Storyland is a really wonderful resource here in the Central Valley, where we really don’t have a lot of things for our children…Really, if you look at the list of places created for children in Fresno specifically, the list is pathetically small, in comparison to other cities in California similar in size.

I mean, why is it that we don’t yet have a children’s museum?

How come we have to drive to Oakhurst or Visalia to take our children to a children’s museum??? Boggles the mind.

Fresno is definitely in dire need of some help in the child-friendly department, that’s for sure! I hope to see lots of changes in the coming years…

But since I’m not one to sit around and wait for someone, hopefully, to make changes…I’ve decided to do what I can to create some of those changes I would like to see happen. Starting with Storyland, which I see as having great potential and obviously once was a very fabulous place for children (and in many ways, still is!!)…and this is a place that is actually doing a LOT right now to improve its facility and make itself better.

But they need OUR help! There are a LOT of repairs and improvements that are needed at Storyland right now. They do have things happening…but I want to help by taking on a small project. One project that Fresno Family can take on for Fresno’s children.

I’ve been in touch with Barry Falke, the executive director at Storyland and Playland…and I’ve decided that Fresno Family (yes, the website, and the community that enjoys it) will take on the Hansel and Gretel exhibit.

This is one of my family’s favorite parts of Storyland…especially since its the only place in the area you can still play on a playground merry-go-round!!

I wanted to get some local businesses to donate materials but I am horrid at getting around to making the calls…and I struck out everywhere I tried so far.

So I’m going to try something different…I’m going to go to you, the families of Fresno!

I want to collect supplies (or money to purchase the supplies) to repair the Hansel and Gretel exhibit.

What we need:

• Exterior paint: 2-4 gallons of white, 1 gallon of every color of the rainbow (for repainting the house, the characters, the fence, the merry-go-round, the sign, and anything else that needs painting in Hansel and Gretel).
• Sand to fill about 25ftX25ftX6in deep (its ok if we get more than needed, there’s other places around Storyland that needs sand as well.)
• Wood slats for fence to repair/replace–we may need to redo the whole fence, to make it look consistant.
• Some concrete (a few bags maybe? for setting the fence posts again)

Please contact me at webmama_tina AT fresnofamily DOT com (taking out the spaces and making an @ and a . ) if you have any of these to donate to this project, or if you would like to donate money to purchase the supplies. I would like to get working on this project ASAP…my goal being to get the exhibit revamped before they open again in the spring. (Of course, weather is going to be a factor, but I can at least gather supplies and get things done when the weather cooperates and coordinates with my schedule and that of my helpers.)

If a business donates materials to the project, I would be happy to include their business name on the “Sponsored by” sign.

Thank you for reading this far and I hope to hear from many of you soon! 🙂