King's Daughter's Kitchen

The first Saturdays of October and April are “Healthy Neighbor Party in the Park” days and National Holidays. People prepare for HNPP days for weeks ahead, as we prepare for Christmas now. No one works from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. except emergency personnel.  

Picnic parties take place in large city parks across the country from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., sponsored by Health Departments, who deliver supplies and desserts a week ahead to restaurants and businesses with addresses for distribution. If small cities do not have parks, picnics are held on the lawn of the courthouse. Households receive mailed letters and emails ahead of the picnic. Letters and emails explain which park is nearest and give dierctions. Invitations  include every household member and add bus and van rideshare numbers for the disabled. Invitations also ask those able cooks to bring their healthiest dishes with several 3×5 recipe cards to trade.

Games in the parks have set prizes such as: fruit, grocery, spa, or gym gift cards, and toys. Adults and children can win any prize, and prizes can be traded. Activity toy prizes are everywhere. Jump ropes, hula hoops, bikes, skate boards, scooters, basketballs, new sports shoes, Wiis, and tool and gardening sets colorfully line the grass.

Parks play music fit for each neighborhood and hold danceoffs. There are  pepper and fruit pie eating contests. Each of the small games, like the “Potty Toss” with the new toilets, 3 rolls of toilet paper and the throwing line, though they are fun, have a point and volunteers handing out leaflets. The aim of the “Potty Toss” is maintaining digestive health. The aim of the Limbo is staying flexibile. Though each small game is a teaching place, people laugh as they take the information and put it in their sacks.

Nurses offer free blood pressure, glucose, and weight checks and suggest doctor consults if there are issues. At the end of the celebration, the Day, people know more neighbors, feel good, are tired for a good reason, have had a healthy meal and dessert, and have recipes to take and try, and have learned hopefully more ways to take care of themselves. It was work, yes, good work. Good health is the best gift you can give yourself.