SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — A popular community resource event is back for another year.
The second annual Parkland Community Resource Fair & Health Symposium will be held 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 16, in the Parkland High School cafeteria.
The free event is designed for students, staff and other members of the community to learn more about available resources and how to get involved.
Parkland Director of Communications & Community Engagement Nicole McGalla said before the coronavirus pandemic, school social worker Diane Irish ran a similar event that was focused on emergency resources.
"We wanted to offer them a space once a year, where they could come in for free, set up a table, and just get in front of the families."Parkland Director of Communications & Community Engagement Nicole McGalla
But when the district brought it back, it was decided to add health and wellness components, and to give local recreation programs a space to share information.
“After the pandemic, it was just hard for them to make connections in the community because they don't have big marketing budgets,” McGalla said.
“So we wanted to offer them a space once a year, where they could come in for free, set up a table and just get in front of the families and share all the great resources and information that they have to share without having to pay for it.”
McGalla said about 500 people attended last year, and she expects more will come this year.
Irish recently started holding office hours at Parkland REACH Village, which she said is an expansion of the Community Resource Fair.
What will be at the event?
McGalla said about 100 social service agencies, nonprofits and recreational organizations will have booths showcasing information about their services.
There will be a mock teen bedroom set up for parents to tour and learn how to recognize signs of drug and alcohol use.
The high school's cooking clubs will provide samples of chili and cupcakes, and the Parkland Strolling Strings will perform.
Various organizations will put on eight parent workshops focusing on health and well-being.
Topics include how to help youth manage stress and anxiety, the dangers of over-caffeination and how to talk about healthy relationships with kids.
Those interested in attending are encouraged to register ahead of time. Every parent who attends a workshop will be entered into a raffle to win a family four pack of Dorney Park tickets, McGalla said.
The event also will feature a New Parent Social for parents who are new to the district to get to know each other. Registration for the social will be open until Thursday.
McGalla said the New Parent Social will have networking circles and QR codes for people to share local recommendations.
Children will be able to stay in a separate care area while their parents attend the workshops and the social.
At the same time as the fair, the Parkland Music Booster Club will hold a clothing drive in the parking lot near the band room to raise money for music programs.
It will accept donations of clothes, shoes, linens, small toys, strollers, bikes and scooters. All items must be bagged.
