KidSense volunteers needed

Is there someone who would love to cool off in a dunking booth this weekend?

The Greater Mandeville Seafood Festival Louisiana Lagniappe children’s activity area is in need of volunteers, including inside and outside of its dunking booth.

Volunteer opportunities are not limited to the dunking booth; they include other sections of the children’s area including crafts, game booths, manning the giant inflatables and arresting people for various “crimes” like singing off key. Volunteers are needed throughout the children’s area.

LeAnne Cantrell, co-founder of KidSense, said the proceeds of the Lagniappe area’s activities will go toward building another KidSense playground at Magnolia Trace Elementary and Lake Harbor Middle schools in Mandeville.

The playground will duplicate the first one of its kind in the country, built at Pontchartrain Elementary and Tchefuncte Middle schools where special needs children can interact on the playground with each other and their inclusion class counterparts.

The sensory integration playground interweaves play with therapy to develop motor skills, balance, focus and even communication skills. Cantrell said her research shows that a regular playground can be overwhelming for children with special problems such as ADHD or autism.

The playgrounds are built by parents with private funding, such as the funds raised at the seafood festival.

The volunteers will receive free admission to the festival for the day and two free T-shirts.

By volunteering at the seafood festival to raise money for the specialized playground, volunteers will help special children realize their potential and develop skills through play therapy.

To sign up, visit the festival Web site at www.seafoodfest.com.