The Community Center Collaborative of Central Baltimore started its annual Community Connect Summer Series with a fun-filled afternoon at the Village Learning Place for Family Fun Night! This past July 14th, parents, youth, and neighborhood residents came out for an afternoon of fun, fitness, and tasty, healthy food in the VLP’s beautiful community garden.

The Community Connect Summer Series activates four Central Baltimore green spaces with events led by five community partners: 29th Street Community Center, Cecil Kirk Recreation Center, Corner Team Boxing, Nate Tatum Community Center, and Village Learning Place.

This Summer Series provides health and wellness-focused activities and programming to youth, families, and adults. Each of these events take place in open spaces in the community and connects residents to free or low-cost resources. Additional local resource providers will be in attendance, including Maryland Consumers Rights Coalition, Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Success, Civic Works Energy Programs, Urban Strategies, Inc. The organizations will offer information on the services they provide and how community residents can utilize them.

There will also be a diverse group of local community groups that will help make these events fun and energizing, including Y on the Fly, Boardroom Chess, Mission Fit, the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, and Open Works.

In addition to each center’s Community Connect event, residents can participate in the FREE exercise series being offered at each community center this summer. Classes include:

• Low-Impact Aerobics & Strength Training with Queen of the Moon Fitness @ 29th Street Community Center  

• Low Impact Boot Camp with The Rich Foundation @ Cecil Kirk Recreation Center
• Line Dancing with April the Line Dancing Diva @ Nate Tatum Community Center
• Summer STEP DANCE Series with Coach Carrington & the Lethal Ladies of BLSYW Step Team @ Village Learning Place 
• Blissful Body Yoga with Dee Satterfield @ the 26th Street Green

Check-in with your neighborhood Community Center for dates and times!

Come out for fun; stay for the community connection at one of the remaining upcoming Community Connect Events:

August 4th: End of Summer Family BBQ 
5:30 PM-7:30 PM @ The 26th Street Green (26th St. & Guilford Ave.)

Hosted by the Village Learning Place & 29th Street Community Center

August 24th: Back to School Party 
5:30 PM-8:00 PM @ Calvert Street Park (N. Calvert & 22^nd St.)

Hosted by the Village Learning Place & the Nate Tatum Center

Like and follow the Community Center Collaborative on Facebook for more event series updates.

Are you interested in attending as a Community Connect resource vendor for the Community Connect Series? Contact the Central Baltimore Community Outreach Coordinator, Megan McSwain, at mmcswain@centralbaltimore.org to register.