Van Buren Township officials have two events this Saturday to help families cope with the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first free giveaway is set from 10 a.m. until noon or while supplies last. Parents can drive children up to the Parks and Recreation office entrance on the east side of the building at 46425 Tyler Road to pick up a free Insect Adventure Kit.
“Our hope is to get kids to be more active and get outside,” said Deputy Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Zaenglein. “We want all kids to explore the micro-world around them.”
The kits are recommended for ages 4-10 and limited to the first 100 participants. Inside each kit, children will find a butterfly net, insect glasses, information about the insects in Michigan, and much more, Zaenglein said. This event is sponsored by a grant from Michigan Recreation and Parks Association (mParks) and Taste The Local Difference Michigan.
The second event is hosted by the R.E.A.L. Summer Youth Program. Students, along with Detroit Wane Integrated Mental Health (DWIHN) staff, will be distributing free school supplies and mental health awareness information to Van Buren Public Schools students in grades K-12.
This giveaway is planned from noon until 4 p.m., or while supplies last, at Harris Park, located at 10151 Belleville Road, just south of Aldi. A school ID is required. “We're excited to kick off this school year in R.E.A.L. style,” said Nicole Sumpter director of Human Resources. “Stop by the park to meet some students from the program, grab some food, and get some supplies to help you succeed this school year.”
The R.E.A.L. School Supplies event will have two food vendors on site. Ice cream from Culvers and hot or cold sandwiches, fries, and more from food truck Hero or Villain. This event is sponsored by the Van Buren Township R.E.A.L Summer Youth Program and DWIHN.
“We're really excited to be offering two free giveaway events for the students of Van Buren Township,” said Supervisor Kevin McNamara. “We hope these events will ease some of the burdens on back to school supplies and provide some fun activities for VBT families.”
For more information about the R.E.A.L. event, contact Sumpter at nsumpter@vanburen-mi.org or call (734) 699-8900 EXT 9293. #forREALvbt.
