5th Annual Kid Power a Success

   The 5th Annual Kid Power: Empowering Kids for Success held Saturday drew a crowd of 6,000 at the Appalachian Fairgrounds in Gray. Highlights for the day were Mr. Peabody, the Opossum from
Bays Mountain, Andy the Ambulance, Jericho Junction, Search and Rescue Bloodhounds, Wings Air Rescue, the Chuckey Doak Soccer Clinic and the Obstacle Course by Girls Incorporated of Kingsport. More than 70 exhibitors, outdoor activities and events kept kids busy all day.

   Area law enforcement, emergency services, and rescue teams brought heavy equipment and allowed the kids to get a closer look, including Kingsport Lifesaving Crew, Johnson City Fire Department, Sullivan County Sheriff's Department, and Johnson City/Washington County EMS.

   The hammering never stopped at the Doak House Museum, where kids wielded hammers to create their own tin punch.

   This year's key organizers were The Arc of Washington County, Tennessee Voices for Children, Johnson City Medical Center's Children's Hospital, and Frontier Health's Project BASIC, RIP program, and HOPE for Tennessee.

   Participating organizations were Appalachian Behavioral Support, Big Brothers Big Sisters, BlueCross BlueShield of TN, CASA of Northeast, Calvary Fellowship, Child Care Resource and Referral, Children’s Advocacy Center, Sullivan County, Chuckey Doak High School, Crisis Servcies, Daniel Boone ROTC, Discovery Toys, Doak House Museum, Even Start, Family Pastime Magazine,

   Frontier Health, Girls Incorporated of Kingsport, Good Samaritan Ministries, Gray Fossil Site, Greene County Skills, Hands On! Regional Museum, Holston Children & Youth Services, HOPE for Tennessee, Jericho Shriners Clowns,

   Johnson City Even Start, Johnson City Cardinals, Johnson City Public Library, Jonesborough Public Safety, KinderMusik, Kingsport Lifesaving Crew, LINK House, Mother-Child Connection, Mountain States Health Alliance, Myers Chiropractic, NAMI of Tennessee,

   Northeast Tennessee Department of Health TENNder Care, NET Training Service Governor’s Highway Safety Program, Oak Grove Baptist Church, Project BASIC, PureLife Chiropractic, Raceway Ministries, Regional Intervention Program, Sullivan County EMS, Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, Tennessee Early Intervention System, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Trucking Association, Tennessee Voices for Children, The Arc of Washington County, Little Folks,

   The Children’s Hospital, Johnson City Medical Center, The Crisis Center, TRACES, UETHDA, Child Care Resource & Referral, Washington County Public Library, Washington County Health Department, Washington County/Johnson City EMS, Washington County Sheriff's Department,

   Washington County Youth Leadership, Washington County Youth Leadership Coalition, Watauga Behavioral Health, Western & Southern Financial, WIC of Sullivan County, WCQR, Woodridge Hospital, Youth Villages.

  Food vendors so far include Sno Biz, Sweet Treats, Hot Dog Hut, Chick-fil-A, and Calvary Fellowship Church.