Wrapping Up Baseball Season
There are still a few weeks left to catch the West Michigan Whitecaps in action! Mickey Graham of the West Michigan Whitecaps talked with Maranda about what families can still catch this summer at the ballpark.
West Michigan Whitecaps
Successful Summer Reading Club!
This summer over 65,000 kids participated in the Summer Reading Club at their local libraries. The 2011 Summer Reading Club was a huge hit in communities around West Michigan! As kids read books they earned prizes and when they met their reading goals they received a free ticket to the West Michigan Whitecaps. Every library also received a gift card from Meijer, a family four pack to the Holland Aquatic Center and free t-shirts from Touchstone Energy! We also had several big prizes to give away. Kids from each library where registered to win and here’s the list of winners:
Grand Prize to New York City!!
Megan Briggs of Muskegon, Dalton Branch
Boyne Mountain/Avalanche Bay
Aleeshia McClenton of Kalamazoo, Comstock Twp. Library
Mackenzie Johnson of Whitehall, White Lake Community Library
Brayden Waldron of East Leroy, Lawrence Memorial Library
Caleb Sibley of Ionia, Ionia Community Library
Double JJ Resort
Sierra Schrotenboer of Holland, Salem Twp. Library
Cassy Cole of Edmore, Home Twp. Library
Justin Barnes of Montague, Montague Branch
Austin Pringle of Grand Rapids, Van Belkum Branch
Park Party 101
We’re ready to Rock The Park as we kick-off the 2011 Park Party Season on Thursday, June 23rd at the Greenville High School Complex! Thanks to the Michigan Department of Education and the USDA we’ll have FREE lunches for everyone 18 and under. We’ll start serving those at 11:30 a.m. Park Party action will go from noon until 2 p.m. Here’s a few of my best tips for making the most of your Park Party experience:
1. Get in line early for the one large scale event your child really wants to do-climbing wall, super slide, dixie twister, etc. These lines will get long quick and it’s probably not realistic to think you’ll get on all the activities during the two hour event.
2. Bring a water bottle for each person in your group. We’ll be passing out FREE Ice Mountain Water, Milk with the lunches and 100% Apple Juice from Mc Donalds but you’ll want to have water with you at all times so bring some from home to be safe.
3. We have great corporate partners that are passing out cool things: Priority Health is giving out backpacks, AMWAY will be at the Art Area and Fifth Third Bank at the Super Slide handing out tattoos. Craig’s Cruisers will have candy, Ferris State University will be at the Climbing Wall with Pennants. Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital will have jump ropes, Meijer will have Michigan Apples and other goodies, Holland Aquatic Center will be doing a Safe Water Activity, the Bethany Christian Services Wheel of Prizes and Touchstone Energy Cooperative will have some great giveaways. The West Michigan Whitecaps will be there with Crash and two fun inflatables!
4. Special for the Greenville Party-be sure to pick up a special gift from the Meijer area as a thank you to the city of Greenville! You can even come to the grand opening of the Fred Meijer Flat River Trail in the Meijer Parking Lot at 10 a.m.
5. Bring a bag of new or gently used items to donate to Goodwill and you’ll get an Entertainment Book! Goodwill will be at the Greenville and Wyoming Park Parties.
6. Great food items include Cheese Kurls, Country Fresh Ice Cream, Ice Mountain, McDonalds Apple Dippers and Meijer local produce. Remember everything is WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!
7. We’re super excited to introduce the AMWAY One-By-One Art Area for kids. Work with artist Corey VanDuienen to create cool art that will be part of his 2011 Art Prize entry!!
8. Visit the WOOD TV tent to get your picture taken with your favorite WOOD TV on-air talent. Brett and Emily from DayBreak will be at our Greenville Party.
9. If you can’t make it to this week’s Park Party, log on to woodtv.com throughout the Party and we’ll be posting photos live from the event!
10. Watch all the Park Party Action on “Where You Live” this weekend to see highlights from the first big event! Catch the show Saturday at 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. on WOTV 4 and Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on WOOD TV 8.
HAVE FUN and feel free to post photos from the Party at facebook.com/marandatv!!
Be One of Maranda’s 100 Winners!
All month long we’re giving you the chance to win free tickets to a West Michigan Whitecaps game.
Ways to Save — Where You Live
We talked with two West Michigan parents to see what they spend on some common family expenses. Then we went to our experts to see how you can save money on everything from groceries to health care.
Get Ready For Spring Break!
