Posted: 6/4/03

FL, Minneapolis youth benefit from summer program

Parents in the Forest Lake School District who are looking for a fun, and enriching experience for their child will want to pre-register them for the ìinterACTION DAYî events July 12 and July 19 at Lakeside Memorial Park in Forest Lake.

Children sending their names, in advance, will receive a personalized certificate of recognition to remember the event.

ìinterACTION DAYî is an event sponsored by the Forest Lake Human Rights Commission and many local businesses. On July 12, children from north Minneapolis will be guests of adults from Forest Lake who will take the children fishing.

The kids are members of Imani Family Services, a diverse community. They are very excited about fishing on Forest Lake from pontoon boats.

After the children, who will vary in ages from 5 years to 12 years, have finished fishing, children from our community are invited to a free picnic at the Forest Lake beach to interact with the kids from Minneapolis.

Local partners for this event include VFW Post No. 4210, Wal-Mart, Cub, Country Home Bakery and Company F.

After the picnic, members of the community (adults and children) are encouraged to join together for a walk in the interest of diversity. Each child who participates in the activity will receive a certificate recognizing him/her for assistance and dedication in appreciating diversity, building friendships upon differences and understanding truth has no single language. The children from Minneapolis will then return home.

On July 19, children from our community, grades Kindergarten through sixth grade, are invited to participate in an intercultural experience in north Minneapolis.

A bus will transport the children, from the Forest Lake School District, to the event.

The children will enjoy music, African art, and dance and as they learn more about each otherís cultures.

The event will culminate in an exchange of banners by Mayors R.T. Rybak of Minneapolis and Ray Daninger of Forest Lake.

ìinterACTION DAYî is funded by a grant provided by the St. Paul Foundation and supplemented by VFW Post No. 4210 and the St. Paul Firefightersí Union Local 21.

The activity was conceived by Dale Swanson and Muhammed Okoya-Lawal, board members of the League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions, who believe interaction and familiarity, are the first step in appreciating diversity.

It is the belief of members of the Forest Lake Human Rights Commission that events that provide fun opportunities for intercultural interaction strengthen, enrich and improve our community and its members.

The schedule of the events is as follows:

July 12, 2003

1 p.m. Join Minneapolis guests for brief remarks, introductions and free picnic at Lakeside Park.

3 p.m. Children will exchange certificates of recognition and join adults in a brief Walk for Diversity along Hardwood Creek Trail north.

July 19, 2003

9 a.m. Buses for up to 100 K-6 students and adults will depart from Lakeside Park for Minneapolis.

10 a.m. Exhibitions of African art, music and dance and possibly some Native American displays. Interaction, snacks and picnic.

1 p.m. Estimated departure

Please indicate your interest in your childís participation in the events by filling in the following form. Please also support your child and her/his outreach by walking in the walk to promote diversity.

Registration forms are available at Forest Lake City Hall, 220 N. Lake St., Forest Lake, MN 55025. Individuals with questions are encouraged to call city hall and leave a message on the Human Rights line at 464-3550 Press 1 first and then press 9.

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