Your Wednesday Newspaper -8/12/2026 – Family Wellness Fair back for third and biggest year, come get free stuff and learn + Osprey family video, wow! + Come for LIONs Club Family Fun & Food !

The Family Wellness Fair returns Friday, August 14, from 3 to 5 p.m ., a community tradition now entering its third year — and growing fast. What began with 97 students and their families has expanded to 172 families last year, a sign of how deeply Fort Bragg shows up for its kids. It happens in the Fort Bragg High School parking lot. Come see the fair and all the new buildings at Fort Bragg High too!

Bringing together the resources that strengthen families

The event is designed to collectively reveal community resources available to families, from better eating habits and affordable food, to giving out back to school supplies, resources for books, learning, drug abuse prevention and recovery to how to deal with those tremendous challenges high school brings to every kid, and all will be available in English and Spanish.

Fort Bragg High School — Building Improvements

Aging classroom wings were removed and replaced with a new centralized academic core. The campus gained modernized classrooms, updated safety systems, and fully overhauled HVAC, electrical, and ADA infrastructure. Parking, drop‑off, and pathways were redesigned to match the new footprint, creating a cleaner, more efficient campus layout.

Community Support at the Center

Local businesses again anchor the event with generous donations: Harvest Market, Big Bear’s Pizza, Noyo Fish Company, Spunky Skunk, Oh Baby, It’s a Shore Thing, Bigfoot Ice Cream, Headlands Coffee, T‑Shirts and More, Mendocino Cookie Company, Zappa’s Coffee, The Outdoor Store, El Yuca, and El Torito. Their support helps ensure families feel welcomed and cared for.

The Mendocino Coast Children’s Fund remains the largest supporter, supplying school essentials for every school in the district — hundreds of composition books, pencils, pens, erasers, binders, thousands of folders, and backpacks. Their work ensures students begin the school year prepared and confident.

Agencies Offering On‑Site Services

Mendocino Coast Clinics will again provide on‑site immunizations and TB testing for employees. Families can meet representatives from the Fort Bragg Police Department, the Food Bank, Flockworks, Adventist Health Mendocino Coast, the Community Overdose Prevention Effort, the Fort Bragg Fire Department, Tapestry Family Services, the California Highway Patrol–Ukiah, Mendocino College Coast Center, the Mendocino Coast Sea Dragons, Ally’s Wish, St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, and many others.

Each group brings something different — resources, information, or hands‑on activities — but all share the same goal: supporting local families.

Free Food, Open Arms

One of the defining features of the Family Wellness Fair is its open‑door philosophy. Every family with students registered in FBUSD is invited, and nobody is turned away — even if they are not enrolled in district schools. Free food is provided for everyone who attends.

FBUSD also distributes free hygiene items, including laundry detergent and fabric softener, to help families stretch their budgets during the expensive back‑to‑school season.

A Community That Shows Up

The heart of the event is simple: Fort Bragg takes care of its own. Seeing dozens of organizations set aside time to support, give away stuff and educate students and families — all in one place, on one afternoon — is what makes the Family Wellness Fair more than an event. It’s a reflection of who we are.

Organizers say they hope every family leaves knowing they are valued, supported, and part of a community that truly cares.

Event Details

Date: Friday, August 14

Time: 3:00–5:00 p.m.

Location: Fort Bragg High School, North Parking Lot

More Info: FBUSD Website

The Family Wellness Fair isn’t just an event on a calendar — it’s a reminder of what this coast does best. We show up. We pitch in. We make sure every kid starts the year with a full backpack, a full stomach, and the full weight of a community behind them.

And on Friday afternoon, in the north lot of Fort Bragg High, you’ll see it again — the small town that refuses to act small, gathering in one place to say, simply and powerfully, we’re here for you.

Community Night at the Fort Bragg Lions Club

Another event families can benefit from happens Wednesday night at the Fort Bragg Lions Club, where a community Mexican‑food‑themed gathering will be held. It’s a chance for families to share a meal, meet local Lions, and learn more about the service projects happening behind the scenes all year long.

Lions members will also preview this year’s Harbor‑themed Haunted House, a spectacular annual favorite that draws packed crowds every October. Volunteers are already sketching out rooms, props, and scares inspired by the working waterfront — a nod to the fishing heritage that defines Fort Bragg.

Please RSVP if you can; it helps the Lions plan food and seating for everyone who wants to be part of the evening.

https://www.fortbragglionsclub.org

Osprey Family Life Above South Noyo Harbor

And talk about family! Check out Dad bringing home the fish to his osprey brood. We’ve been watching this seahawk family grow up in the nest high above the South Noyo Harbor boat launch. Dad delivers fish to the young while Mom calls out — maybe thanking him, maybe telling him, “Good job, now get back out there and bring home more bacon.” You be the judge of their sky‑high conversation.

Ospreys mate for life but reunite only once a year to raise their young, returning to the same nest season after season. When they find each other again, they celebrate with a joyous mid‑air dance. Around here, ospreys reign as the kings and queens of local birds — with one exception: the bald eagle.