Spring Break 2011 is right around the corner and this weekend on “Where You Live” we’re giving you everything you need to know to make Spring Break super fun for your family! Find out what special events are taking place at some of West Michigan’s favorite family fun hot spots like Craig’s Cruisers, The John Ball Zoo, the West Michigan Whitecaps, The Holland Aquatic Center and Celebration Cinema! Plus, clever crafts and tasty treats to try at home. Plus, we’re giving away a great prize-it’s from my friends at Culture Pass GR and it’s an overnight stay at a local Holiday Inn Express, a gift card to Cinco de Mayo and great discounts at over 20 cultural organizations! And a huge BONUS—check out my Facebook page (facebook.com/marandatv) every day during Spring Break because we’re giving away amazing PRIZES everyday including tickets to Opening Day at Fifth Third Ball Park, Family Fun Packs to Craig’s Cruisers and the Holland Aquatic Center, tickets to the Grand Rapids Ballet’s Spring Break show and more!!! We truly are your headquarters for everything you need to make Spring Break in West Michigan super fun for your family!!
Come See The New Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital!
For months I’ve been driving down Michigan Street in downtown Grand Rapids watching with excitement as the new Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital moved closer and closer to completion. The building of the huge circular glass building and the amazing suspended bridge all were incredible milestones to witness. Now, we as a community have the chance to peek inside this wonderful place for kids! Be one of the first to see it all on Saturday, December 4th. It’s the official community preview and you’re invited! Schedule a time for a self-guided tour by calling 616/776-9626. I’ll be there taping for “Where You Live” from noon – 2 p.m. and I know my friends Crash from the West Michigan Whitecaps and Flick from Celebration Cinema will be there as well! Hope to see you there too!
Fall Football at Fifth Third Ballpark
Earlier this month, Fifth Third Ballpark hosted the Rockford vs. Muskegon high school football game. The community came out in full force to be part of this unique event.
2010 Summer Reading Club Winners!
This summer over 65,000 kids participated in Summer Reading Clubs at their local libraries. In addition to reading amazing books and enjoying free weekly programs, participants were registered to win some wonderful prizes! Every library gave away a family trip to the Holland Aquatic Center, a Meijer Gift Card and tickets to the West Michigan Whitecaps. Readers were also entered into some special drawings. Here’s our list of 2010 winners:
Annual Membership to the John Ball Zoo
*Levi Langerak of Marne, *Tristen Perrone of Saranac, * Hannah Sturgeon of Zeeland and *Gavin Pohl of Comstock Park.
Overnight Get Away Avalanche Bay at Boyne Mountain Resort
*Emma Robart of Hesperia, *Brandon Howard of Grand Haven, * Callie Delaney of Caledonia and *Emily Edwards-Hirst of Holton
A Four Day/Three Night Family Trip to New York City
*Olivia Koch of Saugatuck
Congratulations to all our winners and thanks to each librarian and reader who were a part of “Making a Splash” with the Summer Reading Club this summer!
Maranda’s Family Fun Update
Here are some fun events happening this weekend…..Where You Live!
National Blueberry Festival
Thursday, August 12 through Sunday, August 15
Downtown South Haven
www.blueberryfestival.com
Enjoy a blueberry bake-off, pancake breakfast, a parade, 5K run and tons of family friendly events!
Kent County Youth Fair
Now through Saturday, August 14
Lowell Fairgrounds
www.kcfg.org
It’s fair time! Come out and enjoy rides, a rodeo, tractor pulls and tons of great entertainment.
Kalamazoo County Fair
Now through Saturday, August 14
Kalamazoo County Fairgrounds
www.kalamazoocountyfair.com
Enjoy animal shows, contests, rides, motocross and more.
Coopersville Summerfest
Now through Saturday, August 14
Coopersville
www.coopersville.com/summerfest
Summerfest continues with all sorts of great events. Come out for the fireworks on Friday night and stay to be an extra for the movie Touchback shooting at Coopersville High School!
West Michigan Whitecaps vs. South Bend Silver Hawks
Sunday, August 15 at 1pm
Fifth Third Ballpark
www.whitecapsbaseball.com
American Idol Matt Giraud will be singing the National Anthem, throwing out the first pitch and meeting with fans afterwards!
Blogs
Maranda's Blog
Keep in step with Maranda as she explores issues affecting your family.
Maranda's Go-To Gal
Insights from the mom who helps Maranda get it all done.
Whitecaps Blog
Whitecaps mascot Crash takes you inside the ballpark.
Cruiser's Blog
Cruiser has the inside track for Craig's Cruisers.
Health & Wellness
Make health and wellness a priority.
Fifth Third River Bank Run
On pace with the Fifth Third River Bank Run.
Healthy Living
Simple solutions for healthy living.
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