JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- The sun was out this year for Joint Base Lewis-McChord's annual Kids' Fest celebration at JBLM Lewis Main. The afternoon event allowed parents and children to spend time together during spring break.
This year's theme "Into the Woods" highlighted forest animals, reptiles and ways to preserve nature here in the Pacific Northwest. On hand were representatives from Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, Tahoma Audubon Society and Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Children also explored Stryker vehicles, played on inflatable bouncing castles and had their faces painted.
The annual event, planned by Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, is part of the installation's Month of the Military Child celebration.
"We hope to have a little educational information and lots of fun," Kate Laverents, DFMWR special events director, said.
Parents were happy to spend time with their kids on a weekday afternoon. Specialist Tiffany Doby of the 502nd Military Intelligence Battalion was glad she had the afternoon off to bring her 2 and 7-year-old children.
"I think it's good for children and parents to spend time together on post," she said.
Other parents stumbled upon the event when they brought their kids to play at installation parks on the partly sunny day.
"This is a nice surprise, it helps the Army life," Cathy Pruett said. She was driving by when she saw the event and decided it was a perfect place to play with her 2-year-old daughter for the afternoon.
In the FMWR tent, kids made birdseed feeders and ran around an area to simulate bird migration with the Tahoma Audubon Society. Paper plates at each stop contained some of the hazards birds may face on their flights, like oil spills. The group runs science classes at the North Fort Youth Center and Cascade School Age Center to help teach children at JBLM about birds and nature around them. At Kids' Fest, they hoped to reach out to more families about their programs.
"We connect people with nature," Paulette Peterson, Tahoma Audubon Society membership associate, said of their kids programs, camps and volunteer opportunities.
Across the parking lot in the AFC Arena, Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium brought a whole display of animal skeletons, pelts and photos, as well as live animals, to teach attendees about life in the forest.
"We are excited to share information and facts about animals with the kids and parents today," zoo educator Heather Detwiler said. "We are engaging and talking with them about preserving the forests."
Children also had the opportunity to learn about reptiles during a presentation by Don "The Reptile King" Riggs. He brought along an alligator and chameleon to show off to the attendees. Other performances included the Spring Break Performance Workshop kids singing and dancing to animal themed songs.
Overall, the fun afternoon was all about parents spending the day with their children.
Colonel Peter Stavros, Western Air Defense Sector commander, brought his two sons, Dino and Niko, to Kids' Fest.
"They begged me to come," Stavros said as the boys explored Strykers.
Dino and Niko's favorite part of the day was the Army vehicles. Despite their dad's Air Force career, they "like everything Army," but aren't sure which military branch they would join. Yet that wasn't what mattered at Kids' Fest, Stavros was just enjoying the time with his sons.
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