Under the hot midafternoon sun, Hannah Meyer stood in the middle of four tables that formed around her.
You could hardly have picked a better day Tuesday to teach how to make a pinwheel and other art projects to some 75 people at Fargo's Lincoln Park, next to Lincoln Elementary School.
Meyer, a senior majoring in art education at Minnesota State University Moorhead, made time to work with 6-year-old Miles Ulschmid.
"I made this," young Miles said of his pinwheel creation.
Meyer's art projects class is part of the Fargo Park District's summer program, "Park It!" held at parks throughout the city.
ADVERTISEMENT
Tuesday's event was the fifth this summer.
"(We) try and provide free arts and crafts projects ... all over Fargo," Meyer said. "We reach out to those who can't afford such programs."
The focus on low-income children is one reason Xcel Energy issues grants every year to make the programming possible.
" 'Park It!' really works to provide art experiences at low cost or no cost," said Bonnie Lund, a senior communication representative for Xcel Energy. "As a company, we have a strong heritage of giving to the public, and (we) place special emphasis on people who have special needs."
But that's not why 9-year-old Natalie Dubois attended Tuesday's event.
"It's just a great experience," her older cousin Jessica Gerchak said. "We try to hit any odd activity in the Fargo-Moorhead area. It's a chance to be with other kids and do different activities that we might not do otherwise."
"If I can (bring the pinwheel home)," Dubois said while making her pinwheel, "I will stick it in the ground for my mom."
The final Park It! event is from 1 to 4 p.m. Aug. 21 at Clara Barton Park. Adult supervision is required. Groups of 10 or more need to register by calling (701) 241-8160.
