The Young Family enjoy an evening at Sailfish Splash Waterpark, in Stuart,
during the CCKids Foster Family Appreciation Pizza and Pool Party.

Summer Sails in with a Splash with CCKids Foster Family Pool Party

June 22, 2022

By Christina Kaiser - CCKids kicked off the summer season - and celebrated an event put on the back burner for two years - with its annual Foster Family Pool Party, June 18, at Stuart's Sailfish Splash Waterpark.

About 260 people attended the private event, which had been canceled the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It was really important to us to celebrate our caregivers in a way that would bring us altogether safely," said Jill Poole, CCKids program director and the event's coordinator. "This is a favorite event for both staff and foster families, and we were really excited to get back to it after two years."

The event usually is hosted in May, during National Foster Family Appreciation Month, but was celebrated in late this year to accommodate scheduling.

About 200 foster families, including relative foster families, live in Okeechobee & the Treasure Coast.

New this year was the inclusion of Level 1 Foster Parents - relatives who have been licensed by the state to provide care to family members. Kinship care is a developing service in Florida, and relatives have only been licensed in recent years.

Volunteers and staff served pizza and a colorful array of cookies and cupcakes throughout the evening, while children and adults a like floated down a slow-moving winding river or took turns splashing down one of the park's two water-churning super slides.

"My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our day at Sailfish Splash," said Caregiver LaChristie Rosier, who is also a case manager in Indian River County. "The boys had a blast, and the event type and time of day were perfect."

Mark Young, president of the St. Lucie County Foster Parent Association said it was like a big family reunion.

“It was great to see everyone in person again," he said.

Although the pool party was canceled during the first two years of the pandemic, other activities were planned to celebrate families while also practicing safe, social distancing.

For example, during the spring shutdown of 2020, CCKids caregiver support staff and volunteers assembled and delivered care packages, leaving them safely on front porches.