Family-friendly movies are part of the low-cost, low-stress events organized by Family Hope Foundation, who are committed to providing support to children with special needs and their families.

Every family needs opportunities to relax and have fun together, and that’s especially true for families of children with special needs. Finding venues and activities that are suitable can be challenging and expensive.

Family Hope Foundation has created a calendar of low-cost, low-stress activities and events perfect for families of children with special needs. From movies to family days at various venues, each is designed to provide families of individuals with special needs with affordable, disability-friendly, low-stress, fun activities that they can participate in as a whole family.

One of the events is movies at Celebration! Cinema North, 2121 Celebration Dr. NE, 
Grand Rapids, the last Saturday of every month. Families often give up on seeing movies in a theater, but Family Hope Foundation has partnered with Celebration! Cinema North to offer a movie showing specifically for families of individuals with special needs. Movies are at 10 a.m. and are $5 per ticket. The next few movie dates coming up are Saturday, May 26, “Pirates! Band of Misfits”; June 30, “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted”; July 28, “Ice Age: Continental Drift”; August 25, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days.”

On Saturday, August 18, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., the Visser Family YMCA, 3540 Fairlanes SW, Grandville, will host a free Family Night including dinner, swimming, basketball, rock-climbing and more. Please RSVP at (616) 530-9199 by August 14.

Events and activities for the upcoming summer and fall are being added to the calendar. The best way for families to stay informed about what’s on tap is to sign up to receive e-mails about upcoming events and community resources at lara.kitts@TheFamilyHopeFoundation.org or follow Family Hope Foundation on Facebook.

Family Hope Foundation is composed of 16 board members from the West Michigan community who are committed to providing support to children with special needs and their families. Family Hope Foundation invests in children with special needs through family support, engaging community experts, advocacy through collaboration, and financial assistance to provide access to therapies.

More information is available by visiting Family Hope Foundation’s website

by BETH ALTENA

Organizers of a new family fun event and blood drive taking place in Belmont are (front row, l–r) Erin Wallace of Snap Fitness, Amanda McGrail of Amanda McGrail Salon, Suzanne Walters of the Blast Factory; (back row) Lyn Swindell of Belmont Grocery, Tony Griffin of B.C. Pizza, and Megan Rich of Wolverine World Wide Family YMCA. They all invite you to their party!

“Remember when I said to expect this group to do big things in the community? This is one of those big things,” said Tony Griffin, owner of BC Pizza in Belmont, referring to his great expectations of the Belmont business community, which he believes is a unique and diverse group that will surprise many.

Participants in a first Heart of Belmont family festival and blood drive on Saturday, August 6 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. should prove his point. Activities take place on the closed street of Belmont Center Drive and in and around the nearby businesses.

Although Belmont seems a smallish business community, its members collectively are impressive, and over a dozen merchants and service providers will pitch in to make a day of fun for those who come out to see what Belmont has to offer. Participating stores, salons, restaurants, medical and dental care providers and others will have free giveaways to anyone who donates blood through the Michigan Blood bus. Michigan Blood, in turn, will donate $10 for each donor to local Boy Scout Troop #283. Participants can also be on the National Bone Marrow registry.

For those who choose to donate or not, the day has something for everyone, from free health assessments by Snap Fitness, to a car show located at Milestones Child Development Center and organized by Belmont Grocery. All car show participants receive a free small pizza from B.C. Pizza. Invited to sign up ahead of time or at the 10:45 registration are owners of old cars, classic cars, race cars, fast cars and just plain cool cars.

Trailside Treats, a seasonal gem tucked away a short jog from the White Pine Trail, will provide music with the live band Retrospect. A bounce house provided by the Blast Factory Eccentric Entertainment will keep the little ones hopping, and massages—free to donors or for a dollar a minute to others—will soothe adults.

Griffin said he admires all blood programs, but is really excited about Michigan Blood, because all donations stay in the area. He also explained that donating bone marrow also has the potential to save the life of another person, an amazing gift to be able to offer. Becoming registered to donate marrow is actually an expensive process at nearly $200, but Michigan Blood fundraisers cover most of that cost, making the process available at just $25. Griffin said the Belmont business community members all kicked in more cash, bringing the price to those who wish to sign up to just $20.

