‘Pop Up & Play’ returns to McKeesport

By JEFF STITT

jstitt@yourmvi.com

Just pop up and play.

It’s that simple.

Children in McKeesport, thanks to the AIU McKeesport Family Center, the McKeesport PartnerSHIP, YouthCAST Youth Leadership Network and other partners, will have multiple chances to “pop up and play” this summer at McKeesport parks.

The playground fun kicked off Wednesday, as it traditionally does, at the Highland Grove Playground and Park.

Pop Up and Play has served as a program to promote healthy living, physical activity and safety since 2012, according to McKeesport Family Center Site Director Laura Bosnak Thompson.

Funding for Pop Up and Play comes through the The McKeesport Healthier Communities PartnerSHIP, also known as the McKeesport SHIP. A portion of the funding for this year’s program came from a $500 grant from UPMC Children’s Hospital.

“So the whole focus today was healthy eating and physical activity,” Bosnak Thompson said.

The next few events will involve gun-violence prevention education initiatives as well as fun and games, and a healthy snack.

The other three Pop Up and Play events will occur from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 14 at Crawford Village, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 21 at Harrison Village and 5 to 7 p.m. July 28 at the Fawcett Plan playground.

At those events, McKeesport Police Department Juvenile Detective Dan Goughnour will be on hand to talk to youths about “when you see a gun, what to do, what not to do,” Bosnak Thompson said.

The McKeesport K-9 Unit will give a demonstration during at least one of the events, she said, adding that TCV Community Services will discuss violence prevention.

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