First Things First of Greater Richmond will host Celebrate Fatherhood—a free event for families— in collaboration with the Richmond Kickers, the Collegiate School Aquatics Center, Kiwanis Club of Richmond and Chesterfield County on Sunday, June 8 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Ukrop Park at the new Collegiate School Aquatics Center in Chesterfield, Va.
Kids of all ages and their families will enjoy field games, bounce houses, food trucks, an indoor swimming pool, golf, soccer and more. Other events include the “Fastest Dad in Richmond Race” (both swimming and running) as well as a “Most Accurate Kick Contest.” Dads can take their baby swimming for the first time, record a mini commercial with their older children, or just relax with the family outdoors.
“This event is a great chance for dads to engage in meaningful activities with their kids,” said Jeff Ukrop, chair of the board of directors for First Things First of Greater Richmond. “While it’s important for children to feel valued by their fathers, it’s just as important for fathers to feel valued and appreciated by their kids. Through a variety of activities, kids will get to participate with and cheer on their dads to show how much they love them.”
The $14 million Collegiate School Aquatics Center opened in March 2012 and is the new home to the swimming pool that was used in the 2008 U.S. Olympic trials. At Celebrate Fatherhood, dads can compete for the “Fastest Dad in Richmond Race” in the 50-meter competition pool, while families will swim in the smaller practice pool. Parents must bring appropriate swimming attire and towels to use the pool facilities.
“We are excited to host this event to honor fatherhood and all that it stands for in Richmond,” said Truin Huntley, executive director for First Things First. “We know that boys who grow up without fathers are more likely to become unmarried fathers themselves at a young age, perpetuating the cycle of absentee fatherhood, and that girls growing up without fathers are more likely to fall victim to early sexual involvement and teenage pregnancy, perpetuating the cycle of single-parenthood.”
Father involvement is related to positive cognitive, developmental, and socio-behavioral child outcomes, such as improved weight gain in preterm infants, improved breastfeeding rates, higher receptive language skills, and high academic achievement, according to Fathers and the well-child visit.
For more information and to register for Celebrate Fatherhood, visit www.FirstThingsRichmond.org.
Major event sponsors include BB&T Capital Markets, Kiwanis Club of Richmond, Bon Secours Richmond Health System, State Farm Agent Bill Conley, EarthScapes, and ProductiveAV.
First Things First of Greater Richmond is a community nonprofit dedicated to strengthening families for a better community by: advocating for strong, healthy, lifelong marriages; increasing fathers’ and mothers’ active involvement in the lives of their children; and working to prevent out-of-wedlock and teen pregnancies in the greater Richmond area.Visit www.FirstThingsRichmond.org for info.
