Child care offered for SOAR fundraiser

Parents who join the SOAR Cinco de Mayo Fiesta will have free child care available at SOAR from 6 to 11:30 p.m. on the night of the fund-raising event.

SOAR management decided to open the SOAR clubhouse the night of May 3 when they learned that Sisters High School Prom will be held that same night.

"Finding child sitters that evening could be difficult, so we felt that we at SOAR could help parents attend the event by covering this need," said Tom Coffield, SOAR Managing Director. "This is one of the reasons we exist, so children will have supervision when their parents have other plans or commitments."

The Cinco de Mayo Fiesta is SOAR's major fundraising event of the year. The proceeds help to maintain SOAR programs and scholarships.

"Our continuing goal is to keep prices low so all families and all children can participate in the wide variety of SOAR programs," stated Bonnie Malone, SOAR District Chair. "This means we have to make up income difference with the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta."

SOAR needs to raise about $30,000 a year outside the tax base and user fees to meet the annual budget.

SOAR youth are now creating the piñata centerpieces for the dining tables at Cinco de Mayo.

"The kids really enjoy this project," said Grace Porraz, who is the director of the third through fifth-grade clubhouse program.

"They like making piñatas because it is so different for them and really lets them be creative as artists. They learn a little history, too."

Children at SOAR that evening will be entertained with their own South-of-the-Border theme.

Darcy Ling-Scott, who manages the evening clubhouse at SOAR, will host that evening.

"I hope the kids wear Mexican or Western outfits," she said.

"We will have our own Mexican party, kid-style. Pizza will be served instead of tacos, but the piñata will be for real."

For older youth, the Middle School Teen Center will be open, with supervision.

Tickets are still available for the Cinco de Mayo Fiesta.

Parents will be requested to show their tickets when they deliver their children to SOAR that evening.

For more information, call SOAR at 549-2091.