One of the biggest free parties in West Michigan returns for another summer on Thursday, June 25! Maranda is kicking off her 21st season of Maranda Park Parties at Lamar Park in Wyoming. Each Maranda Park Party is held from noon until 2 p.m. Everyone is invited and everything is free!
The Wyoming Park Party is bigger and better than ever with two brand new activities: a giant obstacle course and a Ferris wheel! Lamar Park will be filled with more than 50 different vendors providing a variety of free services, information, and activities.
Kids can rock out with a house band or get a free haircut for summer provided by Grand Rapids First Church! E.S.C.A.P.E. Fire Safety is celebrating 20 years of keeping kids safe with a new bounce house where families can come meet Jake the Fire Safety Dog. Also in Wyoming, the first 80 families who donate a bag of new or gently used items to the Bethany’s Thrift Store will receive an Entertainment Book.
Once again in working with USDA, Michigan Department of Education and local school districts, free lunch will be served to anyone 18 and under starting at 11:30 a.m., while supplies last. Every Park Party also includes free activities, games, entertainment and, of course, prizes!
This year Maranda and the Park Party team will be traveling to five communities bringing a supersized celebration to all.
- June 25 – Lamar Park, Wyoming
- July 9 – Berlin Raceway, Marne
- July 16 – Kollen Park, Holland
- July 23 – Smith Ryerson Park, Muskegon
- July 30 – Northwestern Middle School, Battle Creek
Recent statistics show the number of fire-related deaths are on the rise in Michigan. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, from Jan. 1 to June 2, 2015 the number of fire deaths were up 25-percent from 2014. A total of 61 people died in fires across the state. Twenty-three of those deaths were in West Michigan which is a 48-percent increase over this same time last year.
Operation Save A Life is working to save lives by providing free smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to fire departments in West Michigan where they will be installed in high risk homes by trained firefighters.
“We’re finding the majority of fire fatalities are occurring in homes that don’t have working smoke alarms,” said Michael McLeieer, program coordinator for Operation Save A Life.” We want to make sure that families have working smoke alarms.”
“Electrical fires seem to be one of the major issues behind this. Unsafe use of extension cords, things of that nature. Be attentive to anything you’re doing with the stove,” said Fire Marshall Ted Karnitz of the Norton Shores Fire Department.
Nearly 3,000 smoke alarms have been installed throughout Muskegon County since Jan. 1.
There will also be a big push for fire safety education at all five Maranda Park Parties this summer.
For a complete list of West Michigan smoke alarm installation programs, click here. If your community is not listed or you have questions about smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, or home fire safety, send an email to [email protected].
Join Jake the Fire Safety Dog and visit the E.S.C.A.P.E. smoke demonstration trailer as E.S.C.A.P.E. joins the Calhoun County Early Childhood Connections and Celebrates the Day of the Child, Thursday April 30th from 4pm – 6:30 pm at the Multi-Sports Complex at the Battle Creek YMCA, 182 Capital Avenue, NE. All families in Calhoun County with children birth to five are encouraged to attend this free event.
