Community Partners Bring Born Learning to the Clear Creek Trail

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 6, 2011

For more information contact
Karen Serfling, Program Specialist, City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department, (812) 349-3746 or [serflink@bloomington.in.gov|mailto:serflink@bloomington.in.gov]

Jenn Hottell, Community Engagement Director, United Way of Monroe County, (812) 334-8370 or [jenn@monroeunitedway.org|mailto:jenn@monroeunitedway.org]

Bloomington, IN - The [Clear Creek Trail|file:Clear_Creek_Trail.pdf], which extends 2.4 miles from Country Club Drive to Church Lane in Bloomington, has a new feature designed to support early learning.

The Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department, United Way of Monroe County, and Monroe Smart Start have partnered to bring "Born Learning", a public engagement campaign that explores ways to turn everyday moments into fun learning opportunities for young children, to the Clear Creek Trail.

The Born Learning Play Path includes 10 engaging signs that describe fun, outdoor games for children and adults to play together. The Play Path is approximately 300 feet long and begins just past the footbridge, immediately south of the That Road trailhead on the Clear Creek Trail.

The Born Learning Play Path will officially open on Friday, July 15 in a kid-friendly ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. The ceremony includes a ribbon cutting and guided tour of the Born Learning Play Path, followed by refreshments and live entertainment by singer/songwriter Bobbie Lancaster. The first 50 children to attend the ceremony will receive a free children's book.

"We collaborated with United Way and Smart Start on the installation of the Born Learning signs becasue we saw it as a way of promoting use of the trail among families with young children," said Bev Johnson, Recreation Programs Manager with the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department. "We like the idea of offering ways to help adults engage children in learning, outdoors."

"United Way of Monroe County is excited to partner with the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department and Monroe Smart Start to bring the first Born Learning Play Path to our local area," said Barry Lessow, Executive Director for United Way of Monroe County. "United Way's Born Learning initiative provides free materials and research-based resources to help parents and caregivers turn everyday moments into learning experiences. And this new Born Learning Play Path, located on the popular Clear Creek Trail, offers a free and easy opportunity for young children to explore, learn, and interact with the adults in their lives while having fun and building school readiness skills."

Use of the Clear Creek Trail and the Born Learning Play Path is free. The Clear Creek Trail is open daily from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m. and is wheelchair accessible, so parents and caregivers on foot with strollers or out for a family bicycle ride can take part in the Born Learning Play Path activities. Bloomington Parks and Recreation also offers a Born Learning Play Path "passport" that, upon completion of all 10 Play Path activities, can be redeemed for a free children's book.

For more information about the Born Learning Play Path or its opening ceremony, [visit the Born Learning Play Path Web site.|5920]

[[image:9534]|http://www.monroeunitedway.org/bornlearning]

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