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Junior Auxiliary Hosts Inclusive Event at USM’s Children Center

Wed, 10/16/2019 - 09:36am | By: Courtney Tesh

Children playingAs we pull our boots and jackets out of storage, rejoicing in the much-anticipated shift in seasons, it’s hard to believe that just a couple of weeks ago folks in the Pine Belt were donning shorts and tanks and commiserating about the never-ending southern heat.

In fact, just two Sundays ago adults and children alike were lined up at Rosie’s Ice Cream truck, parked outside The Children’s Center for Communication and Development at The University of Southern Mississippi. But the ice cream wasn’t the only reason that the assembled crowd chose to bear the heat.

Child shows parent an eggFamilies gathered on the playground at The Children’s Center for “Play the Same,” an event hosted by the Junior Auxiliary of Hattiesburg.

“As a parent of a Children’s Center graduate and an active member of Junior Auxiliary, this event has a special place in my heart,” said Lindsay Caminita. “My son, Ayden, has cerebral palsy and he does not walk the same or talk the same as other children, but he can play the same.”

Caminita perfectly summed up a main goal of the event and went on to say that the use of music play was particularly unifying. “Music was a wonderful way for the kids from every level of ability to play the same,” said Caminita of the music activities provided by Music Together Little Seeds.

“I fell in love with The Children’s Center,” said Michelle Alonso of Music Together Little Seeds, a music program for children in Hattiesburg. “This event is a reminder of what a privilege it is for me to bring music to children’s lives. It goes way beyond providing excellent music education to all of the kids and families – it’s about connection, about inclusiveness, about creating a community that grows. It really made my day to see all of that coming together in this event.”

Junior Auxiliary plans to continue hosting “Play the Same” events at The Children’s Center with the hopes of bringing more families and children together in a way that promotes inclusion and gives everyone a chance to play.

As Lindsay Caminita noted, “this event gives us a chance to get together and be kids again for a few hours – getting our faces painted, blowing bubbles, dancing, and beating drums together, because even though we are adults, we all play the same.”

 

About The Children’s Center for Communication and Development

The Children’s Center for Communication and Development at The University of Southern Mississippi is a non-profit that provides cost-free communicative and developmental transdisciplinary services to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers while educating, training and supporting families, university students and professionals. For more information, visit www.usm.edu/childrenscenter.