Midlands Families: Fun and Helping – June 2012
There are so many opportunities for Midlands families to help in our community this summer AND lots of fun activities that your family might want to check-out while everyone is enjoying vacation downtime. Here’s what we came across on Twitter and Facebook — just today.
What have we missed? Do you have other suggestions for volunteer opportunities for children and families this summer? Or other great ideas or scoop on some fun? Let us know!
Helping in our Community:
One of the things we love about SLP is the love and attention given to its younger residents – and, it’s very easy to get involved and help! Here are two opportunities this summer for your family’s consideration (contact Becca: 803-256-3999 or bsmith@stlawrenceplace.org):
- Literacy. SLP assessed the children in their summer camp for literacy levels and there are a few that could use some one-on-one help. We know that literacy is the key to every child’s future. Adults and teens that have an our a week (or more) can help homeless children increase their literacy skills this summer!
- Yummy Meals. What should the kids at SLP have for lunch today? Pull your family or some friends together, create a yummy meal (like tacos or baked spaghetti) and share your lunch with the kids at SLP! (Fun!)
Senior Resources coordinates services, resources and personal choices to promote healthy, independent living, including providing hot meals to hundreds of home-bound senior adults in the Midlands. You and your family can help by delivering hot, nutritious meals! Not only will you help feed an elderly neighbor, you’ll likely make some new friends. Call 803.252.7734 x 242 for more information.
3. Columbia Cares for Kids Food Drive
You’ve likely heard that one in four children in South Carolina go to bed hungry each night, but did you know that many of these children are at a higher risk of hunger in the summer because so many rely on school-provided meals? Help local children in need! Join WACH-FOX at Sandhills on Thursday, June 21 for the Columbia Cares for Kids Food Drive benefiting Harvest Hope Food Bank!
4. Junior Achievement Twilight 5K
Love to run (or walk), but hate to get up early for the Saturday morning road races? Well, Junior Acheivement has you covered with its Twilight 5K at 7:00 pm on Friday, June 22. Enjoy a run or walk through beautiful Shandon and support Junior Achievement of Central South Carolina!
5. Pawmetto Lifeline Fur Friends Camp
We tend to support causes and organizations that are meaningful to us, and helping our children explore what they care about is a great first lesson in teaching them about giving. Do your children love animals? Perhaps you have a future veterinarian or a a child with a soft spot for animals? Consider sending them to Fur Friends Camp at Pawmetto Lifeline where they’ll learn about basic dog obedience, pet care and responsible ownership in addition to issues impacting the welfare of animals.
Summer Fun in Our Community
The young and the old are fascinated by Titanic, but if you were on Twitter today, you would have become filled with intrigue by the Titanic Tweet Up (#TTUP), jumped in your and headed straight for the S.C. State Museum to check-out the Titanic Artifact Exhibition, which will be here through September 16. Go on, get down there and view artifacts (and here), learn about the passengers and their lives, the ship (and here) and details of the accident and conditions. For another sneak peak, check out what you would have read about the tragedy in The State had you been here 100 years ago.
2. Riverbanks Zoo: Lions, tigers and baby Koalas (okay, they’re called joeys)
We all love Riverbanks, but how about today’s news about the new koala joey at the Zoo? We can’t wait to see him! And don’t forget about the opportunity to teach your children about giving at the zoo.
No list of children’s activities in the Midlands is complete without a trip to EdVenture, especially with the excellent Moneyville exhibit visiting through September 9. It’s never too early to start talking to your kids about finances and this exhibit caters to kids of all ages (even you, mom and dad).
What else are y’all doing this summer? Fill us in!