FELLSMERE — A day meant to mark Mexican heritage and pride became a day of celebrating children at Operation Hope in Fellsmere as the organization held its second annual Children’s Day Festival with various games, face painting and entertainment – for free.
“I got a vision a long time ago,” said Operation Hope President Jesse Zermeno. In looking at all the festivals held throughout the state each year – celebrating seafood, strawberries, citrus and the like – it became clear something was missing.
“Children are the best thing,” Zermeno said, which led him to launch the Children’s Day Festival last year.
For him, it’s about providing a safe place for children to have fun and a place for parents to come and forget about their worries for a while, especially because of the state of the economy.
Among the games that attracted 8-year-old Khrystyne was Darts. She took her time, lining up the magnetic dart before making her throw.
“It was fun,” she said of her first time playing darts.
“It’s a blessing,” her mom, Joanna, said of Operation Hope’s festival, explaining that she thought it was great that a group such as Operation Hope would think to hold a free family-friendly event.
Seven-year-old Daniel Green took a break from helping out at the Cub Scout game booths to take part in some games himself.
Of the games he liked best, he pointed to the Football Toss, where players had to throw a ball through the opening of a football player cutout.
“The person there calls me Tim Tebow,” Daniel said, grinning.
When asked if he knows who Tebow is, he couldn’t say he did. He doesn’t watch much football, he said.
His mom, Susan Green, and his grandmother, Ana Castro, both said they were enjoying themselves at the festival.
“It’s wonderful,” Castro said that such an event was being held this weekend.
This year’s event was 50 percent bigger than last year, Zermeno said, pointing out the new vendors who wanted to participate and the additional games offered for free.
Returning for the second year was helicopter pilot Jim Gramke, of NASA.
“It does your heart good when it generates an interest,” he said of seeing children’s faces light up as he talks up the space program.
Though the country’s space program has shifted to a more privatized model, Gramke said there will still be seats for astronauts.
Zermeno said the event would not have been possible without the support of the several sponsors who stepped up to underwrite Operation Hope’s expenses.
Those sponsors included IMS Partners Inc., Julie McCarthy Decker – President; Alpizar Law, El Dia Today, Radio Fiesta, Pepsi, Treasure Coast Food Bank, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Rescue, NASA, Sun-Ag, Paul McCall, Custom Air, Eye Care Associates of Brevard, Law Offices of David Stoller, Osceola Organic Farms, and Wal-Mart – Palm Bay.
