AURELIUS - Free events lured big crowds to the 10th annual Youth Fair at the Fingerlakes Mall Saturday.

Organized by the Cayuga County Human Services Coaltiion's Children and Family Task Group, some 30 tables offered children's activities and information including Tyburn Academy, Coordinated Children's Services Initiative, and the Center for Dispute Resolution.

Fancy Footwork Dance Studio, Absolute Dance, and dancers from the Extended School Day Programs at Casey Park and West Genesee elementary schools entertained.

Abner, the Doubledays baseball mascot, competed for the children's attention with RAP the Bumblebee, Reva Rollerdrome's yellow Kangaroo, and Winnie the Pooh, all really Auburn High School students. Later they switched costumes.

A yellow Gujarati-speaking Kangaroo, Sankaet Patel, became Pooh, while Pat Lattimore,14, turned into Bumblebee, and Path Patel, Sakaet's brother, 14 became Kangaroo.

Michael Arpino, 5, was delighted to find them all together, and they tossed around a huge blow-up die to play catch with him.

Impersonating the same animals were: Alyshia Nemo, 16 (Pooh), Kahleigh Thurston 15 (Bee) and Tiffany Huynh, 17 (Bee).

Alexander's mom, Tara, staffed the SS. Peter and Paul table with Kathy Hribick, coordinator of the school's Expansion for All project. Arpino, on the playground committee, helped raise funds for a new gym and playground at the school.

Hribick said their goal was to raise about $500,000. A new library, science, and computer labs will be housed in a remodeled area and an addition to the existing school.

Read the full report in Sunday's edition of The Citizen.