Children, Staff 'Dance Forever' at YMCA Family Fun Day

Rain may have canceled many outdoor events yesterday, but not Family Fun Day. Originally supposed to take place at the , the event was held Sunday in the back gym of the West Bay YMCA. 

The change in venue didn't seem to dampen spirits as attendees danced and played along with staff from the YMCA and Radio Disney. 

Cathy Harrison, a North Kingstown resident and member of the West Bay YMCA, got up early Sunday morning for spin class and later took her two boys, Matthew and Ryan, to Family Fun Day. "It's really good for the kids," said Harrison of the West Bay YMCA's youth-friendly programs.

Participants competed for a slew of prizes, including Toy Story 3 sticker books and puzzles, and danced to hit songs including "Dance Forever," "Dynamite" and "Who Says."

Max Lima, 7, a soon-to-be second grader at Hamilton Elementary School, won the grand-prize drawing and walked away with two tickets to see Selena Gomez in concert. 

Max says he plans to take his sister, Maya, 8, with him to see the show. "I thought that was sweet," said Max's mother, Jennifer Lima.

"[Maya's] the bigger fan," she said.

Also on hand at Sunday's event were local representatives of Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)—a federal health program that offers financial support to eligible families. 

Dennis Horta, a WIC nutritionist, says over 28,000 people in the state receive federal financial assistance from WIC and that the money is meant to help income-eligible mothers purchase nutrient-rich foods from grocery stores and local farmer's markets.

In an effort to "get the word out," Horta said he and his colleagues visit local community centers and collaborate with local health practionioners.

For more information on WIC and eligibility requirements, contact the Rhode Island Department of Health or the local WIC agency, Thundermist Health Center, at 401-783-0523.