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400 kids celebrate St. Patrick's Day

Posted By Chelsey Romain, The Daily Press

Nearly 400 children walked through the doors of the centre on Tuesday. They were greeted by festive decorations and green-garbed staff, who offered an afternoon of inflatable bouncers, face painting and balloon animals.

“It’s been very successful,” centre manager Tracy Hautanen said of the day, which was the first time the centre had hosted a St. Patrick’s Day event. “The kids had a lot of fun.

“It’s a different way to celebrate the March Break, get the kids out of the house and visit the Shania Twain Centre.”

The centre staff were joined by Smiles N Hugs, a local non-profit organization that provides funds to children who are terminally ill. The group provided volunteers to help with the balloon animals and face painting, while the Maple Leaf Tavern display was turned into a karaoke stage.

“This helps bring awareness to our organization,” founder/co-ordinator Ann Dysart said.

“I get to tell them who we are and what we do, and we get to interact with the children, because that’s who we’re really trying to help.

“Whether healthy or sick, children bring smiles.”

The group began in 1998, and has used events such as the St. Patrick’s Day celebration to raise money to help local families dealing with the expenses of having a terminally ill child. Whether it is help with travelling costs or ensuring a child receives something special on their birthday and at Christmas, Dysart said all money raised goes toward the children.

According to the website history.com, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated on March 17, the anniversary of the saint’s death in the fifth century. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in the United States in 1762, which through music allowed soldiers to connect to their Irish roots.

Known as one of Christianity’s most well-known figures, the patron Saint of Ireland’s life remains a mystery.