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Reserve your Child's Spot in Spring Farm Camp '24 Today
Running March 25 to March 29 and April 1 to April 5, Gilchrist Farm's Spring Farm Camp includes horse care, grooming, riding and cart driving. Your child can learn how to groom, tack up and ride horses or enhance their current riding expertise by trying something new, like archery and mounted archery. Intermediate and advanced horsemanship are also available for students who already ride.
Kids will milk goats, gather eggs, pet pigs and bunnies, feed the ducks and tortoise, enjoy the horses and take the mini mule for a walk - plus watch eggs hatch and learn to care for chicks. Spring time babies should be abundant during camp; they'll cuddle and enjoy the best of spring.
Your child will also enjoy country arts and crafts galore, like soap and candle making, leather working, rag doll making and woodworking. Gilchrist's new wool fiber program kicks off with Spring Camp.
Of course, Gilchrist's famous camp games are also on the agenda. Milk jug bowling, horse shoes, corn hole, water balloon battles, tug o war, gunny sack races and more will keep kids laughing and connecting to friends new and old. Nature walks, play on the Giant Slide, obstacle courses and much more round out the core-memories experience.
Camp hours are 8am to 2pm, with extended care available daily until 6pm. Camp is designed for ages 5 to 11, with the Counselor in Training Program geared for participants age 12 to 16. The CIT program includes a leadership component, a more-advanced riding program and specialized activities like forging, leather work and mounted archery appropriate for teens.
Log on for more information or to reserve your child's spot.
Gilchrist Farm gilchristfarm.com

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Dance Studio 84 Celebrates 40 Years in Business
Dance Studio 84 has brought the love dance to thousands of children and adults in the Santa Clarita Valley for the past 40 years. Previously Reena's Dance Studio, owned by Reena Newhall, Cindi and Leo Gallegos bought the studio in 1984 - hence the name! Two years later, Carla Hunt Smallwood purchased the studio and remained the owner for 36 years.
Dance Studio 84's first "Nutcracker" ballet was held in 1985 with just a few props, no sets and only segments of the full score. It's amazing to see how far they have come. Today, their full-length "Nutcracker" is now a favorite holiday tradition for hundreds of SCV families.
There's something for everybody at Dance Studio 84. They are proud to provide a fun and friendly atmosphere, whether it's your first time putting on dance shoes or you're looking to get back into class. They offer over 100 classes a week for ages 2 through adults and are also home to Company 84, their premier team of dancers who train with the best Southern California has to offer.
Carrie Pumilio and Shannon McNey, the current DS84 owners, would like to invite you to check out their studio. Dance Studio 84 offers free trial classes and competitive tuition rates. Located near Valencia High School, you can stop by for a visit or call to get a tour. Now is the time to join if you'd like to participate in the June recital - and be part of the history of Dance Studio 84's next 40 years!
Dance Studio 84 775-7655

Make 2024 the Year You Prioritize your Dental Health
"Parents, we get it! It can feel impossible to get everyone in your family on your dentist's schedule twice a year, let alone yourself," says Dr. Marvin Tong, DDS. The longtime Valencia family dentist advocates for parents - especially moms - to prioritize their preventative dental care.
"Pregnancy can be rough on a mother's teeth and gums," says the beloved provider. "And then, when their hands are full caring for kids, work, the house... it becomes harder to make time for themselves."
That's why Dr. Tong's practice offers convenient Saturday appointments - and a caring, warm office staff that "gets it." "We're moms and parents, too," says Office Manager Becky Short. "We do everything we can to make it easy, from texting appointment updates to helping our patients get the most out of their insurance coverage."
Dr. Tong and staff put a special emphasis on preventative care so that parents don't have to take on the time, expense and discomfort of more-serious dental work. "What's a tiny cavity today can be a cracked tooth, crown or root canal tomorrow," says Short. "We have moms who have a lot of shame about putting off their own dental care - or even their children's. Our message is: We don't judge! Just come in. We'll take amazing care of you and get you back on track, then we'll help you make a plan so you can stay on top of it going forward. Let's make 2024 the year Santa Clarita is proactive about taking care of their oral health and wellness!"
Dr. Marvin Tong, DDS 268-6284

"A little girl from Dayton, Ohio had a dream - and that dream almost didn't come true for the simple fact that we didn't know where to start. After a lot of research, we found SCSOPA and our lives did a complete 180! Since being part of SCSOPA, Khamani improved in speech and memorizing. The school offers a range of classes and they also have agents coming in every week to find talent. Khamani had found her Talent Agent within three months of training and auditioning and she is actively getting started. Who would have thought that a little girl from Ohio would be accomplishing her dream? Thanks to SCSOPA, she is! Thank you Mike and SCSOPA staff - you have changed our lives. Thank you for all that you do!"
Khamani & BreAnna Hogan

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Make a plan to visit one of the nine National Parks that are located in California?
Our state has more National Parks than any other - but reservations for local lodging can be hard to get. Now's the time to look at your 2024 calendar and get booking!

Choose a healthy new activity to do as a family?
From learning how to cook a new dish to taking up pickleball as a family, growing your skills - and teaching your kids how to prioritize their mental and physical health - together is a fun way to connect with your crew.

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Declutter with your crew?
The New Year is a great time to start fresh - as in freshly-cleaned cabinets, closets and cupboards! Including the kids might make the process go a little slower at first, but you'll be gifting them a valuable lesson at the same time.

Give the gift of warmth?
Did your family get new blankets over the holidays - rendering the "old stuff" to the back of the closet? You can gift warmth to organizations like animal shelters, which use blankets to keep their guests comfy - a necessity in this chilly weather.

Sign Up for the Mardi Gras Madness 5K/10K Today
The Santa Clarita Track Club's Students Off And Running program (SOAR) will host its 10th-annual Mardi Gras Madness 5K/10K at Valencia Town Center on February 24 and February 25. The primary goals for Mardi Gras Madness are to increase awareness of SOAR and to raise funds for youth in need who are in the program.
A full 100 percent of event proceeds cover training costs for students competing in the Los Angeles Marathon.
The event offers electronic chip timing, an exciting USATF certified 5K/10K circuit course along Santa Clarita's celebrated paseo system, 1K Mini Madness for the little guys, custom tech tee-shirt, post-run protein refuel, live DJ music and a finisher's medal for all 5K/10K participants.
Log on to register and for more info. mgm5k.com