Community Carnival: Connecting People with Resources
Habitat Wake hosted our firstCommunity Carnival Connecting People with Resources event on May 4, 2008. We thank the more than 50 local organizations who provided information and tips to help people make everyday decisions to improve their lives and support their families.
Community Carnival – a great success!
By Susan Ramsey (Family Support Committee)
Imagine a warm Sunday afternoon, complete with a Carolina-blue sky. The rain has gone in a different direction and the breeze is welcome. Banners are waving, tunes are playing, kids are dancing, people are talking - all in a very unusual place: Habitat Wake’s parking lot!
On May 4, Habitat Wake held its first annual Community Carnival. This year’s theme and the primary goal of the event was – Connecting People to Resources. The more than 300 Habitat Wake families along with the general public were invited to attend. More than sixty organizations were on hand with information, give-aways and staff to answer questions and discuss their programs.
The afternoon was filled with opportunities to gather information, learn about services and connect with needed resources. But most of all, everyone who attended had fun! Damien Maass, “MYDMDJ” DJ extraordinaire, cranked up the tunes and got the party going. Various local mascots danced, including Wooly E. Bull, Stormy the Pig, Muddy the Mudcat, Mr. and Mrs. Wolfpack, along with the clowns Bubbles and Groover. Throughout the event folks munched on hot, buttered popcorn, slurped on icy snow cones and listened for their names when raffle prizes were announced – it was truly a resource fair with flair!
The W.E.B. DuBois Community Development Corporation folks, like so many of the vendors, were delighted to attend and spread the word about their services.- “It was one of the most organized outreaches that I have done in awhile” said Suzanne Harlow of Wake County Human Services – Medicaid.
- “Glad we could be part of it,” stated Healing Place alumni.
Rex Health representatives Phyllis and Peggy claimed, “The day was an absolute success!” An additional benefit of the carnival was the chance for all of the participating organizations to network with each other and share updates on their programs and services. We achieved our goal twofold: Connecting people to resources.
- Jesse, one of the committee members, eloquently gave his perspective of Habitat Wake volunteers: “Nothing is better than the heart of a volunteer. They are there by choice and usually on someone else’s behalf. They are there to fulfill a need, and though no one has told them to come, there they stand, ready for action. They are the hands and feet of God, reaching the unreachable. To be around such people, people of selflessness, dedication, perseverance, humility, and compassion, gives me strength.”
