Health Update: Families flock to Sanford Center for annual Tiny Tots Health and Wellness Fair – What Experts Say

BEMIDJI — Youngsters and their families descended on the Sanford Center ballroom on Saturday for Bemidji’s annual Tiny Tots Health and Wellness Fair.

The much-anticipated free event offered children ages 0-5 a chance to participate in a variety of activities to burn off some energy after a long winter.

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

In addition to 32 vendor activity stations inside the ballroom, there was also a school bus, dump truck, sheriff and police cars, and a fire truck just outside for kids to explore.

Each station offered activities such as sensory play, coloring, musical instruments, games and even things like climbing and fishing. As attendees arrived, they were also given tickets to enter for a variety of door prizes that were given out throughout the event.

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

Hosted each spring by the Bemidji Early Childhood Collaborative, Tiny Tots also marked the first official event for Executive Director Eve Lavrenz, who joined the collaborative earlier this year as the organization’s first full-time staff member.

“BECC is really in a season of growth right now,” Lavrenz said. “This is like my big first event as the new director, but we’re definitely going to have many more to come because BECC is growing.”

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

She said that planning and set-up for the event went smoothly, thanks to the great support she had from the BECC board and many volunteers. Also helping out on Saturday were student volunteers from the Bemidji High School National Honor Society and JROTC.

“As you can see, we have a whole team of volunteers, and just seeing everybody come together and collaborate today has been so great,” Lavrenz added. “I worked so hard on the background stuff to make today go smoothly, and then at a certain point when I got here, I was just so surrounded by such awesome, supporting people that they just sort of took it away and made it such an awesome event.”

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

With around 550 people in attendance by the conclusion of the event, Lavrenz was pleased with the success of the day.

“As soon as I saw the first person coming in, I was like OK here we go,” she added, “and then just seeing the joy on the children’s faces as they came in was so awesome.”

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

Tiny Tots serves as a kick-off each year for the Week of the Young Child, set for April 11-17. Organized annually, the weeklong celebration focuses on the needs of young children, their families and early childhood educators.

It will feature themed days, including Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Work Together Wednesday, Artsy Thursday and Family Friday. For more information on the week-long event, visit the

Bemidji Early Childhood Collaborative Facebook page.

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

Annalise Braught / Bemidji Pioneer

Annalise is the editor and a photographer at the Bemidji Pioneer. She is a Mass Communication graduate from Bemidji State University and has a Supervisory Management degree from Northwest Technical College. Her favorite pastime is exploring the great outdoors and capturing its natural beauty on camera. Contact Annalise at (218) 333-9796 or abraught@bemidjipioneer.com.