LEOMINSTER — Project Apples has a lot to celebrate this month including the 25th anniversary of its ParentChild+ Program.
A free event to mark the milestone is being held on Thursday, June 25 at 6 p.m. at Leominster City Hall, 25 West St. The family friendly affair will feature many activities for all ages, from free door prizes to ice cream refreshments to music, crafts, and more.
“We hope to share stories of our past success and showcase the program for potential new families,” the city-based organization shared in a press release.
The entire community is invited to attend the event that will celebrate the program promoting early literacy with parents, caregivers, and their children for two and a half decades. They are looking for memories or updates from past participants and their parents and caregivers to include and to provide that people can contact Project Apples/Leominster ParentChild+ Coordinator Lisa Novelli via email at [email protected].
“As we celebrate 25 years, the true success of the ParentChild+ and Leominster CFCE/ Project Apples program is reflected in the smiles of children who are excited to learn and in the confidence that families gain as they support their child’s growth,” Novelli shared. “Through simple yet powerful moments of reading together, playing, and connecting, families build a strong foundation that prepares children to enter school ready to learn, grow, and thrive. The relationships formed through this program have a lasting impact that extends well beyond home visits.”
Project Apples/Leominster Coordinated Family & Community Engagement Programs (CFCE) is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care and supported by Leominster Public Schools. Participants of its ParentChild+ Program range from three to 28 years old and over 570 families along with three dozen childcare providers have been served since its inception.
“We are grateful for 25 years of support from the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, Leominster Public Schools, the ParentChild+ National Center, stakeholders, and legislators,” Novelli said. “Without their support, we would not be able to serve as many families in our community.
This comes on the heels of the grand reopening of the Project Apples story walk at Barrett Park. Many people gathered for the ribbon cutting held on June 12 and checked out the new story walk stations that currently feature the children’s book “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt,” a retelling of the classic story by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury.
Former Leominster Cultural Council (LCC) member LuAnn Longenecker posted photos and info from the event on social media noting that the project “has been in the making for a couple of years.”
“We awarded Project Apples a grant to upgrade the story walk stations that go around Colbert Pond,” Longenecker said of the LCC funding that helped make this possible.
She went on to say that the story walk stations were built by Leominster Center for Technical Education Innovation students and the plexiglass covers were donated by city business NorthEast Glass Works.
“These monthly-rotating stories invite people of all ages to enjoy literature and nature,” Longenecker wrote, adding that after the ribbon cutting, they enjoyed a stroll around the pond — and that the Mountain Laurel was “breathtaking.”
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