HOULTON, Maine — The Houlton Southside afterschool program will sponsor a “Lights On Afterschool” rally on Oct. 22, 2015 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. The rally will be one of more than an expected 8,000 such events around the nation that day, organized by the Afterschool Alliance.
Benefits of the Afterschool Program include inspiring children to learn, keep them safe in the sometimes perilous afternoon hours, and relieving working families of worries about their children’s activities in the afternoon.
Participants in Southside’s Lights On Afterschool rally include the Houlton Fire and Police departments, Houlton Regional Hospital, AMHC, Healthy Aroostook, ACAP and G-Force Events. The event will showcase a Health and Wellness Fair put on by the students of the Southside Afterschool Program.
Children will have table displays highlighting their health and wellness projects. Community agencies will also be participating with information and hand-outs. Two bounce houses will be available to promote the “5210 Let’s Move” campaign.
Healthy foods and smoothies will be provided, as well as free balloons, pedometers, water bottles and toothbrushes (while supplies last).
The Houlton Southside Afterschool Program began more than 12 years ago with a 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant from the Department of Education and in conjunction with the Maine Family Resource Center. It now serves 60 children daily, providing homework assistance, mentoring, tutoring and classes and clubs in sports, recreation, mathematics and dozens of other subjects.
More information on Lights On Afterschool is available at www.afterschoolalliance.org.
