Family

FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, located in the Connecting for Change Bee Exhibition Tent on the corner of Spring and Purchase Streets, New Bedford.

This year’s conference is the most family friendly ever!

We are focusing a great deal of our attention on programming for the entire family; this means that if you have a family, work with children, or work in education, this conference is for you!

As with the entire Connecting for Change Conference, we want to offer programs that help provide the tools to create deep and positive change in your family, in your community, and in the world at large.

The Family Program will include:

- Green Art Activities
- Music
- Live Animal Presentations
- Family Cooking
- Energy Connect
- And Much More!

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE OVERVIEW
Saturday, October 22nd:

10AM -11AM - Toe Jam Puppet Band Green Show
11:15AM – 12:15PM - Hands-On Turbine Design for All Ages
12:15PM – 2PM – Ongoing Activities
2PM – 2:45PM - Yoga Kids
3PM – 3:45PM - Wampanoag Culture
3:45PM-5PM – Ongoing Activities

Sunday, October 23rd:

10AM-11AM – Kids' Composting
11AM – 11:45AM – Family Cooking
12PM – 12:45PM - Introduction to African Drumming for the Whole Family
1PM - 1:45PM - We Can All Grow Food
1:45PM-3PM – Ongoing Activities

ONGOING ACTIVITIES OVERVIEW
Saturday, October 22nd, 10-5 and Sunday, October 23rd, 10-3:

CFC’s Family Program offers you and your children a safe, fun space to play and learn together through hands-on activities designed for ultimate fun!
Throughout the weekend, the ongoing interactive play space is open for families to explore, featuring:
• Artworks! Green Art Activities
• Buttonwood Park Zoo
• Chris Jerome - Beekeeper
• KidWind
• Mass Audubon South Coast Sanctuaries
• Veruka Dolls

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE DETAILS

TOE-JAM PUPPET BAND GREEN SHOW (Saturday, October 22nd, 10AM)
Get your toes wigglin' with this beat boppin', sock hoppin', kid-friendly band. From creeping bugs to reaching trees; from running rivers to great big oceans; from mountains tall and clouds up high, 'Toe Jam' has fun with everything under the sun. All the critters that call Earth their home are invited to share in Toe Jam's interactive Songs, Puppets, and Activities.
www.toejampuppetband.com

HANDS-ON TURBINE DESIGN FOR ALL AGES!
A workshop led by Liz Argo, Argo Consulting Services, and Deb Fitton, Education Coordinator at The Cape Light Compact (Saturday, October 22nd, 11:15AM)
This workshop will put the thrill of wind power and renewable energy into the palm of your own hands. Learn about renewable energy technology while creating a wind turbine from KidWind materials and then test them for “go” power!
www.argoconsultingservices.com
www.capelightcompact.org

YOGA KIDS FAMILY YOGA (Saturday, October 22nd, 2PM)
Yoga isn't just for grown-ups! Tim Donohue will teach children of all ages the art of yoga. In this workshop, Donohue will bring the techniques that he's taught in after-school programs throughout Greater New Bedford. His teachings go far beyond yoga poses - kids learn how to handle stress in healthy ways and learn the self-calming, self-regulating techniques inherent in the practice of yoga and meditation.
www.marioninstitute.org/serendipity/yoga-kids

WAMPANOAG CULTURE (Saturday, October 22nd, 3PM)
Wampanoag Tribe member Kitty Hendricks-Miller presents the life ways and traditions that connect native people to the land, water and natural resources of the region both past and present. Investigate hand-made artifacts of stone, bone, shell and plant fiber and then participate in a traditional song and circle dance.
www.wampanoagtribe.net/Pages/index

KIDS' COMPOSTING (Sunday, October 23rd, 10AM)
Laurie Hellstrom of Mass Audubon will assist kids in learning the ins and outs of composting—a nature-generated process that allows food scraps, leaves, grass, and other organic matter to break down into nutrient-rich soil. This composting workshop will get kids thinking about nature and the wonders that it can perform all on its own. Through composting, each child learns that they too can have a part in making this world a better, greener place.

