HOUGHTON - For another year, Kiwanis is bringing something special to the Keweenaw - good family fun.
For two decades, the Kiwanis Family Fun Day has been held to give families the opportunity to spend time together in the community. This year's event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Copper Country Mall in Houghton.
Kathy Beattie of the Kiwanis Club of the Copper Country said every child will leave with a balloon this year and kids are also encouraged to stop by and decorate cookies to take home.
"We have helium balloons for all the kids and kids games," she said. "The cookie decorating is fun. What we do is bake a bunch of cookies and the kids can decorate them with sprinkles, chocolate chips, M&M's, jelly beans and those good things. It's pretty popular."
Activities include a basketball hoop and face painting, as well.
"For the basketball hoop, all you have to do is try and shoot and you win a prize," she said. "We'll give gift certificates."
Beattie said there will be several informational booths from various local organizations.
"People will show up to display their information for the community," Beattie said.
Organizations with booths include BHK Child Development, Barbara Kettle Gundlach Shelter, Dial Help, the Copper Country Humane Society, the American Red Cross, Celtic Quarter, Child and Family Services, Children's Trust Fund, Copper Country Early On, Dial Help, Good Will Farm/Family Support, Keweenaw Family Resource Center, Copper Country Mental Health, Mercy EMS, MOMS Club of the Copper Country, Portage Lake District Library, Superior Child Abuse Awareness Council, UPPCO and the Houghton County Sheriff's Department.
Some of the vendors will have demonstrations while some groups will put on entertainment for families.
"We're going to have the Tae Kwon Do from Michigan Technological University and the Celtic Dancers," she said.
Kiwanis will also give away two savings bonds donated from two local banks and Michigan Tech Student Development Complex memberships.
"It costs nothing to participate," she said. "We just want everyone to come out and have fun."
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time.
The Kiwanis Club of the Copper Country meets at noon Wednesdays at The Bluffs in Houghton.
