COURTESY OF HEALTHY MINDS FOR LINCOLN COUNTY

LINCOLN COUNTY – With the current COVID-19 virus and physical distancing, many summer youth programs will not be held in our community in 2020. This will leave some families struggling to provide opportunities for youth during the summer months which can add to stress levels among parents/caregivers and for the youth themselves.

Finding ways to connect and have fun together can help youth and families manage stress and enjoy the summer months. To provide options for parents and caregivers, the Healthy Minds Coalition is partnering with Kinship of Tomahawk, Tomahawk Public Library, T.B. Scott Library, and the UW-Madison Division of Extension 4-H program to provide free “Summer Fun Project Packs” for each month this summer. Funded by Ascension Good Samaritan Hospital and Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital, the bags will be filled with youth-family educational activities including mental health, nutrition, STEM, craft and reading activities, along with supplies to complete the activities.

Tomahawk

The project packs will be available in the Tomahawk area beginning the second week of June from Kinship of Tomahawk and the Tomahawk Library.

“Since Safer at Home started, Kinship of Tomahawk has been trying to include activities and messages in our weekly distribution of food bags as well as sending things through the mail to reach all of our 81 KinsKids,” said Patti Hilgendorf, Kinship of Tomahawk Executive Director. “Our Kinship parents have expressed that their kids are getting restless and bored, so we have been trying to send them some fun activities. I am hopeful that families will take advantage of these packs to spend quality time as a family having fun and learning together. Kinship is extremely grateful to this group for putting these packs together to support our families and to Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital for covering the cost of the packs.”

The project packs will be included in Kinship food distribution bags, but any Kinship family who would like to reserve a pack can contact Hilgendorf at 715-966-0996.

“We are excited to be distributing the project packs for June, July, and August,” said Heidi O’Hare, Tomahawk Public Library Director. “However, supplies are limited. Please contact us to make a curbside appointment by phone at 715-453-2455, Monday through Friday, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Our summer library program ‘Dragons, Dreams, and Daring Deeds’ will have fun reading challenges, great activities, and badges. Readers of all ages can easily register as individuals, families or as a school/daycare group by phone or our website for Beanstack (www.tomahawkpl.beanstack.org or download the Beanstack Tracker app) starting June 22.”

Merrill

“The Library is pleased to help distribute the project packs to the community via curb-side delivery,” said Carolyn Forde, T.B. Scott Library Youth Librarian.

The library began distributing packs the week of May 18. Please contact T.B. Scott Library at 715-536-7191 to make an appointment to pick up a pack.

“We would also like to invite families to read together this summer as a way to relax and to continue learning. Registration for our online reading program will begin the second week in June,” Forde added. “Visit the T. B. Scott Library website at www.tbscottlibrary.org for more information.”