FAMILY COOKING (Sunday, October 23rd, 11AM)
Chef Colin Bradley, from How On Earth in Mattapoisett, will be focusing on highlights from Laurie David's Book, "The Family Dinner". Ideas include: The importance of Meatless Mondays, local eating, fast recipes, simple salads, and vinaigrettes. Bring your own container if you would like to take home a sample salad!
www.howonearth.net

CAPE COD AFRICAN DANCE & DRUM (Sunday, October 23rd, 12PM)
Join Cape Cod African Dance & Drum and learn about traditional West African drumming. African dance and drumming brings people together in happiness, for rejuvenation, health and community. Experience the immense joy inherent in the African tradition.
capecodafricandanceanddrum.com

WE CAN ALL GROW FOOD (Sunday, October 23rd, 1PM)
All plants (and indeed, most life on earth) require Sunlight, Water, and Nutrients to grow. In this exploration of basic gardening, children will learn the fundamentals of garden care. Attendees will plant seeds and transplant existing seedlings into small pots that they can take home. Over the course of the exploration, the group will discuss what makes the Passive Solar Greenhouse such a perfect growing environment. In learning these principles, the attendees will be able to take their plants home and identify the best growing environment available in their own homes, thereby growing their own little indoor garden through the winter months! The workshop will also bring in the underlying themes of Local Food Production and Healthy Natural Food. Parents are welcome, but be forewarned: Everyone might get a little dirty under their fingernails!

ONGOING ACTIVITIES EXHIBITORS

ARTWORKS! ONGOING GREEN ART ACTIVITIES
ArtWorks! is a vital community arts center serving the residents and artists of Southeastern Massachusetts. Their goal is to create an accessible environment which promotes participation in the arts through exhibitions and education. ArtWorks! strives to collaborate with diverse cultural groups to spark community engagement. They have a fantastic program set up for this year’s Family Program, working with recycled materials to create beautiful art.
www.artworksforyou.org

BUTTONWOOD PARK ZOO
The Buttonwood Park Zoo is a significant contributor to the conservation of nature both at home and throughout the world. The Zoo will be sharing some information about their Roots and Shoots Program and Boo at the Zoo.
bpzoo.org

CHRIS JEROME – BEEKEEPER
Chris has been beekeeping for over 22 years and teaches beekeeping classes. He will have an observation hive and many beekeeping essentials on-hand. His knowledge in the craft of beekeeping is captivating for kids of all ages!

KIDWIND
Michael Arquin began the KidWind Project when he was a 6th grade science teacher in California. Unhappy with the high price and poor quality of commercial products available for teaching wind energy science, he set out to develop his own. KidWind seeks to support teachers and students all over the globe who do not have the financial capacity to access our training programs and equipment. They believe that all teachers and students - regardless of where they live or what school they attend - must be part of the clean energy future.
learn.kidwind.org

MASS AUDUBON SOUTH COAST SANCTUARIES
Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary, South Dartmouth
Great Neck Sanctuary, Wareham
Mass Audubon works to protect the nature of Massachusetts for people and wildlife. Together with more than 100,000 members, they care for 34,000 acres of conservation land, provide educational programs for 225,000 children and adults annually, and advocate for sound environmental policies at local, state, and federal levels. Mass Audubon's mission and actions have expanded since their beginning in 1896 when their founders set out to stop the slaughter of birds for use on women's fashions. Today they are the largest conservation organization in New England. Their statewide network of wildlife sanctuaries, in 90 Massachusetts communities, welcomes visitors of all ages and serves as the base for their work.
www.massaudubon.org

VERUKA DOLLS
New England folk artist, Gwen Le Blanc, makes her unique dolls by hand so each one is individual and unique. Gwen will be providing her expertise and materials to help kids create their very own Veruka Doll to take home. www.verukadollsland.com/home

Please return to the website periodically for exciting updates on this year’s FAMILY Programming. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Lena Grima at lgrima@marioninstitute.org or 508-748-0816.

CHILDCARE FOR REGISTERED CONFERENCE ATTENDEES

We are offering free childcare for all registered conference attendees which will be available during the morning keynotes on Friday and all day on Saturday and Sunday. We have an excellent interactive child care space with licensed staff, for ages 5-13. To register, please contact pellis@marioninstitute.org.