Weekend events
Community Safety Awareness Day
Where: Laurel Park, 3100 Old Cleveland Highway, Gainesville
When: 9 a.m.-noon Saturday
What: Activities include helmet fittings, public safety demonstrations and a blood mobile
Cost: Free, but attendees are asked to bring a canned food item to donate to the Georgia Mountain Food Bank
Healthy Kids Day
Where: J.A. Walters Family YMCA, 2455 Howard Road, Gainesville
When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday
What: Activities include music, a bounce house, face painting and blood pressure readings
Cost: Free
No need to sit in the house this weekend because several local agencies have planned lots of family fun activities for this Saturday.
The Hall County government has planned a Community Safety Awareness Day from 9 a.m. until noon at Laurel Park and the J.A. Family YMCA has organized a Healthy Kids Day celebration from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the facility.
"This is the first time that we’ve held a Community Safety Awareness Day," said Roz Schmitt, county parks and leisure services assistant program coordinator.
"We wanted to have a fun and positive atmosphere where the public could meet our public safety officers."
At the event, community members will have the opportunity to meet representatives from the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Fire Services, Animal Control, Poison Control and park rangers. In addition to a meet and greet, department representatives also will showcase the training and equipment that they use on a daily basis.
"Besides introducing the public to our public safety officers, we also wanted to highlight some of the programs that the various departments offer," Schmitt said.
"We also want to use the Community Safety Awareness Day as an opportunity to educate the public on safety measures they can take in their everyday lives to keep safe."
The SafeKids program will be on hand with a bicycle helmet station, where children can be fitted for a helmet, and LifeSouth also will be at the event with a blood mobile for those who are interested in giving blood.
Although the event is free to the public, organizers ask that attendees bring a canned food item to donate to the Georgia Mountain Food Bank.
In an effort to remind families to "put the play in your day," the J.A. Walters Family YMCA has planned a no-cost afternoon filled with music, activities and healthy food.
The local activities are in conjunction with the national YMCA Healthy Kids Day celebration.
The goal of the day is to "promote yearlong wellness and healthy living."
Some of the many planned activities include blood pressure readings, bounce houses, face painting and a visit from The Amazing Kevo, a clown and balloon artist.