The University of Wisconsin athletic department and UW Health Sports Medicine are using a no-school day for Madison public-school students as an opportunity to give the kids a tour of the Kohl Center today.
Madison Public Schools have an in-service day, and UW communications marketing director Tricia Dickinson stated that the athletic department thought this would be a great chance for children to see the sports facility.
“[We believe] this would be a great day for kids when school’s out,” she said. “There’s a lot of cool things to do.”
Dickinson said “Kids’ Day at the Kohl” will feature student athletes, coaches and different events to show the educational side of athletics and fitness. The event will also give tours of the locker room, weight room and other areas kids do not normally visit. The children can also kick off their Halloween by taking part in a mini-press conference.
“They get to interview the athlete or coach … and get to take that tape home,” Dickinson said.
Dickinson said Kids’ Day is the “finale” of a month-long program to get children involved in sports and see the educational benefits.
The Kohl Center event is only one of a plethora of events that UW and student organizations are holding in juxtaposition with the last day of October.
Anna Becker, director of the Wisconsin Union Directorate Community Service Committee, stated why there are so many events around Halloween.
“[Our committee] felt it was our responsibility to provide students with alternatives,” Becker said, adding these events give people the opportunity to do things other than drinking. Becker said in a phone interview that the success of these programs would be nothing without the student volunteers.
She noted the success of a food drive in the neighborhood west of Camp Randall that gathered an “SUV full of food” and a program that took place Thursday night called “Trick or Treat with the Greeks,” where fraternities and sororities hosted safe Halloween events for area children.
“It was just great driving down Langdon and seeing all these kids [at the houses],” she said.
