1. Great Start Collaborative of Kent County is giving away free child development goodie bags on August 12.
It'll be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Alger Head Start in Grand Rapids. The bags will be filled with items that'll help with child development.
Also, families will have the opportunity to complete a developmental screening onsite, which can help make sure they know what to look for at certain ages and stages in their child.
Raffles for free prizes will occur every 30 minutes, plus food trucks will be on-site as well.
Learn more at greatstartkent.org.
2. Pickleball, the fastest-growing sport in the world, is now available for wheelchair users!
Mary Free Bed Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports is partnering with the Grand Rapids Pickleball Club to host a Wheelchair Pickleball Clinic.
All levels are welcome to attend, as long as they are ages 15 & up.
It'll take place at Belknap Park on August 14 from 4 to 5:30.
We'll have the registration link on our website.
3. Horseback riding along the Lake Michigan shoreline is set to return to a Michigan state park in the fall.
Silver Lake State Park will host a second season of shoreline horseback from November 1st through the 30th. This follows a successful first season in 2022.
The DNR says it's "part of continuing efforts to expand outdoor recreation at the park in the off-season."
The registration fee is $10 per horse per day. There will be 125 slots available daily.
Registration opens at 8 a.m. Friday, September 1.A recreation passport is also required for vehicle entry into the state park.
4. Madonna's Family Vineyard and Winery hit the market in Northern Michigan for $4.9 million.
Silvio Ciccone, Madonna’s father, and his wife, Joan, founded Ciccone Vineyard and Winery in 1995. Tony has since passed the vineyard and winery onto two of his children who believe it's time for a new vision.
The property is turn-key and ready for its next owner and comes with a winemaker's home, which could also be a bed and breakfast. The property also comes with a more than 7,000-square-foot tasting room, winery, historic barn, and event space.
5. McDonald’s of Michigan is helping fans celebrate Detroit Lions football all season long.
After every Lions game this year, beginning with their first pre-season game tonight, fans can score a "buy one get one free big mac deal" if the Lions make a field goal. If the Lions split the uprights in any game this year, the offer will be available the day after the game exclusively in the McDonald’s mobile app.
If you're craving a big meal for game day, Lions fans can celebrate with the exclusive Lions bundle box. The box features two big mac sandwiches, an order of 20-piece McNuggets, and two medium fries. The meal is served in a custom, lions-themed box and is available at all participating restaurants starting on August 22.
6. The Lions' first *pre-season game is tonight on Fox 17.
They take on the New York Giants at 7 p.m. at Ford Field.
The Lions' hype train has been picking up steam all off-season and NFL fans are excited to see how the team is looking.
Detroit and New York have held joint practices twice this week leading up to their scrimmage.
