Friday March 29, 2024
News Sections

Louisville families with children of all ages are invited to a free resource fair showcasing summer activities for children, youth, and families on Saturday, March 10.  Themed “SOAR” which stands for Summer Opportunities and Resource Fair, the event will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the DuValle Education Center gym, 3610 Bohne Ave.

SOAR will feature local summer activities for children and teens including a wide variety of summer camps, parks and recreation programs, as well as employment, internship, and volunteer opportunities from a full list of exhibitors. This event is being held in March to allow individuals time to plan ahead and register for opportunities while openings are available.

More than 20 vendors and other agencies providing information and resources plan to participate including:

  • Academy of Music Production (AMPED)
  • Bellarmine University
  • Catholic Enrichment Center
  • Community Dental Family Dental Care
  • DOODs Inc.
  • Early Childhood Education
  • ECHO (Exploited Children’s Help Organization)
  • Falls of the Ohio
  • Family Scholar House
  • First Gethsemane Baptist church
  • 4-H College of Agriculture, Food Science, and Sustainable Systems
  • 4 Your Child
  • KET
  • Louisville Free Public Library
  • Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation
  • Make It Count Consulting
  • Norton’s Children’s Hospital Prevention and Wellness
  • PACT in Action/Center for Women and Families
  • Reimage
  • Summerbridge Louisville
  • Summer Explorations/ First Virginia Avenue Baptist Church
  • SummerWorks/Kentuckiana Works/Youth Build
  • University of Louisville Family Dental Care

This event also features a drawing for a summer program scholarship at Junior Achievement.

“Summer is a time to have fun, explore new places and ideas, learn new skills, make new friends and even make a little money”, stated Elisa Freeman-Carr, administrator of Ujima Neighborhood Place.  “We’re excited to host the SOAR event to connect children and youth, especially those from lower income households, with the many wonderful summer programs, classes, camps, and other opportunities offered in our community.”

SOAR is also hosted by Jefferson County Public Schools, the Louisville Free Public Library, Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation, the Villages of Park Duvalle and multiple Neighborhood Place sites including Ujima, Cane Run, Bridges of Hope and South Central.

For questions about the SOAR event, or if you represent an agency which would like to participate, please contact Elisa Freeman-Carr at 313-6145 or Elisa.Freeman-Carr@louisvilleky.gov or Buffie Daubard at 313-4447 or Buffie.Daubard@jefferson.kyschools.us.  You can also download this flyer to share with others who may be interested.

Photo: Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation

four Metro Parks and Recreation outdoor pools will remain open one week later this summer to help local families beat the heat. The pools – Camp Taylor (Norton), Algonquin, Sun Valley and Nelson Hornbeck (Fairdale) – were scheduled to close for the season at the end of the day on Saturday, July 28.

Metro Parks officials decided to extend the season one week due to forecasted high temperatures and favorable staffing levels. The last day for the outdoor pools will be Saturday, August 5.

Admission to the pools has also been reduced by $1. Adults can now swim at the pools for $2, and those ages 17 and younger can swim for $1.

Metro Parks Pools:

Algonquin Park
1614 Cypress Street, 40210
502/772-7907
Open Daily: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. • Closed Tuesdays

Fairdale (Nelson Hornbeck Park)
709 Fairdale Road, 40118
502/361-8270
Open Daily: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. • Closed Mondays

Norton (Camp Taylor Memorial Park)
4201 Lee Avenue, 40213
502/451-0678
Open Daily: 11 a m.- 4 p m  • Closed Thursdays

Sun Valley Park
6506 Bethany Lane, 40272
502/935-0302
Open Daily: 1p m  – 6 p.m. • Closed Wednesday

As part of the 52 Weeks of Public Health campaign, the  Department for Public Health, located within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS),  urges the public to take steps to avoid injury and illness during  periods of extreme summertime heat, particularly dangers associated with leaving children in vehicles.

“Extreme temperatures are cause for concern, so we advise the public to take necessary steps to keep cool and prevent harm,” said Hiram C. Polk Jr., MD, DPH commissioner. “Serious injury – particularly for children exposed to extreme levels of heat – can occur. Everyone should take steps to avoid these dangers.”

