County Parks and Recreation launches program to bring fun to the children
Jun. 15—LUMBERTON — The Robeson County Parks and Recreation’s mobile unit will bring fun and games to county children starting Friday at Rob Henderson Memorial Park in Maxton.
The event Friday will take place at the park on Cottingham Street and will include music, golf, pool and a batting net for county children to enjoy, said Anthony Govan, a Parks and Recreation Department program specialist. Children ages 5 to 13 can participate for free during the RCPR Mobile Recreation Program’s two sessions, which will offered from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Brochures and educational materials on the topics of bullying and healthy eating also will be given to children in attendance. Sanitation and water stations will be set up at the site.
“Just show up,” he said. “No registration needed.”
Once children come, they are not required to stay, he said. Staff members are not responsible for children after they leave.
“I like the fact that we are going to our kids and they’ll be supervised, along with having a great time,” said Wendy Chavis, RCPR director.
Govan said the Friday event will serve as a “trial run” for the mobile program, and that he is reaching out to local recreation directors and others about holding events in other communities.
“I’m excited about it. I think it’s gonna go over well,” Govan said.
Typically, the department would be holding recreational activities at schools during the summer, but the Public Schools of Robeson County’s Summer Learning Recovery and Enrichment Camp is underway to help students recover from learning loss as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“And we definitely didn’t want to take away from that,” Govan said.
Chavis said the events also will give children who aren’t in summer school a safe place to play. Staff members also will serve as positive influences on the children.
“Our kids face enough, so they need some positivity and some structured activities,” Chavis said.
Govan said he got the idea from an N.C. Recreation and Parks Conference he attended in 2020.
Govan recalls the recreation department setting up events and recreational activities at different schools years ago. He remembers witnessing those events while attending fifth grade at Proctorville Elementary School, which is closed now.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way the department has typically operated, and Govan hopes to soon get back into schools.
“We wanna be involved with the schools,” Govan said.
“My main goal is just keeping kids engaged,” Govan added.
Jacqueline Johnson, a department program specialist, said the event also will facilitate community engagement and serve as an outlet for children.
“We just want the kids to come out and have a good time,” Chavis said.
For more information about the event, contact the Robeson County Parks and Recreation department at 910-671-3090.
Reach Jessica Horne at 910-416-5165 or via email at [email protected]
