The Cariboo Chilcotin Partners for Literacy is teaming up with the South Cariboo Farmers' Market this year to run the Power of Produce (POP) Club.
Every Friday this summer the CCPL will be set up at the farmers' market offering several activities in addition to the POP Club. Kelsey Fast, the market's treasurer. said the POP Club is an initiative introduced at the last BC Farmers' Market Convention.
"We were excited but none of us were really available to run it. So it was really great to talk to the CCPL and kind of tag team a little space for kids and families to come and connect at the markets," Fast explained. "We really saw with the economic impact study that people were spending a lot of time here. It's shopping but also a social engagement for a lot of people as well."
The POP Club is designed to introduce children to different fruits and vegetables each week. Fast said that the BC Association of Farmers' Markets has a whole whack of resources that they could use, to the point where it could be someone's full-time job running it. Because 100 Mile House's market is on the smaller side, they've decided to scale it back so the CCPL can run it.
Jennifer Jones, a family literacy coordinator with the CCPL, said the CCPL was happy to provide this children's program for the community. To give families something to do with their children at the farmers market, they've brought several kinetic activities like a sandbox, books, Play-Doh and colouring books, in addition to the POP Club.
"We also have a great program with the farmers' market this year called POP. It's a program where kids can try some new produce and then get a coupon to use at the market to try other produce," Jones explained.
Fast said the free food is part of the Two Bite Club and after trying some fresh produce kids will receive a voucher worth $2 they can spend at any farmers' market vendor. So far she thinks the POP Club has gone great, noting a lot of people seem to hang out there.
"My own kids think it's fantastic they're not stuck at our booth all day at the market," Fast laughed. "I think it's really great. A farmers market has the ability to be such a vital part of a community. It benefits everyone I think if it is, and so to invest our resources into that is important. It's not just about buying and selling, it's a community."
The fresh produce will change every week and be donated by vendors at the market. Jones remarked she's hopeful that parents will take the opportunity to come by and have some fun with their kids while shopping.
"We also have books to give away and lots of fun for everyone," Jones said.
