This photo, taken in 2010, shows a firefighter giving a four-year-old a chance to use a fire hose at Community Night. Photo by J. Reed.

April 19, 6-8:30 p.m.

By Tom Noreen

For the past 31 years, the Community Action Network (CAN) sponsored Community Night. CAN was founded as a group of people and organizations meeting to serve as a public forum for member organizations to share information on community opportunities and challenges. Since then, other organizations have evolved to better meet the needs of client groups. The Kent Schools Service Network (KSSN) provides support for the schools; the Cedar Springs Ministerial Association is a forum for local churches; and the Cedar Springs Area Chamber of Commerce for businesses. Each of these groups now run events as well. The CAN board of directors voted to dissolve CAN and offer Community Night to the Cedar Springs Rotary Club.

 For the Rotary Club, this seems to be a great fit to provide an opportunity for community businesses, churches, non-profits, and individuals to share what they are doing. Many of our small home-based businesses only get exposure by word of mouth. This gives them a chance to display their products in a public forum at a reasonable cost. Community service is a key element of Rotary’s mission. Any proceeds from this event will be returned to community.

The 32nd Annual Community Night will be Thursday, April 19 from 6-8:30 p.m. at the Cedar Springs High School. Vendors, churches, non-profits and more will have booths for you to peruse. Food will be available from the Music Boosters concession stand and multiple forms entertainment will be in the auditorium throughout the evening. Additionally, there will be martial arts demonstrations in the auxiliary gym and industrial arts projects in the industrial arts room near the concession stand.

If you would like to register for a booth, go to cedarspringsrotary.org and download the registration form in the left hand column. Deadline for the $30 registration fee is March 23. After that it will increase to $35. They can also be picked up from the Cedar Springs Area Parks and Recreation, Cedar Springs Community Library, ChoiceOne Bank, Independent Bank, City Hall and White Creek Lumber.

Community Night also offers the Rotary Club an opportunity to expand its exposure in Cedar Springs. For 75 years, the CS Club has supported local organizations and international projects. Annually the Club sends 4-8 high school students from CSPS and CTA to Life Leadership Camp and awards two $1,000 scholarships. As part of Rotary’s literacy focus, the Club conducts a writing contest with 5th grade students in CSPS and CTA. Check out their Facebook page and website for more information and activities.