Griffin said every business involved in the Heart of Belmont is offering giveaways and special deals, and in addition to the Car Cruise car show, kids and adults can enjoy Sidewalk Picasso (chalk artistry), face painting, hair extensions, tinsel, feathers and more. Participants include B.C. Pizza, Stile Salon, the Amanda McGrail Salon, Tan Elite, Frey Family Dentistry, Boy Scouts Troop 283 (selling popcorn), Edward Jones, Chase’s Corner Kennel, Body Balance Massage, Milestones Child Development Center, the YMCA, Extreme Driving School, Belmont Grocery, Trailside Treats, the Plainfield Fire Department, Rockford D.A.R.E., Rockford Ambulance, the Kent County Sheriff’s Department, and Michigan Blood. Proceeds from any activities that have a charge will all be donated to Michigan Blood.

“Belmont is really its own community,” Griffin said. “We aren’t a suburb of Grand Rapids and we aren’t a suburb of Rockford. All the rooftops here realize it.”

He said visitors to the day’s events will likely be amazed to realize how much this community has to offer and that many business owners work from homes rather than storefronts, and provide valuable services. “I am really proud of how the businesses stepped up for this. It is going to be an amazing day and show what we are capable of. It will be a great first for our community.”

The Izaak Walton League Summerfest is coming up on Saturday, June 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the club’s conservation facility and property at 5641 Myers Lake Road, just north of Cannonsburg Ski Lodge. There will be all types of outdoor activities, such as kids’ fishing, nature trails, archery, a scavenger or treasure hunt, birdhouse-building, kayaks, plus a rainbarrel workshop and information on natural shoreline preservation, and gardening with native ecology in mind. It’s all free, including lunch!

The Dwight Lydell Conservation Club is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving our natural resources and a love of the outdoors. This is an open, community event and a good chance to look around. They would welcome new members, too.

If you would like to help by volunteering for a couple of hours, or need more information, call (616) 773-2850 or (616) 560-2895.

Summer is prime geocache time

It isn’t just about the trinkets kids can collect at the end of the search. Geocaching is a great way to enjoy the outdoors and summer is a perfect time to get started. For the small investment of a global positioning system (GPS) and a can of bug spray—under $100—families can begin finding “treasure” all around.

Hailey and Nathan Shipaila found this cache along the Cannon Township trail. Along the way they also saw a family of geese, including a dozen golden goslings, a hawk and a muskrat on a boardwalk over a wetlands.

Geocaching has become increasingly popular and GPS prices have dropped since the hand-held devices first came out. Here in Rockford, geocaching can offer tidbits of history and direct hikers to new vistas. By visiting geocaching.com and plugging in coordinates to caches, anyone who can hike can find a variety of treasures. Some geocaches are handicap accessible as well. Geocache hiders can leave behind the traditional ammunition container or be creative with Tupperware, other plastic containers and even “micros,” such as the film canister hidden on the property of The Rockford Squire office at 331 Northland Drive. Many caches are on public land but some, like the Squire’s, are on private property with permission. Here at the newspaper office we love to see geocachers searching around out building trying to figure out where the cache “Free since 1871” is hidden.

Our cache is a good example of how geocaching can educate residents about the history of their community. “Free since 1871” refers to the fact that the Squire, formerly the Rockford Register, is the oldest business in the city. The first issue came out February 1, 1871. While geocaching during business hours, we invite anyone to pop in, say hi, and see what the first page of the first issue looked like. We have it framed on our wall.

Another in-town cache is at Pioneer Cemetery. This one is a multi, which means finding the first set of coordinates is just stage one. You use the information on the gravestones to figure out your next set of coordinates. While completing the mutli-stage cache, searchers receive a mini history lesson on some of Rockford’s earliest residents.

Caches in Rockford include Pickerel Walk View (in Pickerel Park), Indian Joes 7, also in Pickerel. Who remembers when the property was known as Indian Joes and the resident used to sell Christmas trees? The piece of history lives on in geocaching. Find the “Secret Garden” on the same property. For a walk, head along the Cannon Township trail. Rust bucket is both the name and a clue to a geocache hidden there. Farther along find Cannon Trail Walk, just about at the half-way point from the township hall to Townsend Park. Warren of Townsend is another geocache, hidden at Townsend Park. Mr. Eko takes searchers to a very interesting piece of the White Pine Trail that you would not expect to find along the normally flat stretch of trail.