According to Kids and Cars, an organization that works to raise awareness of the dangers of leaving children in hot vehicles, 39 children died last year due to heatstroke – medically termed “hyperthermia”.

“We want all our citizens to understand the dangers of extreme heat, particularly the danger of leaving children in hot cars,” continued Dr. Polk. “Not only are extreme temperatures uncomfortable, they also present a significant health danger. This is particularly true for vulnerable populations such as young children and the elderly.”

Several measures are recommended to prevent these types of deaths from occurring. They include:

  • Create reminders.  More than half of child heat stroke deaths occur because parents and caregivers become distracted and exit their vehicle without their child. To help prevent these tragedies parents can:
    • Place a cell phone, PDA, purse, briefcase, gym bag or something that is needed at your next stop on the floor in front of a child in a backseat. This will help you see your child when you open the rear door and reach for your belongings.
    • Set the alarm on your cell phone as a reminder to you to drop your child off at day care.
    • Set your computer calendar program to ask, “Did you drop off at day care today?”
    • Establish a plan with your day care that if your child fails to arrive within an agreed upon time, you will be called. Be especially mindful of your child if you change your routine for day care.
  • Don’t underestimate the risk.  The inside of vehicles can quickly heat up, even on relatively cool days, so you should never leave your child alone in a car. Don’t underestimate the risks and leave them even “just for a minute.”
  • Lock cars and trucks. Thirty percent of the recorded heat stroke deaths in the U.S. occur because a child was playing in an unattended vehicle. These deaths can be prevented by simply locking the vehicle doors to help assure that kids don’t enter the vehicles and become trapped.
  • Immediately dial 911 if you see an unattended child in a car.  EMS professionals are trained to determine if a child is in trouble. The body temperature of children rises three to five times faster than adults. As a result, children are much more vulnerable to heat stroke. Check vehicles and trunks first if a child is missing.

Additional tips are recommended to avoid other heat-related injury and illness:

  • Drink plenty of fluids. Increase your normal fluid intake regardless of your activity level. You will need to drink more fluids than your thirst level indicates. This is especially true for people age 65 or older who often have a decreased ability to respond to external temperature changes. In addition, avoid drinking beverages containing alcohol, because they will actually cause you to lose more fluid.
  • Wear appropriate clothing and sunscreen. Choose lightweight, light colored, loose fitting clothing. In the hot sun, wear a wide-brimmed hat that will provide shade and keep the head cool. Sunscreen should be SPF 15 or greater and applied 30 minutes before going out into the sun.
  • Stay cool indoors. The most efficient way to beat the heat is to stay in an air-conditioned area. If you do not have an air conditioner, consider visiting a mall or public library.
  • Schedule outdoor activities carefully. If you must be out in the heat, try to plan your activities so that you are outdoors either before noon or in the evening. Rest periodically so your body’s thermostat will have a chance to recover.
  • Use a buddy system. When working in the heat, monitor the condition of your co-workers and have someone do the same for you. Heat-induced illness can cause a person to become confused or lose consciousness.
  • Monitor those at high risk. Those at greatest risk of heat-related illness include:
    • Infants and children up to 4 years of age
    • People 65 years of age or older
    • People who are overweight
    • People who overexert during work or exercise
    • People who are ill or on certain medications for blood pressure or diuretics

Residential garbage, recycling and yard waste collection within the Louisville Metro Urban Services District (former Louisville city limits) will be collected one hour earlier than usual for the balance of this week due to extreme weather conditions.

With daily high temperatures flirting with the 100-degree mark this week, waste collection will begin at 5 a.m. Wednesday, July 19 and through the rest of the week. That is one hour earlier than the usual 6 a.m. start. This measure will lower the risk of heat related illness for Solid Waste Division workers by reducing exposure to rising temperatures.

Residents should place waste out for collection anytime between 4 p.m. on the day preceding collection and 5 a.m. on collection day. Project Pickup bulk waste collection, which usually begins at 7 a.m., will instead begin at 6 a.m.

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