The September Triangle TRACKS Newsletter is Out!

Hi everyone. The September issue is out, and it includes information on lots of fun activities going on for kids in the area this month. If you haven't signed up to receive it, just visit www.triangletracks.com and click on "Subscribe to our newsletter."

Great Triangle TRACKS Forum Posts in August!

Hi TRACKS visitors! Below are some of the great forum topics Triangle TRACKS members posted this month, in case you didn't get a chance to check them out yet.

Also, stay tuned for the September newsletter. I'll send it out Friday!

August Forum Topics:

Museum of Arts Introduces Track-Out Camps

Children’s Cooking School and Etiquette Training Center Opens

APA Jazz Class in Need of Dancers

Are Your Tires Safe? Important Information Every Driver Should Know

Swim Lessons Available Year-Round at Triangle Swim School

Call for Entries: N.C. Museum of Art Contest

J.K. Rowling Fans, Check This Out...

Check Out Boy Scouts of America’s Centennial Celebration Shirt and Other Products

Triangle TRACKS Now Offers Event Posting Tool for Members

I've added an EVENT POSTING tool to Triangle TRACKS that enables members to publicize their own events or public events local parents might be interested in. To start things off, I've posted a Cub Scouts recruiting event.

If you know of events such as children's clothing sales, party venue specials, club meetings and/or orientations, education opportunities or other events local parents would be interested in, you can post it quickly and easily here yourself!

But in order to post an event, you have to join Triangle TRACKS. It's easy--and free. Just go to the Triangle TRACKS home page and click on "Sign up."

Marbles Kids Museum Presents the 5th Annual Kick-off to Kindergarten

From the Marbles Museum publicity office:
On Sunday, August 17, from 4pm - 6pm, Marbles Kids Museum will present the 5th Annual Kickoff to Kindergarten. The event celebrates this special time of excitement and wonderment for kindergartners of Wake County! Kickoff to Kindergarten is designed to help kids and their families transition into school and make this a very memorable milestone.

Participating rising and current kindergarteners can go through their first lunch line, board a real school bus, get their very own library card, create make-n-take crafts, experience the museum, and enjoy entertainment from the kids band Big Bang Boom. With the help of its partners and contributors, Marbles Kids Museum will give away 750 book bags full of school supplies to the first 750 kindergarteners in attendance. There will also be a special visit from Super WHY!, star of the PBS show of the same title, who engages and empowers children to develop literacy skills through adventure and interactivity.

Parents will have the opportunity to get their last-minute questions answered by kindergarten teachers and school and health officials. Marbles Kids Museum and its partners have publicized this event to economically disadvantaged families in order to welcome them into the school system and help offset the expense of school supplies.

Sponsors of this event include: Target, K&W Cafeteria, Project Enlightenment (part of WCPSS), UNC-TV, Discount School Supply, WakeMed Health & Hospitals, Stone's Education Superstore, Therapeutic Connections, and Costco Wholesale.

Partners include: Wake County Public Library and Wake County Ready to Learn Center Program.

This event is free and open to residents of Wake County with rising or current kindergartners. Learn more here.

Morehead Planetarium Presents ALL of Your Favorite Shows Through Aug. 24!

What could be more fun than heading to Chapel Hill, catching a favorite Morehead Planetarium show like "Solar System Adventure" or "Magic Tree House Space Mission," then having an ice cream on Franklin Street, and heading back for another favorite Morehead Planetarium show? You can do that this month, since every Morehead program (except holiday programs) is on the schedule through Aug. 24. Learn more here.

Pre-Sale Ticket Information for Walking With the Dinosaurs Live and Disney on Ice World of Fantasy

Thanks to Social Butterflies editor Cary Heise for this pre-sale ticket information!

Walking With the Dinosaurs: The Live Experience
RBC Center
Oct. 22-26
PRE-SALE TICKETS being sold Aug. 6-10, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
PASSWORD: "ALIVE"
Click here for Ticketmaster.
Click here for show details.

Disney on Ice Presents World of Fantasy
RBC Center
Dec. 10-14
PRE-SALE TICKETS available through Aug. 17.
Click here for details.

Farewell to Hope

It is with great sadness that I must report that the inspiration for the charity Hope's Hope, six-year-old Hope Johnston of Apex, lost her battle with Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy (INAD) July 30 at 12:52 p.m. A good friend of mine, Maria Strauss, helped found Hope's Hope. I stopped by to deliver a cheese-and-cracker tray to the Johnston family July 31 at Maria's request, and was able to meet Hope's father. I was very touched by how well he is handling this, and I am so saddened at what this family is going through.

If you would like to help this wonderful family out during their time of need, you can log on to www.carecalendar.com, then type in 6096 for the login and 5792 for the code. This will bring up a calendar with updates on foods and other items the family may need during this difficult time.

I will hug my 6-year-old daughter a little tighter, and longer, than usual tonight.