The changing of the season doesn’t keep the staff of Kids Like Us preoccupied in the least bit.

With the school year starting to get into full swing, Kids Like Us founder Lisa Lyons recently announced that the facility will be hosting their inaugural Harvest Festival on Saturday, Sept. 15, at the Northeast Community Credit Union office located on Jason Witten Way near Elizabethton High School.

A whirlwind has welcomed Kids Like Us Community Learning Center ever since they opened their doors during the winter in Elizabethton. But as the facility approaches its one-year anniversary, Lyons said it takes community parts, like NECCU, to make the event possible. The bank has played a pivotal role in helping the growth of the organization with donations and time, Lyons recently told the Elizabethton Star, and the inaugural Harvest Festival falls in line with the tradition.

“We appreciate everyone that has taken the time to support the mission of Kids Like Us,” Lyons said. “Our goal is to see the Harvest Festival be filled with people from all across the area.”

Nestled around the NECCU location, various activities are scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. including craft vendors, live music, games, beauty pageants and other family-friendly items. Other activities, including a chili cookoff, pumpkin carving and pie bakeoff, are geared to provide fun for all ages with suitable activities that can help raise awareness and proceeds for the facility.

September’s festival will be used as a fundraiser for the facility, Lyons said. It’ll mark the second festival in over two months Kids Like Us has been able to provide. The facility recently held their Summer Fest event at Covered Bridge Park and welcomed attendees with games, inflatables and live music from local bands — Jackdaw’s 7 and Fortress — and a special performance from students at Kids Like Us.

Kids Like Us offers a community learning center that provides children and young adults with special needs a chance to learn to enjoy themselves in a positive atmosphere, along with friends, family and loved ones. Lyons said the goal of the facility is to always promote togetherness and the community members from all walks of life are invited to stop by and see what the facility has to offer for the Tri-Cities region.

Classes are currently underway now at the facility. To learn more about Kids Like Us or how to get involved with the Harvest Festival, call Lyons at (423) 470-3140 or visit the Kids Like Us Community Learning Center Facebook page online.