By Cathy Ingalls
Albany Democrat-Herald | Posted: Sunday, September 2, 2007 12:00 am
Music, dancing, food and informational booths will be part of the 11th annual La Fiesta de Nuestra Communidad set for Saturday at South Albany High School.
Everyone, especially Latino families, is invited to the fiesta that will be in the school cafeteria from 1 to 6 p.m.
The focus is to have fun, celebrate Latino culture and learn what public and social services are available, said Linda Stensgard, an administrative aide to the Benton County Commission on Children and Families, one of the sponsors along with the Linn Benton Hispanic Advisory Committee.
Expected to be on hand are about 40 agencies and groups, including nutritionists, educators, and representatives from housing services and the state employment office.
"We will concentrate on an educational piece," she said. "We want to parents to know such things as the laws about student attendance and how they can encourage their children to go from high school on to higher education."
Oscar Moreno-Gilson, principal at Lincoln Elementary School in Corvallis, will explain his school's bilingual program.
Food available for purchase includes tamales, tacos, quesadillas, rice, beans and sodas.
Performing will be the Fiesta Mexicana 4-H Dance Club, and door prizes will be given away throughout the day.
Originally, the fiesta started as a resource fair. Representatives from Linn and Benton counties wanted to get social service information to the Latino community, and it was decided a fair was the best way to do that, Stensgard said.
Because of recent cuts in grants and a loss of alcohol and drug prevention funding, this year's fiesta mostly will concentrate on aspects of education, she said.
Chairs of this year's event are Antonio Torres of the Benton County Health Department and Rosa Placencia, of KidCo Headstart in Albany.
Each year, the fiesta alternates between Albany and Corvallis.