Be a part of something big

Upcoming Community Activity Ideas: 

Crispus Attucks Museum
Enjoy a rich collection of African-American history and culture throughout the year at the city's only state-of-the-art museum exclusively dedicated to preserving the history, integrity and legacy of the African/African-American culture. The museum is located at 1140 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Street. Visit the museum Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm and Saturday from Noon-5pm. For more information, call 317.226.2432 or click here.

Explore Indy! Riding Program with Freewheelin' Community Bikes During the Summer Months
6pm-sundown on Wednesday evenings, 9am-1pm on Saturdays
3355 N. Central Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46205
$25 for annual family membership (Big and Little)
$20 deposit to rent a bike on all Freewheelin' rides for the season
Basics: T shirt and bike bottle.
Incentive program: Do valued things to earn points to use for merchandise.
Call ahead for details and starting point locations of rides
317.926.5440 or 317.431.7951
www.freewheelinbikes.org  

Summer Green Market
Fridays now through October 26, 2012
4pm-8pm
Free admission
Traders Point Creamery (9101 Moore Rd., 46077)
The vendors are on the front lawn with dinner being served on the deck from 5pm-dusk. Check out upcoming events on their website.
www.tpforganics.com
317-733-1700

Summer of Innovation (SoI) presented by Martin University NASA SEMAA
Grades 4-6: June 18-June 22, 2012 (includes students entering 4th grade)
Grades 7-9: June 25-June 29, 2012 (includes students entering 9th grade)
Application deadline: Friday, June 1, 2012
FREE
Martin University (2171 Avondale, Pl., 46218)
What are YOU doing this summer? How about learning how a roller coaster works from an engineer's perspective, building and programming robots, how to survive in space, learn about exciting careers in aerospace, science, technology, engineering and math, or learning about scholarships and paying for college!
To register, click here and fill out the required forms. Have questions? Email tflynn@martin.edu or call 317.543.4822. For program details, click here.

Summer Camp (presented by Martin University NASA SEMAA)
Grades 1-6: July 23-July 27 (includes students entering 7th grade)
Application deadline: Friday, July 18, 2012
FREE
Martin University (2171 Avondale Pl., 46218)
What are YOU doing this summer? How about learning math, science and computer skills that can help you in school and later in life, learning leadership skills, or building and programming robots?
To register, click here and fill out the required forms. Have questions? Email tflynn@martin.edu or call 317.543.4822. For program details, click here.

Broad Ripple Art Fair Tickets
Saturday and Sunday, May 19-20
The Indianapolis Art Center's largest fundraiser, the Broad Ripple Art Fair sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, kicks off Indy's summer festival season on May 19-20, 2012. More than 25,000 visitors, 220 artists, select food vendors and live entertainment come together on the grounds of the Indianapolis Art Center. All proceeds from the Art Fair directly benefit Art Center programs. This year the event will provide more options for kids and a more in-depth art experience for all fairgoers, including more opportunities to make art. To purchase tickets, please contact the Indianapolis Art Center or visit their website here. 

Youth Talent Show
Saturday, May 19th
12pm-3pm
Lafayette Square Mall Food Court (3919 Lafayette Rd.)

Flag Football Games (presented by 3G: Giving God Glory)
Saturday, May 19th
11am-3pm
FREE
Boys ages 6-14
Registration required, ends May 9th
30th German Church Park
This event will promote prayer for youth and community, unity, fire and community safety, sportsmanship, and youth empowerment. Food and beverages will be available to all participants. Contact Shannon and Shawn to sign up, 317.730.7392.

Civil War Days
Saturday, May 19th through Sunday, May 20th
10am-5pm
$14/adult, $13/seniors 65+, $9/youth (ages 2-12), free for members
Conner Prairie (3400 Allisonville Rd., 46038)
Watch eyes grow wide when horses charge and cannons roar as reenactors from across the country bring an 1860s battle to life again. Young and old can learn firsthand what the Civil War was about from both Union and Confederate soldiers at Conner Prairie Interactive History Park.
www.connerprairie.org
317-776-6000

