Community resource and craft fair growing with new programs, blood drive

Oct 8, 2018

The Southeastern Massachusetts Community Resource and Craft Fair will return to Dartmouth High School with more activities, resources, and a new blood drive on October 28.

The free event, now in its sixth year, is organized by the Dartmouth Special Education Parent Advisory Council. Event organizer Kathleen Amaral explained the event is all about connecting kids, parents, and the community with resources they might not even know about.

“This fair is not only for special education,” Amaral said. “We have resources for every group.”

That includes everything from education and tutoring services, to sports and music programs like Southcoast Music Together, which will be offering demonstrations throughout the day. Drums Alive will offer a demonstration at 12:30 p.m.

Town agencies like the Board of Health will be on hand, as will SEPAC. Dartmouth police will also demonstrate search and rescue tools for vulnerable populations.

Community crafters and vendors will also be on hand to sell their wares.

One of the major additions this year is a Red Cross blood drive, which will be held in the cafeteria during the fair. Amaral said she had the idea when she heard on the radio about a blood shortage in the region.

“We can use our fair as a engage people to help out with the shortage,” Amaral said.

Amaral and her fellow co-organizers, Marianne Perry, Steph Saikali, and Deb August worked with the American Red Cross to bring a blood drive to the event.

Those wishing to donate blood can do so on a drop-in basis, or pre-register in advance at redcross.org.

A staple of the event is a showcase of Dartmouth High’s unified sports program, which unites students with special needs and their peers. A unified basketball game will be held at 10:30 a.m.

Family Ties, a parent-to-parent listening and learning training program, will also be held at 10:30 a.m., although space is limited and pre-registration is required.

Doors open at 10 a.m. The fair runs until 3 p.m. Proceeds benefit the school’s unified sports and enrichment programs. Visit facebook.com/DartmouthSEPAC for more information.