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In 2003,
Governor Dirk Kempthorne affirmed his commitment to Idaho’s children by
signing into law the Day of the Child: Día
de los Niños, to be celebrated annually on April 30.
Idaho is the first state in the nation to officially give children their
own holiday
. House Bill 259 was signed by Governor Dirk Kempthorne on March 20, 2003 and became effective July 1, 2003. Many
Idaho libraries and their community partners have been celebrating El Día de los Niños the past few years, including those in American Falls, Blackfoot, Buhl, Caldwell, Hailey, Idaho City, Idaho Falls, Meridian, Nampa, and Pocatello. The
following cities are planning activities in their area:
American Falls
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American Falls District Library
Contact person: Emily Johnson, (208) 226-2335, amlibrary@cableone.net
The library will partner with the school district. Activities are in the planning stage. |
Blackfoot area
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Snake River School/Community Library
Contact person: Rhonda Butt, (208) 684-3063, srscl@mindspring.com
The library will partner with the Snake River School District and the HALO club to sponsor a celebration. |
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Blackfoot Sixth Grade School
Contact person: Amando Álvarez, (208) 785-8838, alvaa@d55.k12.id.us
The Blackfoot Sixth Grade School Hispanic Advisory Council will celebrate El Día del Niño on April 15, 2005, at 10:00 a.m. until noon. The event will take place at the school at 50 S. Shilling Ave. Please come enjoy traditional dancing, piñatas, a book donation from Senator Crapo’s office, Sho-Ban JROTC exercises, and many other literacy-related activities. The event is free and open to the public. Come enjoy this great day of celebration! |
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Bingham
County Youth Coalition
Contact person: David Moore, (208) 785-1235, dmoore@co.bingham.id.us
The Youth Coalition will sponsor a fundraiser. They will also have several
activities and service projects for high school students. |
Boise
Area
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Boise:
The
Idaho Child Abuse Prevention Coalition
Contact person: Sunny Reed, (208) 424-0943, idahosheart@ideasforyou.com
Boise's first official Children's Day Celebration will be held at the
Discovery Center of Idaho (131 Myrtle Street, Boise) on April 29th from
10:00 am to 6:30 pm. In addition to free entry into the Discovery
Center, Coalition
members will host various crafts and children's activities. Additional
guests include Boise City Horse Patrol, St Luke's Therapy Dogs, an outdoor
obstacle course, Fire Service (including a fire truck and an instructional
fire safety house), Patrol Cars, and a Celebrity Reading Corner. |
Buhl
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Contact person: Louise Nofziger, (208) 543-5184,
lounof@hotmail.com
The City of Buhl will celebrate the Day of the Child on the Saturday before Easter with a children's parade themed "Hats Off to Children." The children walk or ride bikes (tricycles, wagons, etc.) along a 15 minute parade route. Each child receives a blue ribbon, Read to Me stickers, magnets,
bookmarks, and coupons from local businesses. Partners in the event include Kiwanas, Head Start, Chamber of Commerce, Buhl C.O.P.S., Buhl City Council, and the Buhl Police Department.
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Caldwell
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Contact person: Connie Weisgerber, (208) 870-3625,
kwei@cableone.net or Candi Ciscell, (208) 459-3242,
cciscell@hotmail.com
A community fair will be held in Serenity Park on April 30 from noon to 3:00 pm. It will feature free handouts, activities, snacks, educational literature, and entertainment. Community partners include the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs, the Caldwell School District, the Caldwell Public Library, KWEI Spanish radio station, Head Start, Even Start, Idaho Reads VISTA, and others. Community organizations and businesses are contributing cash and prizes which will include books, party favors, and refreshments. The Caldwell celebration has grown each year and organizers are anticipating at least 2,000 children will attend.
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Coeur
d'Alene
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Post
Falls Head Start
Contact person:
Beth Ann Fuller, (208) 773-6164, BFuller@nicheadstart.org
Coeur d'Alene will celebrate El Dia de Los Ninos y Libros on Thursday, April
28th from 1:30 to 4:30 pm at the Harding Family Center (422 N. 25th
St.). They will have puppet shows, bubbles, snacks, tnnels, and arts
and activities.
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Emmett
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Emmett Public Library
Contact person: Marsha Werle, (208) 365-6057, mwerle@qwest.net
The library will have a booth at Sports Island in Emmett. There will be games, food and information. Other community sponsors are Starfish Promise Coalition, the Recreation District, and various youth groups.
