Community Comes Together To Help Bernon Heights Elementary

A local organization with the express goal of helping families in need has come forward to help Woonsocket youth in a different way: by helping to give kids a safe place to play.

Every day children in communities throughout New England are victims of abuse and neglect. They may be living in homes with unsafe conditions, lack of finances, lingering effects of natural disasters, or even worse. These and other circumstances that children sometimes face can leave them in need of a safe place to live.  That's where Boys Town Foster Family comes in.

The role of the Boys Town Foster Family is to welcome these at-risk children into the participating homes and provide them with a safe, nurturing family that can provide compassion, guidance and comfort.

In true Boys Town fashion they have also agreed to help the children at achieve their goal of building the school's first playground.  Boys Town New England has recently signed on as the Silver Sponsor for the Bernon Heights Elementary School's . As a Silver Sponsor, Boys Town will donate $150 to the Bernon Heights Playground Fund.

For the past few years, students, parents and teachers have been working hard to raise money for a playground and they are slowly inching closer to their goal. In an effort to reach the $25,000 mark which would make the facility a reality, the PTO Spookfest committee will be offering local businesses like Boys Town New England and community members the opportunity to sponsor the 2nd annual Spookfest.

The event, which will take place on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011, on the school's athletic field, from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. will feature fun-filled activities, a spooky trail, crafts, food and music. The festival is geared towards children in grades K-5 and their families, but open to the general public. Admission is $3 for children and $6 for adults, all of the proceeds raised from admission, sponsorship and food sales will go directly to the Playground Fund.

This year's Major Sponsor, 1-800 Got Junk has donated $500 to the Bernon Heights PTO’s Playground Fund. has signed on as the Gold Sponsor donating $250, Boys Town New England is this years Silver Sponsor with a $150 donation and Vohn's Restaurant has signed on as the Bronze sponsor, donating $100 to the fund.

All sponsors will be recognized in a program that will be handed out at the admission booth, as well as in all promotional materials. Signs recognizing each sponsor will also be made and displayed at locations throughout the Spookfest.

Boys Town New England will be on site at the Spookfest with information and materials for those who may be interested in becoming a foster parent, or just want to learn more about what foster parenting is all about. To embark on the meaningful journey of becoming a foster parent in New England, visit their website or stop by Spookfest on Oct. 15 for a ghoulishly good time.

If you are interested in helping this event, there are sponsorships at many levels, from smaller "Friends of Bernon Heights" donations, to donations of needed supplies. To find out more, contact bernonheightspto@yahoo.com.