Courtesy of Lauren's Kid Foundation
Lauren’s Kids Foundation presents “Buddy’s Backyard Bash” at the Capitol to bring awareness to child abuse.
The event was located on South Adams between East Jefferson and College Ave Wednesday April 22, 2015 from 5 p.m. to 7p.m. This event was a free and fun filled family and friends event.
“We were uncertain as to what the outcome would be but we tried our hardest to get as many families as possible and I think we did a really good job at that,” Evans Prater, a communications intern at Lauren’s Kids, said.
Every year for the last six years Lauren’s Kids have organized a walk that ends at the capitol to bring awareness to child abuse.
Lauren, the founder of this organization, was sexually abused from age eleven to seventeen by her nanny. She was silenced by her nanny for six years. When she finally came forward about her abuse she knew she wanted to make sure that nothing like this would every happen again. In 2007 she founded Lauren’s Kids and started the walk in 2010.
Buddy’s Backyard Bash is not only free but offers personal safety curriculum education activities.
Recently they added the Safer, Smarter Kids curriculum. The curriculum is designed to empower children to protect themselves in situations where someone could abuse them.
The foundation felt this block party would be a great opportunity to combine education and child abuse awareness for the community.
There was free food, live music, a bounce house, face painting, four-legged furry friends, and kid-friendly interactive art. Lauren’s Kids also hosted Lauren’s Kingdom book reading and signing and offered a chance to win Disney tickets, gift certificates and other exciting prizes for the kids to enjoy.
Boys and Girls of the Big Bend site Coordinator, Nadeje Pierre, said, “this was a nice event to get the community together to involve the kids to become aware of child abuse because many of children are blind to child abuse and this event brought attention to it in a fun way for the kids”.
The block party featured local band The Brown Goose Band. The Tallahassee band has been around for about three years and says they love performing at charity events.
They have also been featured in other benefit concerts such as American Red Cross. The Members include: Kyle McKenzie-Drums, Barrence Dupree- Guitar/Vocals, Mike Ingram-Guitar/Vocals, Tido McGrail-Bass, and Josh Grimes-Key/Vocals. Also special performance from the Boy and Girls Club of Big Ben Perfection of Excellence step team, and Strike Patrol Drumline.
The Lauren’s Kids Buddy’s Backyard Bash block party event was a warm family atmosphere. It was educational and fun. This event is definitely an event that is going to be welcome by the Tallahassee natives again.