In The News

from The Telegraph
June 1, 2007

Weed and Seed cookout Saturday
Festivities will include free food and giveaways

By LINDA N. WELLER
The Telegraph

ALTON - The Alton Weed and Seed Strategy will kick of its busiest summer yet Saturday with its first of three free First Saturday Cookouts at Hellrung Park.

The cookouts will run from noon until 1:30 p.m. at Hellrung Park, between Central Avenue and Union, Brown and East Seventh streets. Neighborhood groups are invited to bring informational tables to distribute fliers and brochures.

The cookouts also will feature free giveaways.

While the hotdogs, chips and beverages also will be free at the cookouts - while they last - no carryouts will be allowed. Besides Weed and Seed, other sponsors are the Alton Police Department, Alton Park and Recreation Department, Saint Anthony's Health Center and neighbors.

The other two cookouts are scheduled for July 7 and Aug. 4, rain or shine.

Bruce Bertolino, site coordinator for the Alton Weed and Seed neighborhood revitalization program, said the purpose of the cookouts is for neighbors to meet, enjoy the renovated park and its community garden and to get some exercise.

People who sign up Saturday to help maintain the garden will get a free packet of seeds in return, he said.

"We want to fill the park with positive activities all summer long," Bertolino said.

He said a youth skate­board exhibition may be held at Hellrung's new skate park this summer. Weed and Seed also may join efforts with a church to sponsor a back­pack giveaway to school­children in August.

More information on those events will be released later, he said.

Saturday's cookout will allow people to enroll their children in the free Arts in the Park program for ages 5 through 10 living anywhere in the city. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. and continue until 1 p.m. Saturday or at 8:45 a.m. before each session.

Youngsters in the art program will be able to participate in the hands-on arts and craft activities individually and in groups. Sessions will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. each Saturday from June 9 through Aug. 25 in Hellrung.

Weed and Seed and Target stores provided $2,000 each for the art program, Bertolino said. The Madison County Arts Council, Jacoby Arts Center, Illinois Arts Council, Alton Park and Recreation Department and Alton Police Department also are helping sponsor the youth arts and craft program.

Alton youths in kindergarten through fifth grade also can participate in the Park and Recreation Department's annual summer day camp weekdays at Gordon Moore Park.

Cost is $15 per week or $75 for all five weeks, and bus transportation is available from eight pickup points in Alton. The first session is two weeks, June 18 through 22 and June 25 through 29; the second session runs for three weeks, beginning July 9..

Children will play games, do arts and crafts and participate in a fishing clinic and other activities from 9 a.m. until noon Mondays through Fridays.
Bertolino said at least 50 camp scholarships are available to youngsters who live in the three Weed and Seed neighborhoods: Middletown, Hunterstown and Mexico.

For more information about the day camp, call (618) 463-3580; for more information about the scholarships, call Bertolino at (618) 463-5359.

Bertolino also said another Weed and Seed partnership, the Family Learning Center, Fifth Street and Central Avenue, is scheduling programs for children in July and August.

The center, sponsored by Lewis and Clark Community College, has computers for public use and various educational offerings and will be open throughout the summer.

Alton Weed & Seed Strategy
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