Laughter and music filled the air at Flagler Park in downtown Stuart Oct. 4.

CHARACTER COUNTS!, a United Way of Martin County program, sponsored Family Fun Day with the help of CHARACTER COUNTS! staff and 60 volunteers.

“It was great seeing so many families enjoying time with one another,” CHARACTER COUNTS! Director Holly Laiben said. “We wanted to offer an event where parents and their children could relax, interact and have fun together – I think we accomplished that and more.”

More than 300 parents and their children attended the event, many of which brought their own picnic baskets and enjoyed a traditional family picnic in the park, while others indulged in hot dogs and pulled-pork barbecue sandwiches from Smoke House BBQ.

Event activities included horse and carriage rides provided by Horse Drawn Dreams, Puppet making with Lesli Lopez, games provided by the Martin County School District Extended Day Program, face painting by American Red Cross Youth Leadership, CHARACTER COUNTS! mascots by Hidden Oaks Middle School students and a lemonade stand run by Project Northland, with music provided by My Big Day Productions.

CHARACTER COUNTS! would like to thank all those who made Family Fun Day so enjoyable for everyone: Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers, City of Stuart Parks & Recreation, Horse Drawn Dreams, MCSD Extended Day and Reprographics Departments, My Big Day Productions, Project Northland, Smoke House BBQ, Red Cross Youth Leadership, Boys & Girls Clubs Keystone Club and Xtreme Dancers, Learning for Life/Stuart Police Explorers, Indian River State College baseball team, Stuart Community High School, Andrew Archer, Alexandria Arnold, Nicki Belniak, Wendie Berardi, Valentina Bore, Breyer Bullock, Robert Buske, Alda Castillas, Griffin Colton, Rhonda Cooper, Lucy Corley, Stuart Davis, Steve DePalma, Angela Donoforo, Angela Gomez, Nan Griggs, Mike Groom, Diane Gumbinner, Brandon and Taylor Haynes, Luke Hernandez, Phyllis Kordick, James Krupa, Anne Lalley, Virginia Logg, Lesli Lopez and daughter, Joe Lower, Nick Maiolo, Manny Martir, Terry McClinton, Amanda McDaniels, Casey McGuire, Taylor Roberts, Bob O’Brien, Zach Pecci, Karen and Austin Reinhardt, Sarah Rocholeau, Stacey Rodrigues, Keisha Sandifer, Tyler Sargent, Walt Sawyer, Theresa and Adam Schineis, Evan Schmidt, Brian and Carlene Stangle, Millie Taylor, Thomas Thornton, Sean Tighe, Diane Tora, Robyn Vanover, Louis Viamontes, Jim, Donna, Marcia and Max Vojcsik, Darcy and Jayde Von Ohlen, Vicki Weber and Suzanne Wentley.

For more information, call (772) 283-4800 or visit www.unitedwaymartincounty.org.