Families Have Fun at the First Thrive Family Arts Festival

Hundreds of messy little hands made some marvelous artwork at Kaiser Permanente’s first Thrive Family Arts Festival held at the Roseville Medical Center on Saturday, June 6. Families had a terrific time creating arts and crafts, making healthy treats, dancing, listening to music, and learning that it’s fun to be healthy.

The outdoor event included face painting, making "germ monsters" with clay, chalk drawing, and even painting a doctor. Chris Palkowski, MD, Physician-in-Chief, Roseville, became a human canvas as children dipped their hands in a rainbow of paint colors and put prints on his white lab coat. (right)

Patients from the Women and Children’s Center, the largest in the Greater Sacramento area, were also invited to join in the fun. Art supplies were brought up to the children who were not well enough to come outside to enjoy the event.

"Art and music help many of our young patients as they heal," said pediatrician Louise Glaser, MD, Point West. "At our Women and Children’s Center, which opened in January, we have an art therapy program that brings joy and fun to children recovering in our hospital."

Many Kaiser Permanente employees donated their time and talent for the event. Other performers included; the Cooley Middle School jazz band, Northern California Children’s Chorus, and Auburn Drum Line.

Kaiser Permanente partnered with Roseville Arts for this event that was free and open to the community. "I would like to thank Roseville Arts for its leadership and inspiration in helping us make the event such a great opportunity for people of all ages to enjoy the creative process of making and enjoying art," said Sandy Sharon, Chief Operating Officer, Roseville.