Sequim Farmers Market
When: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, June 30
Where: Sequim Civic Center Plaza, downtown Sequim
More information: manager@sequimmarket.com or 360-582-6218
On the web: www.sequimmarket.com
This Saturday is a great day to bring your kids to the Sequim Farmers Market. We are celebrating the youth in our community with a series of Kid’s Days that will take place at the Sequim Farmers Market throughout the summer and fall.
Every month you will find a new feature at the Kid’s Day activity booth, where kids of all ages receive a $2 coupon they can use to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at the market!
Coupons will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last.
The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) is hosting their first “Storytime on The Road” at the Sequim Farmers Market this weekend, at 10:30 a.m.. The “Storytime on the Road” series promotes literacy and spreads the love of reading beyond the walls of the library.
NOLS will have a booth at the market where families can learn more about the Summer Reading Program that features a reading challenge and a multitude of events for all ages.
To highlight the NOLS summer reading program, the market’s Kid’s Day Activity Booth will be providing free books for children, generously donated for the event by the Clallam County Literacy Council and United Way of Clallam County.
Kid’s Days at the Sequim Farmers Market are the result of an inspiring collaboration of local community organizations. The activity booth is staffed by Washington State University Clallam County Extension, providing resources and education about healthy eating and lifestyle for families. It is a unique opportunity to learn about healthy choices right at the farmers market — our community’s source of fresh, local food available every week throughout the harvest season.
Olympic View Community Foundation (OVCF) awarded a $1,000 grant to the Sequim Farmers Market to help implement this outreach program, which funds the market coupons distributed on event days.
OVCF is a long-time advocate of health and wellness education as a smart deterrent for chronic disease. In 2013, the foundation awarded a grant to the Sequim Food Bank to survey its customers. That survey proved that Food Bank customers preferred more fresh fruit and vegetable options.
That knowledge became the catalyst that led to the creation of what is now the Olympic Peninsula Healthy Communities Coalition — a group that advocates the 5-2-1-0 challenge for healthy lifestyle and chronic disease prevention: five servings of fruits and vegetables, to hours or less of recreational screen time, one hour or more of physical activity and zero sugary drinks — every day!
“The six-week Kid’s Day series complements and advances the foundation’s commitment to health, wellness and disease prevention,” says foundation executive director Leslie Lauren says, “as well as our support for deep collaboration between community efforts that serve to extend program reach and impact.”
Lauren goes on to say that, “The OVCF trustees love that this project focuses on nutrition education for kids to build their awareness about healthy eating and lifestyle, and that it offers market currency to let kids make healthy purchases from market vendors.
“The trustees also appreciate that the program involves collaborations with OPHCC and its 5-2-1-0 program, as well as with WSU Extension, WIC, and other community groups.”
Immediately following NOLS storytime, enjoy our summer live music series with Bread & Gravy performing this week from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Put it on your calendar! Kid’s Days at the market are June 30, July 28, Aug. 11, Aug. 25, Sept. 29 and October 27.
A special thanks to Bell & Davis Law, Brokers Group Real Estate, and First Federal Savings & Loan for supporting the Sequim Farmers Market.
Elli Rose is the Sequim Farmers Market manager. Contact her at manager@sequimmarket.com or 360-582-6218, or see www.sequimmarket.com.