Kids Koncert: Island Breeze Duo
Monday, May 21st
10am-11am
FREE
River Heritage Park (11813 River Road, 46032)
Do you know a child that moves to the beat of their own drum? Do they enjoy using pots and wooden spoons as instruments? Join them as they sing and dance to classic sing-a-longs, as well as new tunes performed by Indiana artists.
www.carmelclayparks.com
317-848-7275

Build-A-Boat
Tuesday, May 22nd
4:30pm
FREE
JCPL: Franklin Branch (401 State St., 46131)
Celebrate National Maritime Day by building a boat and seeing if it will sink or float.
www.jcplin.org
317-738-2833

Zoopolis 500
Wednesday, May 23rd
10:30am
Included with zoo admission
Indianapolis Zoo (1200 W. Washington St., 46222)
Race to the Indianapolis Zoo for Zoopolis 500, our fast-paced annual event presented by American Diary Association! Experience the Greatest Spectacle in Tortoise Racing, where our radiated tortoises hustle to the finish line to be the first to reach the abundant fruit platter in the Dean's Arena.
www.indyzoo.com
317-630-2001

500 Festival Community Day at IMS
Wednesday, May 23rd
9am-6pm
$8 in advance/$10 at the gate; $6 and under FREE
IMS (4790 W. 16th St., 46222)
Experience this unique opportunity of taking a lap around the track in your own car before the real race cars hit the track. Tours of Pit Lane and the official timing and scoring area in the Pagoda are available. Includes admission to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum.
www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com
317-481-8500

St.Vincent Cancer Screenings in Conjunction with American Cancer Society
Wednesday, May 23rd
Appointments are scheduled 5:30pm-7:30pm
FREE
St.Vincent Joshua Max Simon Primary Care Center (8414 Naab Rd., Suite 100)
To schedule an appointment, call the St.Vincent CARE Line at 317-338-2273.
Appointment times could change. Men and women of all ages are eligible. Screenings take about 30 minutes per participant. Complete skin examination performed by a dermatologist. Results of screenings are discussed with participants immediately and if necessary, they are referred for follow up care.

Art in the Park
Sunday, May 27th
12pm-4pm
FREE
All ages
IMA (4000 Michigan Rd., 46208)
Free drop-in visitor art making is available at the Ruth Lilly Visitors Pavilion in 100 Acres: The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park. Work with teaching artists to create your own work of art inspired by the natural environment.
www.imamuseum.org
317-920-2659

Retro Gaming
Tuesday, May 29th
3:30pm-4:30pm
FREE
Plainfield-Guilford Township Library (1120 Stafford Rd., 46168)
Teens in grades 6 through 12 play video games from "back in the day." No registration required.
www.plainfieldlibrary.net
317-839-6602

St.Vincent Cancer Screenings in Conjunction with American Cancer Society
Tuesday, May 29th
Appointments are scheduled 5pm-7pm
FREE
Trinity Free Clinic, next door to Our Lady of Mount Carmel (1045 W. 146th St., Carmel)
To schedule an appointment, call the St.Vincent CARE Line at 317.338.2273.
Appointment times could change. Men and women of all ages are eligible. Screenings take about 30 minutes per participant. Complete skin examination performed by a dermatologist. Results of screenings are discussed with participants immediately and if necessary, they are referred for follow up care.

Meet Mascots Cubbie and Digit at Special Indiana Members Credit Union Gear-Up Celebrations
Presented by The Indianapolis Public Library and Indiana Members Credit Union
Thursday, May 31st
10am-Noon at Lawrence Branch
2pm-4pm at Southport Branch
Saturday, June 2nd
10am-Noon at Wayne Branch
2pm-4pm at Pike Branch
Monday, June 4th
10am-Noon at Nora Branch
2pm-4pm at Haughville Branch
Saturday, June 9
10am-Noon at Warren Branch
2pm-4pm at Irvington Branch
Great games, activities and snacks provided. Register for the Summer Reading Program and receive a prize. Free fun for the public.

College Awareness Fair (presented by the Indianapolis NAACP Youth Council)
Saturday, June 2nd
1pm-5pm
East 38th Street Library Branch
This fair is for all youth interested in getting information about attending college and learning how to complete the necessary forms to gain first stime college understanding. Topics will include FAFSA guidance, tuition comparison, budgeting refund checks and Greek life.
For more information, contact Aleanya Moore at 317.925.5127.

