To celebrate Father’s Day, L.A. Councilwoman Heather Hutt hosted “Playdate with Dad” on Saturday, June 15, at Baldwin Hills Recreation Center.
She invited the community for a free, family-friendly, event with various games, music, breakfast, and lunch, along with an exciting Dad vs. Kid Derby Race with handmade and decorated slot cars. The playdate facilitated an environment to strengthen family bonds and create lasting memories.
The morning began with free breakfast from the Eastside Riders Bike Club (ESRBC), an all-volunteer grassroots bicycle club seeking to positively impact the community in areas of disparity that affect the youth: Inadequate Organized Recreational Outlets for local youth in the Watts area, a community that is rife with high rates of child obesity, asthma and other respiratory challenges amongst youth; lack of Safe Passage and Travel Routes: while Watts is a very small community, there are clear gang-related boundaries and territories that limit the movement of local youth based on where they reside; families lack the resources to purchase bikes, safety gear, and/ or other necessary equipment.
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Attendees had their pick of activities from face paint, airbrush tattoos and t-shirts, Connect 4, kid-friendly axel throwing, a photobooth, and customized slot cars for the Dad v. Kid Derby Race. The South L.A. Carpenters provided a handmade wooden derby track and slot cars for the race. The South L.A. Carpenters are a sub-section of the Southwest Mountain States Carpenters Training Fund. The program is committed to maintaining the United Brotherhood of Carpenters’ tradition of quality craftsmanship by providing the highest quality training to those interested in a career in various carpentry fields. Wesley Crunk, South L.A.’s coordinator was present for the event and derby races.
Fathers described the event as “a fun day outside with my kids. Reminds me that fathers aren’t forgotten and that we matter in the community.” Families that participated in park recreations also enjoyed the event throughout the day. Lunch was provided by the Habit Burger Grill.
In addition to food and games, fathers had the opportunity to receive parenting resources and free clothes from the Children’s Institute Project Fatherhood. The institute believes the presence of nurturing fathers has a profound impact on children’s health and well-being and empowers dads to build strong relationships with their children.
The councilwoman and her staff engaged with the community and ensured all resources were utilized. “Playdate with Dad” was aimed at celebrating the special bond between fathers and their children while encouraging a sense of community.
To learn more about happenings in the Tenth District, visit City of Los Angeles Council District 10.