Summer is also a good time to geocache because the hobby is world-wide. Literally anywhere you go—with the exception perhaps of Deb Smitter’s Antarctic expedition—you can find geocaches. Look up geocache locations along the route of your next vacation and use the finds as a way to break up a tedious drive. Before leaving, you can also enter geocaches to be found at your destination. In Maine there are caches designed to explain the geologic history of that unique part of the country. At Ludington, find many historic-themed geocaches and others that take hikers to scenic parts of the park.

As school days near their end for this semester, parents can consider geocaching as an option the first time they hear those summertime complaint: There’s nothing to do. I’m bored.

Children’s Day/Book Day, founded by author Pat Mora in 1996, focuses on a commitment to link all children to books, languages and cultures.

For more information, please call (616) 784-2007 or visit www.kdl.org. The Krause Memorial Library is located at 140 E. Bridge St., Rockford.

Candy to go to troops

One area dentist is redefining the phrase “put your money where your mouth is.”  This Halloween, trick-or-treaters can bring their excess candy to Belmont Dentistry, PLC in Belmont and receive $1 per pound.  Dr. John Klooster is leading this anti-decay movement by giving away dollars and toothbrushes in exchange for cavity-provoking candy.

“Ditch the candy, that’s what we’re saying.  Visiting your dentist twice a year and brushing daily are great preventative measures, but doing away with excess sweets would really give your teeth a healthy boost,” says Dr. John Klooster from Belmont Dentistry.  “Kids can still have all of the fun of trick-or-treating, and now their piggy banks will benefit as well. 

Global sugar consumption for kids increases by about two percent annually and currently sits at 50 million tons per year, which means parents need to be sure their kids teeth are being cared for more than ever.  Candy, as well as hurting children’s teeth, can lead to hyperactivity and weight gain.  In some cases, the wrong types of candy can also lead to broken teeth and damaged braces.  

Candy will be collected at Belmont Dentistry the day after Halloween only from 3pm to 5pm.  The candy must be unopened. Please no bites.  It will then be shipped to troops overseas.   

Belmont Dentistry is general dental practice committed to providing exceptional dental care for the whole family. Dr. Klooster and the Belmont team is available to provide more information at 616-284-3200, or visit them on-line at www.BelmontSmiles.com.

The Weezil Malone Band starts the Huntington Rogue River Blues Series for the summer. The band performed in downtown Rockford on Tuesday, June 9. Photo by TOM SCOTT

The City of Rockford and the Rockford Area Arts Commission invite the Rockford community to the Huntington Rogue River Blues Series every Tuesday evening, from 7 to 9 p.m. in Garden Club Park (behind Arnie’s), downtown Rockford. These family oriented concerts provide outstanding musical talent, free of charge. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs.

The concerts run from June 9 to August 11. Following is a list of the remaining scheduled performers:

• June 23-Root Doctor
• June 30-James Reeser and the Backseat Drivers
• July 7-Tomas Esparza Blues Experience
• July 14-Steve Hilger Blues Band
• July 21-Harper

After the Blues Series

• July 28-Organissimo (jazz)
• August 4-The Concussions (surf)
• August 11-Delilah DeWylde & The Lost Boys (honky tonk)

In case of inclement weather, the event will move to the Rotary Pavilion on the corner of Courtland and Squires streets. Parking is available at the South Squires Street parking lot, which is accessed from the Bridge Street entrance drive between Vitale’s and J.T. Stitchery or from the Main Street entrance drive north of the Rogue Valley Towers building. A short, pleasant walk north on the White Pine Trail will bring you directly to the park.

The singer-songwriter has charted more than 70 hit singles across various music genres and topping the country and pop album charts for several decades. In 2006, his album “Water & Bridges” peaked at number five in the Billboard Country Albums sales charts. His 25 number-one hits, including “The Gambler,” “Coward of the County” and “Islands in the Stream,” a duet with Dolly Parton, have helped make Rogers one of the world’s most popular entertainers.

Tickets are now on sale to the general public. Tickets are $61 for members and $63 for the general public, and may be purchased at Meijer Gardens during hours of operation, through MeijerGardens.org and at any Star Tickets location including StarTickets.com and Meijer stores. Per-ticket and per-order fees apply.