🌱 500 Skateboard Giveaway + Wild Lights Festival Returns To Zoo

Happy Friday, Des Moines! Let's get you all caught up on what's happening locally to start today off on an informed note.

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First, today's weather:

Partly sunny, breezy, and cold. High: 28 Low: 5.

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Here are the top 3 stories today in Des Moines:

1. A Des Moines group announced Thursday it will give away more than 500 skateboards this year in an effort to get children to spend more time outside. Skate DSM says that children in kindergarten through eighth grade will have a chance to score a skateboard at various events throughout Polk, Warren, and Dallas counties. The kids will also receive a helmet and skateboarding instructions. (KCCI Des Moines)
2. The Blank Park Zoo has announced plans for the Wild Lights Festival this spring. Anne Shimerdla, the zoo's president and CEO, says visitors can expect to see around 40 "larger-than-life" handcrafted lanterns of animals created by Tianyu Arts & Culture in Chicago. The event will take place every Wednesday through Sunday from 7:30-10:00 p.m. beginning in April, and tickets are available now. (Des Moines Register)
3. A new Des Moines company is offering "all-around baby service" to help traveling families. The business, Baby Butler, rents quality baby gear to travelers who don't have space to pack items like their own cribs or strollers. The company currently offers 13 different products for families to rent, including the Snoo Bassinet and a combination stroller and car seat. (Local 5 - weareiowa.com)

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Today in Des Moines:

• Story Sprouts At Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden (10:30 AM)
• Classic Cinema: All About Eve At Urbandale Public Library (1:00 PM)
• "Drive-In" Movie: Encanto At Urbandale Public Library (2:30 PM)

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From my notebook:

• Space is still available for Safety City, a three-day spring break program for kids that provides participants with hands-on safety education in a fun, "mini-city" environment with the Des Moines Police Department. The program will be held from 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Mar. 15-17, at the Pioneer Columbus Community Center. (Facebook)
• The Des Moines Children's Museum is looking for a woodworker or carpenter to build a custom baby doll crib for the pretend doctor's office. If you or someone you know can help, reach out to the museum today! (Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with a new update.

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.