City Of Wichita Offers Free Or Low-Cost Food And Fun This Summer

From the City of Wichita: School may be out for summer but the City of Wichita has a number of low and no-cost services and programs available to keep our younger residents fed and occupied until classes resume.

The City's CHAMPS meal program through the Housing & Community Services Department is offering a free lunch to children under the age of 18 until July 26. The location and times are as follows:

• Grace Revolution Church, 812 S. Oliver, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm, Monday through Friday
• Mending Place at South City, 1513 E. Galena, noon – 1 pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
• Windridge Apartments, 2502 W. Wildwood, 11:00 am – noon, Monday through Friday

Wichita Transit

Transit is also offering residents the opportunity to ride the Route 11 bus for free this summer through Aug. 10. The route was recently revised to provide new service to the Sedgwick County Zoo and Sedgwick County Park. No ID is required and riders can get on or off the bus at any point on the route.

Transit is also offering free and unlimited bus rides to students who can show an ID. Youth may ride any of Wichita's 18 bus routes for no cost, Monday through Saturday, through Aug. 31. Students without a school ID can obtain a free ID card at the Wichita Transit Center, 214 S. Topeka. Route information can be found at www.wichitatransit.org.

If a child has never taken the bus before, Wichita Transit is also offering no-cost travel training. Please call (316) 352-4868 and ask to speak to the travel trainer.

Parks & Recreation

Four community recreation centers are providing a free summer youth program for kids 6 – 18 years of age to have fun, play as well as enjoy a free meal. These are the centers and dates of the programs:

• Lynette Woodard Recreation Center, 2750 E. 18th St., (316) 303-8015 7-9:00 pm on June 12, 19, 26 and July 10 and 17
• McAdams Recreation Center, 1329 E. 16th St., (316) 337-9222 8 – 10:00 pm on June 7, 14 and 28; July 5, 12, 19, 26; Aug. 2
• Edgemoor Recreation Center, 5815 E. 9th St., (316) 688-9392 10:00 am to Noon on June 8, 15, 29 and July 13, 20, 27
• Linwood Recreation Center, 1901 S. Kansas St., (316) 337-9191 10:00 am to Noon on June 8, 22, 29 and July 13, 20, 27

The Park and Recreation Department is also offering a number of free or nominally-priced summer programs. They are:

JUNE:

• Dive-In Movies: Moana Saturday, June 22 | 8 pm | $2 ages 13+; $1 ages 3-12; Ages under 2 are free Aley Pool Kick back and float in the pool while you watch a movie on the big screen under the stars! The summer movie series kicks off on June 22 with a screening of Moana (rated PG). Future movie titles to be announced. Space is limited. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

• Barry's Recreation Station Thursday June 13 | 6:30-8 pm | Free for all ages Location Osage Park Enjoy sidewalk chalk art along with other activities from the Recreation Station. Don't forget to wear swimsuits for the interactive fountain!

• Cars in the Park Saturday, June 22 | 9 -11 am | Free for all ages OJ Watson Park Bring the family and enjoy looking at vintage cars, while listening to fun music.

• Splash Party Saturday, June 29 | 1 -3:30 pm | Free for all ages Osage Park Beat the heat with water events such as an inflatable water slide, duck pond, relays and squirt gun games. Event ends with a big water gun/water balloon battle at 3:00pm. Bring your own water guns for the battle. Water balloons provided.

JULY:

• Dive-In Movies: Movie TBA Saturday, July 13 | 8 pm | $2 ages 13+ ; $1 ages 3-12; Ages under 2 are free Harvest Pool Kick back and float in the pool while you watch a movie on the big screen under the stars! Space is limited. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

• Get Fit Wichita: Yoga in the Park Saturday, July 29| 8:30-9:30 am | Ages 16+ | Free Central Riverside Park Gazebo Experience the joy of yoga outdoors with instructors from Wichita Park & Recreation and Genesis Health Clubs. Bring a mat or towel, but leave the dog at home! Water is provided.

• Barry's Recreation Station Thursday, July 25 | 6:30-8 pm | Free for all ages Buffalo Park In addition to the activities from the Recreation Station, be sure to visit the interactive fountain and playground.

• Barry's Equipment and Truck Expo Saturday, July 13| 9-11 am | Free for all ages OJ Watson Park Hang out with Barry the Bison and touch big trucks such as a Fire Truck, Ambulance, Knuckle Boom Truck and more!

• Moth Mania Friday, July 26 | 9-10:30 pm | Free for all ages Great Plains Nature Center Celebrate National Moth Week by marveling at moths at moth attracting stations around the lawn and along the Quail Trail.

AUGUST:

• Back to School Bash Saturday, Aug.t 3 | 6:00-8:00 pm | Free for all ages OJ Watson Park It's one last blowout event before school starts! Enjoy recreation games, food trucks, a craft project and win PRIZES!

• Dive-In Movies: Movie TBA Saturday, Aug. 10 | 8:00 pm | $2 ages 13+; $1 ages 3-12; Ages under 2 are free Harvest Pool Kick back and float in the pool while you watch a movie on the big screen under the stars! Space is limited. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

• Barry's Recreation Station Thursday, Aug. 15 | 6:30-8:00 pm | Free for all ages Central Riverside Park Everyone loves a fun obstacle course along with games from the Recreation Station. Also, enjoy the interactive fountain and playground.

• Dog Day of Summer Monday, Aug. 19 | 5:30-7:30 pm | $10 suggested donation College Hill Pool Wichita Park & Recreation, along with the Kansas Humane Society, invite pooches to wade, paddle or swim and participate in contests. Tickets to the pool events can be purchased at the pool. For more information on these events, please visitwww.wichita.gov/parkandrec.

City Crew

The City’s three mascots have joined forces to create a fun new kids program called the City Crew. Barry the Bison of Wichita Park & Recreation, Sparky from Wichita Fire Department and Sgt. Justice from Wichita Police are inviting kids 12 and under to join their crew for FREE. Once you are a member, you will be invited to exclusive events held in each district of Wichita, such as a barbeque, pool party and ice skating. Plus, there will be other events that pop-up as an extra bonus! On June 18, all Crew Members are invited to the Starlite Drive-in to watch the Secret Life of Pets 2 & Aladdin. Crew Members never pay for these awesome events! VisitWichita.gov/CityCrew to register today.

Wichita Public Golf Courses

Juniors Play Fore FREE at all Wichita Public Golf Courses thanks to The First Tee of Greater Wichita. Kids 10 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Golf carts and clubs are not provided but available to rent. Visit golfwichita.com to book your tee time ordownload the Golf Wichita app.

Public Library

The Wichita Public Library is offering activities for youth to keep their minds sharp during the summer.

• Summer Reading Program: Babies and toddlers can participate in early learning activities with a parent or guardian, and kids and teens can participate in reading programs and earn prizes the more they read. The Summer Reading Program runs through July 19. More information: www.wichitalibrary.org/summerreading
• Summer Activities and Programs: The Library is offering a series of special performances that coincide with the Summer Reading Program, and specialty classes and programs, for kids and teens. Weekly story times for younger children are also available.
• Teen Hackathon: Teens ages 14-18 will explore technology design and application development at the Wichita Public Library's Teen Hackathon 10:30 am-5:30 pm on Saturday, July 27 and 1-5 pm on Sunday, July 28 at the Advanced Learning Library. Teens will work in groups alongside mentors and tech experts to use technology to create a plan for an application or other technology-based service that solves a health-related problem teens face today. Registration is required. Visitwww.wichitalibrary.org/teenhackathon or call (316) 261-8500 to enroll.