Our Picnic and Kayaking Event at Lincoln Woods State Park was a lot of fun! It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and a good time was had by all — even our “Mascot” Au Pair Bear. Since he accompanies us to many of our meetings and events, we’ve decided that it would be appropriate to give him a name, and have initiated a contest to name the bear. The name and the contest winner will be announced at our September cluster meeting in Smithfield. At that meeting we plan to have our annual birthday party/gift exchange and do some apple picking. Autumn will be in the air by then, the leaves will have begun to show their Fall colors. It is sure to be a memorable and fun day!
Yearly Archives: 2013
WaterFire Providence
On Saturday Evening, July 13, au pairs from throughout New England are invited to join us at WaterFire, Providence’s spectacular, award-winning event which centers on a series of 100 bonfires that blaze just above the surface of the three rivers that pass through the middle of downtown Providence. The fires illuminate nearly two-thirds of a mile of urban spaces and parks. Visitors stroll along the river enjoying the sound of crackling flames, the fragrant scent of blazing cedar and pine, the flickering firelight, the performers traveling along the river in torch-lit vessels and the extraordinary music from all over the world. WaterFire is a must for Rhode Island visitors and residents alike! This will be a fun way for New England au pairs to get together and enjoy the spectacular event, and will also be an opportunity for interested families to stop by our “campsite” to gather information about Au Pair in America. Look for red, white and blue balloons on the lawn at Waterplace Park — adjacent to to Waterplace Restaurant.
Au Pair In America Regional Host Family Event
On Sunday, June 2, Au Pair in America hosted a Tailgate Party/Soccer Game Event at Gillette Stadium* in Foxboro, MA. Many host families and au pairs throughout New England attended the event, which involved games, raffles, prizes and refreshents at the tailgate party, followed by the New England Revs/Los Angeles Galaxy soccer game. New England won the game with a final score of 5 – 0!
*Gillette Stadium is the home stadium for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution soccer team. Located in Foxboro, Massachusetts, the facility opened in 2002, replacing Foxboro Stadium. The seating capacity is 68,756, including 6,000 club seats and 87 luxury suites. The stadium is owned and operated by American businessman Robert Kraft, who also owns the Patriots and Revolution.
Au Pairs Celebrate Spring
Spring is definitely in the air…and Rhode Island au pairs welcomed the nice weather by organizing a picnic at India Point Park in Providence on a recent Sunday afternoon. Everyone brought food to share, and the mood was upbeat and enthusiastic. It’s been a long, cold winter for all of us, and especially those au pairs who have come to us from warmer climates. The arrival of warmer weather and longer days brings us all a sense of rejuvenation. Rhode Island au pairs are planning another picnic which will be scheduled on a week-day when they can bring along their children for a play date. With summer just around the corner, there are a lot of plans in the works for au pairs who want to make the most of their time here in the beautiful “Ocean State”!
"Au Pair and Me" Yoga
You’ve heard of “Mommy and Me” yoga —This class has been designed to give caregivers and the children that they care for an opportunity to practice yoga together in a relaxed and playful atmosphere. The class was originally created for au pairs with Au Pair in America by their local counselor, who is also a yoga instructor; however it is now open to moms, dads and caregivers in the area, along with their babies or toddlers. The class is geared toward the caregiver; the child may participate or just free play alongside. The atmosphere is relaxed and playful, and is open to all ages — a “yoga play date” of sorts. Please bring a yoga mat or towel.
Event: Yoga for Caregivers and Children
Where: India Point Park, Fox Point, Providence, RI
When: Mondays Mornings 9:30 – 10:15 from June 24 – July 29, 2013 (Weather Permitting)
Open to caregivers and their children. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
This class is FREE, caregivers outside of the au pair program are simply asked to leave with a brochure, and tell someone they know about Au Pair in America! www.AuPairinAmerica.com
Reserve your spot by calling 401-949-2427, e-mail BarbaraFetta@gmail.com or visit www.TheYogaWorkshop.com
Cinco de Mayo Fiesta
Cinco de Mayo (the 5th of May) is a national holiday in Mexico, but is also widely celebrated in United States. Rhode Island Au Pairs celebrated Cinco de Mayo at their May Cluster Meeting, a potluck Fiesta complete with Mexican food, music and Margaritas. Everyone contributed — and it turned out to be a festive and fun occasion!
We congratulated Maribel on her last “official” cluster meeting, as her time as an au pair comes to an end. She shared with us some of the high points of her exciting au pair experience, and we had the opportunity to wish her well before she returns to Mexico to finish her education.
Au Pair in America Earth Day Volunteer Activity
On April 20th, some of our Rhode Island Au Pairs celebrated Earth Day by volunteering to participate in the clean-up of WaterPlace Park in preparation for the upcoming WaterFire Season. They really enjoyed the activity, and later had the opportunity to attend an after-party at the Temple of Music at Roger Williams Park with Mayor Angel Tavares and other Earth Day Volunteers, for music, food and fun!
WaterFire events generally occur on select Saturday evenings starting at the end of May and ending in early October. The 2013 schedule should be announced soon, and can be found at www.Waterfire.org. WaterFire is always in need of volunteers to help during the season, and some au pairs have expressed interest in getting involved in additional volunteer activities. Those who are interested in volunteering for an upcoming Waterfire production must attend one of the following Orientations for new volunteers:
Upcoming WaterFire Orientations:
(click to sign up)
Thursday, May 2 6PM-7:30PM
Mock Dock Day: WaterFire’s Onsite Pre-Season Training Day. A very important training for new volunteers!
Saturday, May 18th 12PM-6PM
If you are interested in volunteering but cannot be at either of these orientations, you should contact Alex Brinckerhoff, volunteer coordinator, at Alex@WaterFire.org
All of these volunteer activities will give our Rhode Island au pairs a sense of pride and “ownership” when we host our regional event in July; we will be inviting au pairs in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont to join us at a for a summer evening at WaterFire.
April Au Pair Meeting – "Bingo Night"
Rhode Island Au Pairs enjoyed a “Bingo Night” cluster meeting in April — with snacks, some very interesting prizes, and lots of laughter. Almen’s “magic” bingo card earned the most prizes for the evening; and we learned that gummy bears are not only a popular snack, but can serve as excellent bingo markers!
Earth Day 2013
Earth Day is observed on April 22 and was started in the United States in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson to create awareness for the Earth’s environment and to encourage conservation efforts. In 1990, Earth Day was taken international, and today, more than 500 million people in 175 countries observe Earth Day.
Since the first Earth Day in 1970, it has been an annual event for people around the world to celebrate the earth and renew their commitment to building a safer, healthier and cleaner world for all of us. This year, au pairs in Rhode Island will have the opportunity to volunteer as a group to do something nice for the earth, have fun, meet new people, and make a difference! Details of Au Pair in America’s Earth Day activities will follow.
Easter Egg Hunt – Saturday, March 23, 2013 at 1:00 p.m.
Au Pairs and Host Families who will be on the East Side of Providence on Saturday may want to bring the kids to the Easter Egg Hunt being hosted by the Epoch Assisted Living Center on Blackstone Boulevard. The Easter Egg Hunt begins at 1:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The Easter Bunny will be there and will be looking forward to posing for photos! Epoch is located at 353 Blackstone Boulevard, Providence RI (401) 273-6565