Kids on the Block (KOB) is a highly praised organization that teaches children how to accept differences in others and themselves and how to make safer and healthier life choices. The Kids on the Block uses "hand and rod" puppets. This means that one hand works the mouth of the puppet and the other hand manipulates the rod for gestures. The style of puppetry used by The Kids on the Block is based on a Japanese style of puppetry called Bunraku (Boon-rah-koo), in which puppeteers are dressed totally in black and operate the puppet from behind. The puppeteers are soon forgotten by the audience and the puppets seem to come alive. The Fall River Housing Authority sponsored a production of Kids on the Block at the Father Diaferio Village on August 5, 2008. This activity is one example of the many events organized by the Housing Authority to build community and promote health among over 20,000 residents of public housing in Fall River. To see other activities that take place in the housing developments, click here, here and here. To see last year's fair, click here. For more information about this and other activities in the Housing Authority developments, contact Youth Coordinator Joseph DaSilva at 508-675-3527.
 

(Top row, left) Kids on the Block performer Lina Moniz hands out programs to Bellen Rodriquez and her children, Kimberly and Angel. (Top row, right) Puppeteer Ben Levesque operates Melody James who explains to Mark Riley, an 11-year-old with cerebral palsy, that she is teased by her four older brothers. (Bottom row, center) Melody James talks with Renaldo Rodriguez who has been blind since birth, operated by puppeteer Vaughn Dinsmore. (Bottom row, right) Dallas Cordeiro joins Sandy Aguiar and her son Dylan for the show.