Every summer, in August, something wonderful happens at BC Family Hearing Resource Centre. Families from all over the province, travelling from far & wide, descend upon our Main Surrey Centre.
They come to join in our annual Mingle & Play event. For three days, we welcome children who are deaf & hard-of-hearing, along with their parents, siblings and extended family members.
You might be saying to yourself: “This sounds great….but what actually happens at Mingle & Play?” First and most importantly, there is lots of time and space for the kids to play and for adults to meet one another and visit. Our sunny backyard is set up with arts & crafts stations, a sandbox, outdoor play equipment and play-houses for make believe with friends. When families arrive the first part of the morning is spent enjoying this outdoor space.
Each day we have different entertainment for the children that happens mid-morning. This year (2018) we are excited to welcome:
August 9: One Man Circus
August 10: Dilly & Bubblegum Balloon Artists
August 11: Children’s Musician, Will Stroet
For the adults, on August 10th, we will be hosting our very popular Info Fair. While the children are watched over by our staff and volunteers, parents have the opportunity to visit our Info Fair and talk to individuals from organizations supporting families of deaf & hard-of-hearing children. Year after year, parents have told us that the opportunity to access so much information in one place is invaluable.
Once the entertainment has wrapped up it’s time for lunch! Lunch is provided for everyone, all three days, free of charge. Families can choose to eat outside in the sunshine or inside our cool, air-conditioned building. This is another great time for children and parents alike to mingle with other families and make some real connections. After lunch, we finish up with stories and skits in both ASL and spoken English.
Please join us for this year’s event, running August 9th through 11th. Register online HERE. There are free accommodations available for out-of-town families. Contact us for more information.