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Green day, fun at St. Paddy’s for Kids event

Clark County children participate in hands-on, nature-themed activities at Shorty's

By Kaitlin Gillespie
Published: March 15, 2015, 12:00am
2 Photos
Jett Lader, 4, plants a flower at the St. Paddy's for Kids celebration Saturday at Shorty's Garden and Home.
Jett Lader, 4, plants a flower at the St. Paddy's for Kids celebration Saturday at Shorty's Garden and Home. Several hundred families attended the annual event. Photo Gallery

The last vestiges of winter may have clung to Vancouver on Saturday, but that didn’t stop hundreds of Clark County families from welcoming spring at Shorty’s Garden and Home.

Shorty’s hosted its fifth annual St. Paddy’s for Kids event Saturday, featuring crafts and nature-themed activities from local vendors and environmental groups.

The free event falls the day after Shorty’s annual St. Paddy’s for Parks event, a fundraiser for the Parks Foundation of Clark County. The Parks Foundation supports area parks, trails and recreational programs.

“We do this as a thank you back to the community,” Shorty’s manager Sequoia Lott said.

Children visited 18 booths surrounding the nursery, collecting stamps in order to pull a prize from the “Pot O’ Gold” at the end of the activities. Along the way, children learned about stormwater drainage, how to properly fish salmon from the river and what pesticides are dangerous to the watershed.

“It is really educational, but fun,” Lott said. “And adorable. Completely adorable.”

Sherry Thompson, interim director of the Parks Foundation, said the activities help push children to spend time outdoors, while also teaching them how to care for the environment.

“It’s amazing the amount of green space and outdoor activities that there are for the community,” she said. “It fuels us to stay on course for our mission.”

Abbie Wallace and her five children, Calvin, 13, Tabitha, 9, Izzie, 6, Maddy, 4, and Cody, 10 months, rested after visiting each booth. Cody was fast asleep in his mother’s arms while the others showed off the prizes they’d won. Calvin was especially proud of his putty that made a farting sound when he poked it.

Wallace brings her children every year, she said.

“It’s fun to do something that has other little kids out there,” she said. “I think there’s just that whole sense of community.”

Heidi Eckman and her 7-year-old daughter Isabella also attended the festivities.

Isabella, clad in a bright green tutu and a shamrock shirt, said her favorite part was “making the plants,” referring to a free gardening station where children planted flowers.

“It’s always fun activities they have, and it’s a great community service event,” Eckman said.

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