Just as the cool breeze on an October morning signals a new season, the Growing Minds Foundation brings a challenge for change in Pocahontas, Arkansas. Fall festivals have a way of cultivating happiness and excitement. Although the days of perfect weather seem to blow past us, between mid-September and Halloween, these sunny days give us opportunity to be outside in the crisp fall weather, to enjoy some good company, and learn a little bit about our community.
As the leaves start to fade into their golden hues, the community of Pocahontas hopes to spark a shift of inclusiveness, at the annual Growing Minds Foundation Fall Festival at Overlook Park. One of our favorite events at the 2022 festival, was the free color run, sponsored by local business owners. The foundation cultivated a sense of inclusion by organizing a free color run around the park, for children in the community. Volunteers set up along the walking trail to toss color on the participants. Parents were able to advocate for their children by helping volunteers distinguish if they needed a more gentle approach for a sensory friendly experience with the color toss. Vendors of various nature, set up along the path for families to shop and play free games. Lemonade and food trucks, chili cookoffs, live music, and laughter were the staples of the day.
At the annual festival, you can watch the community enjoying the petting zoo, touch a truck, pumpkin games, and face painting. You can even take a ride on one of the Maynard Saddle Club’s horses. Wander along the walking trail to watch Black River rolling under the nearby bridge, or observe the traffic rolling into the historic downtown square off of highway 67.
As a pediatric therapist, it is refreshing to see my own children have opportunities to interact and find ways to approach children that appear to have differences. The foundation is cultivating opportunities for families that have children with disabilities to see friendly, welcoming faces out in the community. It makes me so proud to see my son (6 years old), tell me about the cool wheels he saw on a child’s wheelchair. Things like wheels on wheelchairs, may seem like a normal piece of medical equipment to an adult, but to a six year old this can seem pretty sweet or even confusing. Parents, this is the opportunity to encourage your child to go ask that child about his cool wheels, explain why that child may need a wheelchair, or just say hi.
At last year’s festival, participants could stop by the Pocahontas School Art Club booth near the playground and get their child’s face painted. The lines for face painting were long and winding, all the way to Pumpkin Lane’s booth of classic and funky gourds.
Pocahontas community provided the support and sponsorships to help the Growing Minds Foundation host this festival, which raised enough money to offer multiple medical scholarships for children with disabilities in 2023. The foundation was excited to award 6 recipients in May, 2023 with adaptive equipment and modifications not covered by insurance.
We’ll do it all again at the next annual festival at Overlook Park, in Pocahontas on Saturday, Oct. 7th. We also plan to have a bubble popping, FREE, fun run/ride for the children in the community. Children of all mobility levels will be able to participate in our bubble ride. Bring your stroller, tricycle, wheelchair, little tikes, or rolling walkers, and enjoy the bubble run. Be on the lookout for vendor information and all the tasty food trucks that will join us this year. A little birdie has mentioned pretzel, coffee, pizza, BBQ, and Cajun food trucks to pop up at the park. Grab some lunch and a spot on the lawn to sit back and listen to live music with the fresh air blowing summer away.
Participating in these kinds of events is important to us because it offers a moment in time to provide awareness and community for our population of disabled children and families. We hope you’ll find time in your busy fall schedule to come out to the park and meet some amazing families. We’d love to meet yours!
See you at the park!
Kelley Blackwell, President
The Growing Minds Foundation
The Growing Minds Foundation 