2012 Safe Sitter Courses
Thursday, June 21st (Health and Hospital Corporation Facility - 4012 N. Rural St.)
Tuesday, June 26th (South District Health Office - 505 National Ave.)
Friday, July 13th (North Arlington Health Center - 2505 N. Arlington Ave.)
Friday, July 20th (Pecar Health Center - 6940 Michigan Rd.)
Ages 11-14
Times: 8:30am-4pm
$20 per class per student (payment must be made at least one week prior to date of class)
Registration required (registration must be made at least one week prior to date of class)
Class size is limited so early registration is recommended.
To register, please contact Darcy Milner at 317.221.5729. Limited scholarships available.
Safe Sitter is a medically accurate program that teaches girls and boys ages 11 to 14 how to respond to emergencies when caring for children including choking,  how to keep themselves safe and other valuable health and safety information. We offer the Safe Sitter Basic, which teaches the students airway obstruction/choking rescue. We do NOT teach CPR in the one-day class. Safe Sitter is being offered by the Marion County Health Department, Social Services Department. Please make checks payable to Marion County Health Department. Money orders and cash are also accepted. Please do not send cash in the mail. Please mail registration forms and payment to: Marion County Health Department, South District Health Office, Attention: Darcy Milner, 505 E. National Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46227. You will need to bring a sack lunch the day of the class. Parents are invited and encouraged to attend the last half hour of the class for the closing ceremony, 3:30pm-4pm. If you have any questions, please contact Darcy Milner at 317.221.5729. For more information about Safe Sitter, please feel free to visit the official Safe Sitter website.

For even more low/no cost Central Indiana community activities and events, click here or here.

As always, BBBSCI encourages Bigs to double check event times and dates before attending any event.

Community Service Activity Ideas:

Indy Humane Society - Ages 8 and up can participate in a program called "Parent and Me Days" with their Big. Call 317.872.5650x106 or go to www.indyhumane.org for more information.

Animal Care and Control - Ages 12 and up may volunteer. Call 317.327.1384 or click here for more information.

Second Helpings - Ages 16 and up may volunteer, depending on the opportunity. Call 317.632.2664 or email Lauren Robinson for more information. For their website, click here.

Robert's Park United Methodist Church "Soup's On" - Help serve meals on Sundays. Contact Nancy Heilman for more information. For their website, click here.

Wheeler Mission - Help serve meals. Volunteers under the age of 18 accompanied by a responsible adult are welcome. Call 317.635.3575 or email volunteer@wmm.org for more information. For their website, click here.

Dayspring Center - There are numerous opportunities for individual and group volunteers to help meet the basic needs of homeless families. Call 317.635.6780x235 or email Michelle Jackson for more information. For their website, click here.

Holy Family Shelter - Assist with meeting resident basic needs, client services, meal preparations, child care, special events, facilities maintenance, and other activities that promote and support families along the path to self-sufficiency. Call 317.635.7830x19 or email Amber Hiss for more information. For the website, click here.

Midwest Food Bank - Help with preparing disaster relief boxes, repackaging bulk foods into manageable quantities for distribution and supporting local distribution to pantries. Call Donna at 317.786.8980 for more information. For their website, click here.

Fletcher Place Community Center (Fletcher Place Ministries) - Help with a variety of volunteer opportunities to help break the cycle of poverty. Call 317.636.3466 for more information. For their website, click here.

Gleaners Food Bank - Help with a variety of volunteer opportunities. Call 317.925.0191 or click here for their website for more information.

Emmaus Lutheran Church Food Pantry - This organization serves the Fountain Square community from the Hodge-Daniels house next to the church parking lot. Call 317.955.7936 or click here for their website for more information.

Salvation Army - Call 317.632.0156 or click here for more volunteer opportunity information.

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful - Help with a variety of volunteer opportunities. Volunteers under the age of 18 accompanied by a responsible adult are welcome. Click here to visit their website for more information.

Marian University EcoLab - Volunteer with conservation projects, special programs or just go for a walk. Call 317.524.7703 or email Jody Nicholson for more information.

For more community service activity ideas, visit www.helpindyonline.com or www.volunteermatch.org.

Central Indiana Food Deals