The Dresden Rotary Club is hoping to create some fun activities for local youth during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the launch of the ‘Family Boredom Busters’.
“During the June 22 Dresden Rotary Zoom meeting, we felt there was a need for something positive and fun one for the youth in the community since there will be no summer camps, organized sports and restrictions for playground use because of the pandemic, plus the effects of the virus on mental health was also a concern,” the Dresden Rotary Club stated.
A committee of member Rotarians was put into action and invited specialists, Shauna Jackson, Lee-Ann Westerberg, Jenn Wallace to brainstorm ideas and assign some tasks to investigate the feasibility.
Meg and Raph Robinson helped come up with the name of the initiative, while Liz Kominek and Rose Northcott also contributed ideas to the project.
“CK Public Health was contacted to see what would be allowed within the COVID-19 restrictions,” the group said.
“It was recommended that as long as we focused on activities for the family unit/social circles that there were some possibilities for engaging our youth. Small gatherings of unrelated children was not approved, nor music for small groups. Thus, our planning centred on finding activities that families could do at any time on their own.”
After some brainstorming, it was decided their goal would be to provide activities which would foster fitness, literacy and creativity, and at the same time, foster enjoyment of outdoors and nature, with the project running for six weeks.
“Each week would have a theme and challenges,” the Dresden Rotary Club said.
“The families participating in the challenges are to post pictures of themselves on the Dresden Rotary Facebook page. A random draw for prizes will be made from the participants. Supporting our local businesses, the prizes will be gift certificates from six of the local restaurants/food establishments.”
The ‘Family Boredom Buster’ launched on July 8, with the first challenge posted at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 9.
“This will be the format, families will have one week to complete the challenge and post their pictures to Facebook,” the group said.
“The draw for the weekly prize is to be made on the following Wednesday after 6 p.m. The next challenge to be posted the following Thursday at 6 p.m.”
The first challenge is a fitness challenge on the Trillium Trail in Dresden, developed by Rotarian Lynda Weese, the group said.
The second challenge is a storybook trail, with LeeAnn Westerberg, a local librarian, assisting.
“Pages of a book will be posted in the store windows for children to read and then complete a challenge,” the group said.
“Week three, a physical activity is well on its way to being planned. The activities for the remaining weeks still need to be organized. We urge everyone to watch the Dresden Rotary Facebook page for the weekly challenges, come on out and have some fun.”
Follow along with the challenge on the Dresden Rotary Facebook page, here. For more information or if you have any questions you can contact Liz at 519-683-6319.
– This story is sponsored content.
