Area youngsters from 3 to 11 years old can visit Candyland for an afternoon of exciting games and activities Sunday, Jan. 22, from noon to 4 p.m., when the Hackettstown High School Key Club and Kiwanis Club of Hackettstown team up for the annual Mini Winter Carnival to benefit The Arc of Warren County.

The event is designed to help families of young children beat cabin fever while having a great family afternoon that’s easy on the wallet. The Kiwanis Club will sell hero sandwiches and hot dogs, along with other refreshments, in the cafeteria, and the gymnasium will be filled with activities that include hula hoop contest, goldfish game, body outline designs, face painting, WRNJ Birthday Wheel, bounce house, and giant slide, among other fun activities. Admission is $1.50 ages 3 and older and activity tickets will be sold at the door. Children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult.

Bob Pruznick, Arc CEO, says the Mini Winter Carnival is a happy, wholesome introduction to The Arc for students and families alike, giving all the opportunity to enjoy a student-run charity fundraiser in support of their peers with disabilities. It also provides funding in support of the Kiwanis cabin at The Arc’s Camp Warren.

“The Key Club and Kiwanis Club have perfected this delightful family event during the course of the past 20 years or more,” he said. “Some of the students who originally designed the event are now parents themselves and enjoy bringing their own little ones to enjoy the same fun and support the same cause as they did so many years ago.”

Additional high school student organizations will also help at the event, including National Honor Society, Spanish Club, French Honor Society, and Drama Club. The HHS cheerleaders, and a number of sports teams, will also be there, offering a chance for youngsters to meet and mingle with the high school students. It’s also an opportunity for their parents to witness teenagers in action in support of a charitable organization.

The Arc has, since 1954, provided quality service and support to children and adults who have intellectual disabilities, and their families. Countywide services and programs include early intervention, therapeutic recreation and social activities, family support, community living arrangements, Special Olympics training and participation, and Camp Warren. The Arc also offers education, information and referral, and advocacy services for families living with a disabled family member at home.

For more information about The Arc and the Mini Winter Carnival, please call 908-689-7525.