BALTIMORE — Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake spent part of Wednesday, July 15, 2015 showing off her hula-hoop skills to the delight of young ones, parents and officials at the Robert C. Marshall Recreation Center on Pennsylvania Avenue in Baltimore City.
“This isn’t as easy as it might look,” the mayor said as several children joined in and begin twirling their hips and balancing hula-hoops, a practice that turned into one big block party and acted as a prelude for summer activities in Baltimore.
Rawlings-Blake was at the recreation center to help unveil this summer’s Fun Wagon, a trailer that will travel through city neighborhoods carrying games, toys and athletic equipment to young individuals.
The city’s Fun Wagon program began 48 years ago with the goal of providing fun activities to young individuals in the community who lacked recreational centers where they live and to keep them occupied over the summer.
This year’s wagon was made possible through a $70,000 donation from Walmart, according to Rawlings-Blake’s staff members.
The Fun Wagon is expected to serve more than 2,500 children and their families through the Baltimore City Recreation and Parks Department’s “Docs in the Park” program, which encourages and facilitates outdoor activities that keep children engaged and moving during the summer.
Through her spokesperson, Rawlings-Blake said doctors regularly prescribe activities and local families can “fill their prescription” for outdoor fun and games during “Docs in the Park” events.