Warren County Parks and Recreation serving community through “Stay Home & Stay Active” boxes

WHAT MATTERS Warren–Warren County Parks and Recreation is serving the quarantined community despite their inability to offer typical classes and programming. They invite local families to join the nearly 100 others who are participating in their newly launched “Stay Home & Stay Active” initiative which provides citizens with creative activity boxes that can be picked up weekly via curbside delivery at the Warren County Community Center. Each box features an indoor activity, outdoor activity, creative/science activity, virtual road trip, and a family event for each day of the week (M-F).

The boxes are free and limited to the first 50 registrants, although to date Warren County has agreed to extend offerings to serve each family that has applied for a box. Over 98 children were served last week through this interactive program, and the staff hopes to expand to create senior citizen boxes in the near future. There’s a limit of one box per household and at least one child under the age of 12 years old must reside at the residence. Parks and Rec gathers information about other children in the homes participating and attempts to provide extra supplies to serve the entire family (at a first come first serve basis).

“I am super pumped to have the opportunity to network with other Recreation professionals throughout the country and develop this at-home program,” said Robin Richardson, Assistant Director. She developed the program based on online research with a group she’s involved with that connects professionals who serve communities like she and her staff do, “I am also proud of my staff for their creativity and use of limited resources during this time.”

Richardson says the county of Warren has been extremely supportive of this endeavor to continue to serve the children of our community. Dan Lenz, Director of Parks and Recreation, said, “The Warren County Parks and Recreation staff are very excited to be offering this special activity for the youth in our community during this crisis. We look forward to helping families in the future with additional programs and activities.”

The community has also warmly embraced the project. Donations for boxes have been received by C & C’s Frozen Treats, The Apple House, the Rotary Club of Front Royal, McDonalds and Walmart. Parks and Rec will gladly accept monetary donations, items for the boxes or other creative support by community businesses and organizations.

There is a new box each week, and families can sign up beginning Tuesday of the prior week (registration deadline is Thursday by noon of the week prior to delivery). Registered families are instructed to stop by the Community Center office at 538 Villa Avenue to pick up the box kits in a safe, drive-by fashion. Registration is available by visiting parksandrecreation.warrencountyva.net. For more information, contact the Warren County Community Center by phone at (540) 635-1021 or via email at wcccinfo@warrencountyva.net.

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