A fun event offering great grandparent/grandchild interaction is planned for the 2006 A Grand Event on Saturday, August 5. Baptist Hospital's Senior Plus Program and East Tennessee Children's Hospital invite young and old to come and take a "Walk on the Historical Side," a fun-filled day at Knoxville's James White's Fort for seniors and their grandchildren beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing until noon. The event's activities will relive a day in the life of the Cherokee Indian as part of the James White's Fort annual Cherokee Heritage Day. Dressed in authentic costumes, the Cherokee Indians will demonstrate tomahawk throwing, blow gun weaponry, and traditional dance and drum, while an early 1800s campsite will reveal day-to-day activities of Cherokee and pioneer families to event visitors. Children and adults will also experience Friendship dancing, story telling, crafts and face painting.

Inside the Fort, visitors will be transported back in time, where open-hearth cooking, hand spinning, and blacksmithing were daily events. The day offers a chance for grandparents and grandchildren to witness reenactments, basket-making demonstrations and costumed characters from the late 1700s.

"Walk on the Historical Side" is a great way for grandparents to bring their grandchildren to learn about Knoxville's history, take advantage of seeing the unique exhibits at James White's Fort and get some exercise. Members of Baptist's Senior Plus program and their grandchildren will receive a gift, snack and drink, and are eligible for door prizes. Grandparents can have a free blood pressure check and receive valuable health information, while their grandchildren enjoy a special area with games and activities from Children's Hospital.

Discounted admission price to James White's Fort for "Walk on the Historical Side" on August 5 is $3.00 for Senior Plus members and $2.00 for accompanying grandchildren. The event is open to the public from 10:00am – 5:00pm, and everyone is invited to spend the day. Grandparenting activities will take place between 9:00am and 12:00 noon. Parking for this event at James White's Fort is free. Senior Plus members may purchase tickets beginning July 3 at any Baptist Senior Health Center by presenting a Senior Plus card. Tickets may also be purchased by sending a check to Baptist Senior Services, PO Box 1788, Knoxville, TN 37901. The event will take place rain or shine, so refunds will not be given for purchased tickets.

Sponsors for A Grand Event are the WBIR-TV and Newstalk radio. For more information on A Grand Event, visit www.etch.com or call Children's Hospital at (865) 541-8165 or Baptist Senior Services at (865) 632-5170.

Sponsored by Children's Hospital and Baptist Senior Plus, A Grand Event and its programs have the objective to bring grandparents and grandchildren together. It urges all grandparents to commit the time to their own legacy--not only to preserve the legacy for their grandchildren but also to bridge the generations with the importance of history and traditions.

Since its inception in fall 2000, Children's Hospital and Baptist Senior Plus have worked together on A Grand Event to identify and implement innovative programs to meet the needs of grandparents playing a key role in raising their grandchildren in East Tennessee. A Grand Event focuses on activities that are both entertaining, realizing the importance of social interaction to enhance the relationship between grandparent and grandchild, and educational, to offer resources for parenting.

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