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Garden City
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Garden City Public Library
Contact person: Diane Matejka, (208) 672-0433 x 15 dmatejka@gardencitylibrary.org or Gabriela Magnuson
The Garden City Library will celebrate El Día del los Niños on Saturday, April 30, 2005 from 2 to 4 pm. Children from the Boise Folkloric Cultural organization will perform Mexican dances at 3 pm. Activities include Alfy the clown entertaining children with balloon sculptures, crafts for parent and child, and face painting. Stories will be told in Spanish and English. Each child will receive a free book courtesy of Treasure Valley Reading Foundation. There will also be booths from Parents as Teachers, with information on early literacy, and the Infant and Toddler Program, with information on immunizations and developmental milestones.
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Grand View
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Eastern Owyhee County District Library
Contact person: Kathy Chick, (208) 834-2785, eolibrary@yahoo.com
The library will partner with the elementary school publicity and awareness. They plan to distribute bookmarks, books, and flyers. An activity will be held at the library to include music, dance, international games, and snacks from various cultures.
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Hailey
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Hailey Public Library
Contact persons: LeAnn Gelsky and Jeanie Johnston , (208) 788-2036, lgelsky@haileypubliclibrary.org
The library plans to partner with Head Start for a special storytime.
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Hayden Lake
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Haden Branch, Kootenai Shoshone Area Libraries
Contact person: Karen Yother, (208) 772-5612, ex 20, karens@cin.kcl.org
The library will partner with the Sons of Norway, high school foreign language classes and North Idaho Health District. Planning is still underway.
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Idaho Falls
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Idaho Falls Public Library
Contact person: Bonnie Cromwell, (208) 612-8334, bcromwell@ifpl.org
The Idaho Falls Public Library will celebrate childhood and bilingual literacy on Saturday, April 30th, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., with a program featuring four different cultures: American Indian - Navajo, Japanese, Mexican and Scandinavian. Activities will include stories, songs, and a craft from Japan. Participants will make a carp kite, related to a Japanese tradition of flying carp kites for each boy in the family on the day of boys.
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Jerome
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Contact persons: Linda Henderson or Shannon Klaas, (208) 324-5427,
lhenders@ci.jerome.id.us
The library plans to hold a celebration that includes Mexican food, dancers, and bilingual puppets. They will partner with Head Start and VISTA Volunteers.
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McCall
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Contact person: Meg Lojek or Lida Clouser, (208) 634-5522,
library@mccall.id.us
The McCall Elementary School and Chapala's Mexican Restaurant will partner with the McCall Public Library. Children will parade from the school library to the public library where they will hear a mariachi band and every child will receive a free book. The celebration will also include piñatas and art activities.
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Meridian
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Contact: Jillian
Subach, jillian@mld.org
On Thursday, April 28 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. the library will celebrate El Dia de Los Ninos / The Day of the Child with children in Meridian! Join us at the library to see children perform (Irish dancers, junior fiddlers, and more) and showcase their multi-ethnic talents. Snacks too. |
Mountain Home Public Library
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Contact person: Robin Murphy, (208) 587-4716,
rmurphy@mountain-home.us
The library will partner with ECHO, a Hispanic organization. Events are in the planning stage.
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New Plymouth
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Armoral Tuttle Public Library
Contact persons: Talya Nay, (208) 278-5338, npl@cableone.net or Rebecca Luna
(208) 642-2804,
reluna@students.TVCC.cc
The library plans informational promotion through the library and the local paper. The library will partner with the school, churches, childcare providers, and businesses. They will hold a storytime and have balloons, handouts and cookies.
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Orofino
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Clearwater Memorial Public Library
Contact person: Ellen Tomlinson, (208) 476-3411, etomlinson.cmp@valnet.org
In the planning stage.
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Pocatello / Chubbuck area
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Marshall Public Library
Contact person: Kathryn Poulter, (208) 232-1263 x 28, kpoulter@marshallpl.org
The Marshall Public Library will partner with the Portneuf District Library, Pocatello High School, Idaho Unido, and the library board of trustees. They plan to host a Spanish storytime and will include bilingual signage. |
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The Portneuf District Library
Contact person: Jeanne Farnworth, (208) 237-2192, Jeanne_Farnworth@hotmail.com
The Portneuf District Library will partner with the Family Resource Center, the Bannock Youth Foundation, the Family Service Alliance and other community organizations to sponsor a children's fair with activity books, prizes, and fun. |
Twin
Falls
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Salvation
Army
Contact person: Becky Bonnett, (208) 733-8720
The Twin Falls Celebration will be held at the Salvation Army thrift store
in Twin Falls. Hot dogs and Coca Cola products have been
donated. The local radio station will be giving away swimming passes
and there will be children's activities and entertainment such as an
inflated jumper and clown. |
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