Lakeshore Public Media’s Learn with Lakeshore event on July 13 drew families to Bellaboo’s Play and Discovery Center in Lake Station, Ind. The event focused on creating hands-on, interactive early learning and childhood development experiences while providing informational resources to parents.
Over 500 people of all ages attended Learn with Lakeshore and had the opportunity to engage with Bellaboo’s indoor and outdoor attractions, PNC’s Mobile Learning Adventure, and take pictures with Costume Character Elmo from Sesame Street. The event was free and open to the public thanks to the support from the Legacy Foundation. Additional support was provided by the John W. Anderson Foundation.
Lakeshore Public Media invited local nonprofits to Learn with Lakeshore to provide parents and caregivers with essential information regarding childhood education, food security, financial literacy, and more. Nonprofit partners with booths at the event included United Way NWI, Big Shoulders Fund, Tobacco Free Lake County, Prevent Child Abuse Lake County, NWI Community Action, Art Barn School of Art, Gabriel’s Horn, Healthy Families Porter County, (219) Health Network, Opportunity Enterprises, and the Legacy Foundation.
“Our mission to enrich the lives within the communities we serve extends beyond our programming. So when we have the opportunity to step outside of the studio, our mission steps with us,” Russel Brodhacker, communications and community engagement coordinator for Lakeshore Public Media said. “It added fuel to my tank, so to speak, to see families visit the booths and look at each other like ‘wow, this really helps,’ and that’s what it’s all about. From our programming to our events, we work to inform, engage, and excite those we reach in earnest and palpable ways.”
Materials were provided by Lakeshore Public Media in efforts to encourage families to learn, play, and explore together. Materials included reusable water bottles, Frisbees, and drawstring bags to assist in summertime explorations. In addition, Lakeshore provided color changing pencils, notepads, bookmarks, and summer activity books to assist and encourage at-home learning for families.
PNC hosted their MLA, an educational exhibit that encourages children and caregivers to engage in unique, interactive activities to fuel early learning. The exhibit, which made the visit during its national tour, includes a variety of activities, including an opportunity for children to imagine their future careers.
