Over the next few weeks, officials with Cadiz Rotary Club must ponder on a new project — one brought to the table by Brianna Hyde.
The Cadiz On Main Director spent Tuesday afternoon with the philanthropic arm explaining key reasons why she has recently applied for some financial sponsorship — with hopes of building a “Kids Bucks” program for Trigg County and the Cadiz Farmers’ Market weighing in the balance.
She said she spent last year visiting with other farmers’ markets in west Kentucky — and came to one conclusion.
Already, the club funds a “Senior Bucks” program annually valued at $5,000, which allows local elderly shoppers to visit with Wednesday and Saturday morning vendors and buy needed goods. Hyde said this effort was, and is, “extremely popular,” and is typically cashed out by the end of market season.
But she also specifically mentioned Murray’s Farmers’ Market as a key inspiration for this new idea — lauding their “Kids Market” development over the years, and how it can engage families and their children. And she said Cadiz can take advantage.
A potential “Kids Bucks” program, she added, would be more than shopping. It would be more like a summer club, and she said she’s been in contact with the local extension office and 4-H officials, who could provide “really neat presentations” and recipes with local ingredients and things children like to eat.
One step has already been taken in order to make the Cadiz Farmers’ Market a little more “kid friendly.” Last weekend saw the budding start to the “Young Entrepreneurs Market,” in which youth vendors could bring their arts, crafts, fruits and vegetables to the table — and offer them up for sale.
Everybody loves a good lemonade stand, but Hyde said this is the kind of step that can take the market in a positive, growing direction.
She added that the new pavilion, a former Trigg Leadership project, has been well received by the public and vendors alike, and two new vendors have applied since the market’s start.
Market hours: 7 AM until noon Wednesday and Saturday.
For context, Murray Main Street Director Deana Wright told the News Edge that their “Kids Cash” program runs from June until August. Sponsored by The Murray Bank, parents and guardians pay an upfront “fee” of $20, and children receive three $5 vouchers throughout the summer, as well as farmers’ market swag for their membership.
Furthermore, children have multiple opportunities throughout the season to earn extra “bucks” by checking in with officials on Saturdays, participating in popular market scavenger hunts, and more.
Wright also said kids — not parents or guardians — are required to make the purchases with vendors, in order to promote and foster socialization, basic counting skills and other learned behaviors.
Murray’s Farmers’ Market opens May 11, and many of its vendors share business with Cadiz.