The Boys & Girls Club of Greeneville & Greene County will host the annual "Greeneville & Greene County Day for Kids," described as a family event for the community, on Sunday, Sept. 16.
The hours for the event will be from 2 to 5 p.m. at Hardin Park.
This event is held to bring in many youth and adults together for a day of fun each year, according to Scott Bullington, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club. Admission is free.
Some of the main activities for this year's event, he said, will be the inflatable rides for the children and activities sponsored by the Boys & Girls Club, Grand Rental Station, the Greeneville Parks & Recreation and Youth Builders.
These activities will include a trackless train, an ATV jumper, an Octabounce, a Choo Choo train tunnel and bouncer, a hooley ball shoot out, inflatable t-ball game, an obstacle course and super slide, a basketball equalizer game, a dunking booth and other inflatables.
There will also be face-painting, skills games and many other activities scheduled for the event.
Police cars, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles will be there for children to view.
There will also be food booths set up and booths from many local agencies.
The major sponsors of this year's event are the Boys & Girls Club, Grand Rental Station, the Greeneville Parks and Recreation Department, and the Youth Builders, who will have activities going on at the event.
In addition to the event sponsors, some of the agencies setting up booths and activities will include: Abra Zoo Zabra and their exotic animals, Greene County 4-H, the Greene County Health Department, the Sonbeam Clowns of First Baptist Church, SnoBiz, WIKQ's Big Dawg, the Greene County Youth Council, the Greeneville City & Greene County Coordinated School Health Programs, Frontier Health, Trinity United Methodist Church Lister group, and Holston Gases;
Also, Greene County-Greeneville Emergency Medical Services, the Greeneville Fire Department, the Greene County Sheriff's Department, the Greeneville Police Department, the Special Response Team, the Third Judicial District Child Advocacy Center, the Bomb Squad, the Greeneville Emergency & Rescue Squad, the Hands-on Museum, Takoma Regional Hospital, TENNderCare, Tusculum College Bonner Leaders, TTJC Karate and United Health Care.
A special free concert from Nick Fillers and The Fugitives will also take place during the event.
If your group is interested in setting up a booth or volunteering for the event, please contact Scott Bullington at the Boys & Girls Club at 787-9322.
Bullington noted that, unlike most other industrialized nations, the U.S. does not have an official day set aside to honor its young people.
"Americans recognize the link between spending meaningful time with their kids and the tough issues facing young people, but say they don't have the time, skills or resources to do as much for their children as they feel they should.
"Boys & Girls Clubs of America is spearheading a national effort to establish Day for Kids as an 'official day' on the National Calendar.
"We formed our local Day for Kids to foster stronger relationships between adults and children by educating them on the importance and value of spending meaningful time together," Bullington said.
"Day for Kids will provide the opportunity for every adult to take a break, celebrate, and renew their commitment to our community's children," he added.
The Greeneville & Greene County Day for Kids is open to all of the children, with many free activities and rides.
If you would like more information on the Day for Kids activities or information on getting your group or organization involved please contact: Scott Bullington or Bridget Jones at the Boys & Girls Club at 787-9322 and Cathy Osborne at 787-9334, or call Lisa Scott Fisher or Tim Bowman at the Greeneville Parks & Recreation Department at 638-3144.
