The Bristol Mills Fall Festival offered fun for all ages at The Congregational Church of Bristol Saturday, Sept. 19.
The festival, now in its fourth year, was hosted by Caring for Kids, a nonprofit organization that focuses on assisting kids in the Bristol and South Bristol area. The day offered free activities for kids, including a water slide, crafts, and an obstacle course.
“We try and offer as much as we can for free for families so that they can come here and have a fun, stress-free day without having to spend a lot of money,” said Jenny Pendleton, president of Caring for Kids.
Local Boy Scouts were also on hand for the day to assist in running a cake walk and the games for kids.
“It’s really good for the community have somewhere to go where the kids can have fun,” said Kaden Pendleton, a member of the troop. “And it’s fun for us to get to help out.”
Craft and food vendors were also present at the event. In addition to offering hose demonstrations, the Bristol Fire Department also ran a volunteer toll booth to help slow down traffic in the area.
The fall festival is one of the events Caring for Kids holds annually as a way to help kids in the area. Each year, the organization hosts its Community Christmas Program. The program, now in its 23rd year, helps more than 90 children by providing gifts and warm clothing and necessities to those in need.
Since 2010, Caring for Kids has run the Snack Pack Program for students receiving free and reduced lunch at Bristol Consolidated School and South Bristol School. Every Friday during the school year, volunteers assemble more than 70 snack packs that include child-friendly snacks and fresh fruit for kids to take home over the weekend.
“We make sure to wash everything and pick things we know the kids will want to eat,” Jenny Pendleton said. “We also have a retired dietician that helps out.”
Caring for Kids has also run a weekly summer program for the past two years at the Congregational Church of Bristol on Fridays. Pendleton said a variety of speakers from the fire department, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and businesses come in and teach the kids about the community. The kids also take part in crafts and other activities, and are fed breakfast and lunch.
At the end of the eight weeks, the kids are sent home with a large box of food for the family.
“The snack packs are great for the kids who are in school, but there are kids that aren’t in school yet or are in high school that we can’t reach,” Jenny Pendleton said. “That is something we’re hoping to maybe do in the future.”
The organization is entirely volunteer-based. Programs are funded by the Once Again thrift shop and bottle return in The Congregational Church of Bristol, as well as through donations.
“Each and every penny we get goes to helping local kids,” Jenny Pendleton said.