The Headwaters Intervention Center (HIC), a nonprofit agency providing support services to victims of domestic violence, is forming an alliance with the Hubbard County Historical Museum to offer the kids of the area some summer fun.
Due to funding cuts, the SAFE (Safe And Fun Environment) Parks program hosted by HIC has been scaled down this year.
Instead of hosting supervised games and crafts for a full 40 hours per week at Heartland Park, SAFE Parks will only be there Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. On Fridays, Karen Danks, director of the Hubbard County Historical Museum, has announced the museum will pick up the slack and offer its own versions of games and crafts for kids right at the museum.
The Historical Society is looking forward to this opportunity to introduce children to the fun side of history while introducing them to culture of the area and their own heritage.
"We have a full slate of activities ready, from playing marbles and other old fashioned games to making homemade kites, spinning wool, and other folk crafts (or chores...) that kept kids busy a century ago," Danks said.
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Susan Bowland, executive director of the HIC, said, "I wish we could have gathered more money from the community, but we fell about $4,000 short this year. We will happily use the funds we have, though, to provide the best possible fun and learning opportunity for the kids that visit Heartland Park this summer."
The summer program is free for kids up to the age of 15. Those six years and under are required to have an adult with them at all times. Parents need to be advised this is not childcare and the children are free to come and go on their own.
SAFE Parks starts Monday, June 15 at Heartland Park in Park Rapids and runs through Aug. 13.
The Akeley SAFE Parks program will run Monday through Friday at the city park from noon to 4 p.m. June 15 through Aug. 14th.
For more information, call the Headwaters Intervention Center at 218-732-7413 or the Hubbard County Historical Museum at 218-732-5237.
