Park will hold family activities
There are lots of prizes up for grabs at Mistletoe State Park as its summer programs continue.
//
Families will test their skills at games and survival techniques in the park's annual Family Survivor event scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 5.
According to Brenda Bettross, a program assistant at Mistletoe, the event will include water relays, campfire building, compass reading, shelter building, a scavenger hunt and more. The winning family will receive two nights of free camping at Mistletoe and outdoor equipment provided by Academy Sports and Outdoors.
The cost is $20 per family in addition to the park's $5 pass. Up to 10 families can participate. To register, call (706) 541-0321. Registration is required, and the program will be canceled if fewer than five families are registered before Monday.
In another park program, someone's going to die and it's up to guests to figure the case out in the Murder on Stage event Sept. 11 and 12.
"In this fun-filled overnight adventure, beginning with non-alcoholic happy hour on Friday, you'll enjoy park activities while gathering clues and interviewing suspects," said Marilyn Grau, the senior corps project director for The Senior Citizens Council. "On Saturday afternoon, the murderer will be revealed and prizes will be awarded to the best sleuths."
The event costs $39 per person and includes a happy hour, dinner cookout, breakfast, picnic lunch, snacks, program materials and prizes for winners. The fee does not include camping and the park pass.
Grau said the first Murder Mystery weekend was held in February 2008. Since then, several other parks have planned similar activities.
"Everybody had a great time and everyone has asked us to do another one," she said.
Though the event is designed for adults, children 12 and older can participate if accompanied by a parent.
"One of the most aggressive investigators at our last mystery weekend was a pre-teen, and he actually won one of the prizes," Grau said.
Participants will also be able to participate in other camp activities, including fishing, swimming, hiking, visiting the Nature Center and a possible scavenger hunt.
Another program -- Herbs and Wild Edibles -- is scheduled for Saturday, with Grau suggesting it might put a "few ideas into the head of alert investigators."
Senior Corps volunteers will staff the weekend's activities, which is why the cost of the event can be held to $39, Grau said.
Grau encourages early reservations and arriving on time. Participation is limited to the first 20 people who register before Sept. 4.
For information or to register, contact Grau at (706) 868-0210 or mgrau@seniorcitizenscouncil.org.