. Mary Community Action royalty are being asked to participate.

In preparation for the event, a souvenir booklet is being created. The agency wants to include as many former Head Start students’ names in the booklet as possible.

If former alumni want to include a photo, there is a $10 fee per photo-name.

For more details about the festival and plans for the 50th annual celebration, contact the Family Services Department at 337-828-5703.