Lights on After School event is coming to West Michigan

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) – An event taking place across the country this week is all about supporting after-school activities for children.

The Keeping the Lights on After School event takes place on Thursday. It is part of an initiative to encourage productive and healthy extracurricular activities for young students.

One of the organizations participating in the West Michigan event is the Kalamazoo Youth Development Network. They have partnered with PNC Bank to make the event possible.

Meg Blinkiewicz, the executive director of the Kalamazoo Youth Development Network, spoke to News 8 about what kind of celebrations people can expect.

“We will be celebrating with young people ranging in age from kindergarten through college at various locations in Kalamazoo,” she said. “(They will gather to celebrate, to raise awareness. They will write letters to elected officials, to parishioners, and they will march through their neighborhoods cheering and singing. It’s such an inspiring event.”

For more information, see kydnet.org.

Cities across western Michigan are also participating, including Grand Rapids. During a meeting Tuesday, Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalyn Bliss presented a proclamation commemorating the event to the group Our Community’s Children, the ELO Network and Grand Rapids Public Schools.