(This article was written by Lisa Campos and appeared in the April 2024 issue of Explore Harlingen Magazine.)
For the past 13 years, the Junior League of Harlingen (JHL) has held its KidFit Festival and Fun Run, an event that focuses on providing a space for hundreds of children and families to learn, play, and engage with each other in a safe and fun environment.
Even Covid-19 did not deter JHL from holding KitFit. In 2020 and 2021, they pivoted to a virtual festival where kids pledged to run one mile in order to receive their swag bags and medals.
KidFit returned to an in-person event in 2022. Each year, KidFit is slightly different from the year before because JHL alternates committee chairs. Each chairwoman puts her individual stamp on the event, depending on her interests and what resources are available in the community at the time. Last year’s event had nearly 500 kids participate.
This year’s KidFit, scheduled for Saturday, April 13, is organized by a committee of seven JHL members who have spent the past eight months preparing for it. During the event, approximately 25 JHL volunteers, in addition to several high school and junior high school students, assist with handing out water, cheer on the runners, and educate younger kids in robotics or chess.
The upcoming KidFit will have a wide range of activities, such as a DJ and performances by local dance, karate, and fencing teams, and school clubs. Several bounce houses and a toddler area will be available for the smaller kids to enjoy. Juan C. and the Key Limes will play kid-friendly music near the toddler area. New for this year will be a chess booth for those interested in learning or playing with experienced high school volunteers.
Additionally, the fun run, which is free for participants, is just under a mile. The starting line will be in front of Lon C. Hill Park, with the kids running towards the Harlingen Field and then back towards the Casa de Amistad to cross the finish line.
The first 300 registered participants will receive a KidFit Run shirt. Each registered participant will receive a lunch box swag bag filled with goodies. The RGV Food Bank’s Kids Produce Market will have more than 200 bags of fresh produce to hand out to families. Kids can also enter a raffle to register to win a new bike.
KidFit also aims to provide families with educational resources: Healthy Body will have vendors educating kids on different fitness activities; Healthy Mind will have a local literacy coalition and counseling resources; and Healthy Lifestyle, with community favorite JHL’s Kids in the Kitchen area as well as a nutritionist teaching children the importance of “Eating the Rainbow.”
In addition to KidFit, the JHL keeps busy with multiple events throughout the year. Their main fundraisers are a Designer Handbag Raffle and Casino Night. These fundraisers help JHL support the community with local programming such as Kid Fit, Kids in the Kitchen, Girls Education Mentoring Series, Teen Leadership Conference, Women’s Empowerment, and scholarships. Additionally, JHL fundraisers help with the Harlingen Public Library’s upcoming remodeling project for the children’s area.
KidFit, a rain or shine event, will occur on Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 8 am to 11 am, at Lon C. Hill Park in Harlingen. For more information or to register your child, visit the JHL website, www.jlharlingen.org.