The first annual “Healthy Earth, Healthy Kids event - a community eco fair featuring YMCA Healthy Kids Day” was held on Saturday, April 27th, 2024 from 10:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. at the Willmar Civic Center. The free event welcomed all, young and old, to learn how to make healthy choices for themselves and their Earth.
About the Community Eco Fair
A variety of exhibitors related to eco-friendly living and youth resources were set up throughout the day. Youth participated in the YMCA Kids Passport activity to receive stamps from exhibitors they visited and were eligible to win prizes. The YMCA hosted a free Kids Color Fun Run and t-shirts were given to the first 200 youth in attendance. Parents were invited to listen to a guest speaker on children's health taking place prior to the run. Other youth activities were also available throughout the day.
Project Challenges & Successes
The partnership with the YMCA grew and developed over time, but ultimately the decision to combine events rather than compete was a good one. Having such a large and diverse audience was a great opportunity to engage community members through a variety of means. Funding sources also expanded as new ways to engage the community were added to the schedule.
Organizers were happy to share that 581 kids and adults were able to learn, play and connect with exhibitors, exceeding their initial goal of 300 attendees. There were around 30 volunteers, including members of the Willmar Area League of Women Voters, National Honor Society students, and a local 4-H club, who helped the event run smoothly.
The Eco Community Fair's committee goals were to provide education and connection that leads to engagement and action in striving for a healthy future for the planet and our youth. Paper and online surveys helped them gather the following successes:
- 100% of respondents enjoyed the event
- 98% of respondents learned something new
- 98% of respondents made a new connection with a person or an organization
- 100% of respondents will use information or resources from the day in the future
Community Eco Fair Future Plans
Next year’s event will be held on Saturday, April 26th, 2025. The planning committee has begun meeting again and are recruiting new members of the community with related interests to participate. The YMCA will play a central planning role from the start this year. They are beginning to brainstorm what educational and engagement offerings make sense to have thanks to feedback from attendees. New grant opportunities and sponsorships will be sought in alignment with those needs. The Community Eco Fair Committee wants to continue to seek out ways to intentionally engage community members of all backgrounds and make it possible and desirable for them to attend.
Vision 2040
Willmar Lakes Area Vision 2040 is a grassroots movement in Kandiyohi County to make our communities better than they were yesterday. Our mission is to support the dreamers and the doers in Kandiyohi County. We strive to create a better tomorrow through supporting projects that are community minded with special emphasis on the four focus areas; Health & Wellness, Communication, Inclusion and Engagement.
Vision 2040 is a collaborative, community-led and driven initiative composed of your neighbors, friends and coworkers.