MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Meridian Township welcomes boys and girls to participate in their Summer Playground Program, from June 16 to August 7 from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm. Parents can drop off their children at Snell-Towar Recreation Center located in Tower Gardens. During the Playground Program kids participate in activities that emphasize the value of fitness, leadership, and healthy eating.

The program is available for all children of Meridian Township at a low cost of zero dollars. The free Summer Playground Program is 21 years old, 15 of which the Township has administered.

Recreation Specialist Greg Grothous has worked with the camp for nine years and shares some other sponsors, “The neighborhood association has written some grants- we’ve gotten some grants from the Capital Region Community Foundation, and Joe D Pentecost Foundation. We’ve done some fundraiser in the past to help raise the funds to put the program on and make it free for the kids.”

Children like Austin Brown enjoy participating in tradition playground activities like dodgeball and on rainy days foosball, pool, and air hockey are an option. Brown shares his favorite activity, "My favorite part is that we get to go out on trips all the time. Lately we haven't very much because it's sort of under funded but this year we are getting more funding so it's a lot better."

In addition to planned activities and field trips, participants also receive a lunch from Lansing Public School's Summer Lunch Program. Brad Arnett, Meridian Township Parks and Recreation Intern, describes the balanced meal, "We encourage a dairy product a vegetable or fruit product and a bread product, so that the kids get all their food servings that they require."

The Summer Playground Program runs until August 7.