HOLMES BEACH – Kids and their parents flocked to the campus of CrossPointe Fellowship to partake in the church’s first Kids' Fair Saturday.

In the sanctuary, Kurt and Nancy Lathrop provided one of the most popular programs about Lucky the arson dog. Kurt is Lucky’s handler for West Manatee Fire & Rescue.

“Lucky has a special talent, Kurt explained. “She’s a detection dog. Every fire has to be investigated, and we use Lucky to see if something was used to start the fire. She shows me if she detects something.”

In the activity hall, retired FBI agent Emmett Scott gave child ID kids to parents and explained the program and how to use the kits.

“The National Child ID program was started in 1977 by the American Football Coaches’ Association in Texas. In 2001, the FBI got involved and the Society of Ex FBI Agents took it on as a program.”

The kit contains a fingerprint kit, a card to enter the child’s description and medical information, a wallet card and a DNA swab. If the child is missing, parents can take the kit to their local law enforcement agency.

In another corner, Pieter Visser, of Dignity Memorial, presented the Escape School, which teaches kids how to be more aware of their environment if someone kidnaps them and ways to get out of certain situations to save their lives.

Scott and Visser said they are available to explain their programs and distribute kits and information to local groups, civic organizations and schools. Call Scott at 941-527-8509 and Visser at 941-780-1066.

Outside in the parking lot, kids were awed by an alligator brought by Terry Noll, of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and moved in close to pet it.

Next to Noll, West Manatee firefighters manned a fire prevention table where parents could get ID kits for their kids and medical

information cards for themselves as well as pencils, bookmarks, stencils and fire hats or could take a tour of the fire truck.

Kids also could get free hot dogs, chips, water, popcorn and snow cones provided by CrossPointe or participate in games and activities in the parking lot across Gulf Drive, including face painting, bean bag toss and paint ball.

The church is planning a fall festival on Oct. 30 and another Kids’ Fair on Dec. 4.