City celebrates children’s rights

National day for youth is celebrated through a week of free events in St. John’s.

 Michelle Winsor, left, and Christina Jones planned the National Child Day program for the City of St. John’s. They say the events are for everyone aged zero to 99. Melissa Wong/Kicker

Melissa Wong
Kicker

Back in Calgary, Mary Dut could not have taken her five children to a National Children’s Day event to play.

“I can’t afford it,” Dut said. “Everything costs money.”

Dut, Gail Reid, and Terry Jones are three of the many parents who took their children to the City of St. John’s Move It event on Saturday, Nov. 24 from at the Newfoundland and Labrador Sports Centre.

“… this event should continue forever really because it is very well attended and its exciting and it’s a great event.”

Michelle Winsor, a coordinator for St. John’s city children’s programs and Christina Jones, a field worker for the same program, organized the Move It event.

According to Winsor and Jones, they have been organizing this event since 1999. Former city councillor, Marie White suggested that the city should do something for National Child Day. The idea took. Winsor and Jones have been organizing National Child Day events in St. John’s for 19 years.

“We use to have one event,” Winsor said. “We expanded it after so many years.”

According to Jones, the city changed the National Child’s Day event into a week of eight or 10 events in St. John’s. The events were set up in different areas of the city. That way, all St. John’s children had an opportunity to play at a event near their home.

“This will go on now until way past us, myself and Michelle,” Jones said. “We might not be here for the next 10-20 years, but this event should continue forever really because it is very well attended and its exciting and it’s a great event.”

City coun. Jamie Korab and his daughter, Kendra, were among the families playing at the event.

“We were here last year, and we had a great time and as soon as I seen the announcement come out about this year – no question about that, we were coming.” Korab said.

“One of the rights that children have is the right to play”

Jillian Roberts of the Children and Youth Advocate Office of Newfoundland was there to raise awareness of children’s rights.

“National Child’s Day is sort of a time to celebrate that and just sort of remind people how important it is to, you know, look out for the children in your life and protect their rights,” said Roberts.