The next Vancouver Island Baby Fair will take place Sept 24 & 25 in Victoria BC and we will be celebrating our 5th anniversary and our seventh fair on the island! (Including our two shows that have taken place in Nanaimo)

At each fair we love to support a local charity that focuses on pregnancy through preschool, just like we do at the Vancouver Island Baby Fair. We fund raise through our very popular photo contest, facepainting and stroller parking. Plus, the charity we work with is provided with loads of exposure prior to, during the weekend of the fair, and after.

So far we have raised more than $11,000 and worked with these amazing charities.

Child Find BC

Success by 6

Nanaimo Child Development Centre

Foster Parent Support Society

Haven Society

Greater Victoria Down Syndrome Society

We are now planning for our Fall fair, Sept 24 & 25 in Victoria at Pearkes Arena and would love to hear your suggestions for a local non-profit charity that is geared to young families. Deadline for suggestions is Friday, February 11, 2011.

Feel free to send me an email, or leave a comment here.

At each of our events, the Vancouver Island Baby Fair partners with a local charity to benefit from fundraising through donations at the stroller parking, face painting, and the photo contest. For the upcoming Victoria fair on September 25 & 26, 2010, we have chosen the Greater Victoria Down Syndrome Society. The following post was contributed by the GVDSS.

By Carol N.

The Greater Victoria Down Syndrome Society is thrilled to be this year’s charity of choice for the Baby Fair!  We are very excited to be able to advocate for our wonderful members, raise awareness about Down syndrome, and share in the joy and excitement of the Baby Fair with all of you!

This year we will have some art cards for sale at the booth.  The purpose of the art cards is to raise awareness about the GVDSS, while at the same time raise money to help support one of our very special programs:  Music Therapy, which is run in collaboration with Dr. Johanne Brodeur at the Victoria Conservatory of Music.

On a Personal Note:  Our Story

When our son Aidan came into our lives, many people said, “God gives these kids to special families.”  I didn’t contradict them, but I did think they had it backwards.  I felt very certain that Aidan would make us live a better life.  Now, four years later, I stand by that notion.

Aidan reminds us not to take life for granted.  He reminds us to celebrate life, give thanks for all that we’ve got, and not to sweat the small stuff.   Our family and friends rally around Aidan.

We celebrate each of his accomplishments – like walking at three years of age; trying to go potty; using sign language to communicate with us; putting words together; learning to drink from a straw; doing fingerplays and action songs; kicking a soccer ball;  cheering for his preschool teacher at circle time; and blowing a kiss to the check-out lady.

Since Aidan’s birth, I’ve had an opportunity to meet a lot of people who have a person with Down syndrome in their life.  I’m reminded that our children are all unique, and all special.  They are not cookie-cut outs of each other – they are as individual as you and me.  In each of those conversations, one thing has been consistent: not one of us would trade our children for anything; we love them just the way they are.