Tomorrow’s “Remember Our Roots” celebration kicks off a year of activities, learning and fun at Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Center, with kids taking the lead and connecting to their roots – their grandparents.

“We’d play catch, we’d play marbles, we’d play tag and baseball and football and throw snowballs in the winter, and we’d help each other do stuff- that was all fun,” said Cole Allen Vandygriff’s grandfather, Dido said in an email. “Sometimes we’d go to parks to play or even to the river (where we weren’t supposed go to) and even if we got hurt sometimes it was still fun to be with my friends. I guess our guardian angels had to work overtime sometimes but they did a good job.”

All grandparents and their grandchildren are invited to share their memories in the Go Green Center tomorrow, 3:30-5 p.m. either on video or by filling out the “When I Was A Kid” story form. The stories created, as well as the posts and pictures uploaded to the “Remember Our Roots” Facebook page, will be placed in a memory book for the end of the year.

We’ll also be planting bulbs, constructing mini-greenhouses, gathering knowledge on a nature detective hunt and creating family tree stories about life when grandparents were children.

Studies show that environmental education improves student achievement in core subject areas and also makes students more interested in learning overall. What’s more, getting kids outside and active promotes a healthy lifestyle that is essential to fighting obesity and reducing symptoms associated with attention deficit disorder, depression, and stress.

And for all generations, nothing beats being outside, enjoying God’s wonderful creation, and spending precious moments with family – join us!