Hey Westerville kids and families!

“Ready, Set, Explore!” comes to historic Uptown Westerville from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, Aug. 3, and you are invited to take part!

Don’t miss the chance to join this fun and free, Dora the Explorer-themed family event, featuring music, prizes and special guests. Ready, Set, Explore! concludes the week-long Dora the Explorer Back to School Drive now taking place across Uptown.

The Dora the Explorer Back to School Drive is a collaborative event of the Rotary Clubs of Westerville – Noon and Sunrise – to benefit Westerville City School District students in need. All proceeds go to Neighborhood Bridges of Westerville, for the local nonprofit’s student aid efforts.

Other organizations supporting the drive and event include the Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce, Uptown Westerville Inc, Leadership Westerville, Westerville City Schools, WARM, The Big Bus, the City of Westerville, and the Westerville Public Library.

The ‘Explore’ part of Ready, Set, Explore

Children participating in Ready, Set, Explore should check in at the Civic Green in front of Westerville City Hall, 21 S. State St., at 11 a.m. or after. There they will receive a Dora map of Uptown and be sent to start their adventure.

Kids can explore the listed Uptown businesses to collect a “secret word” at each stop!

Explorers who collect five or more words are eligible for a special raffle drawing to be held on the Civic Green at 2 p.m. They should return to the Civic Green to turn in their Explorer sheets before the drawing.

Raffle prizes include two sets of tickets to the Ohio State vs. Akron football game Aug. 31. Westerville native and Buckeye great Andy Katzenmoyer and fellow OSU football standout Obie Stillwell, along with current Ohio State Buckeye softball players, will be in attendance.

Supply donations requested

Also as part of the Dora the Explorer Back to School Drive, 24 Uptown businesses are accepting donations to stock the Neighborhood Bridges pantries in district schools. Look for the Dora the Explorer posters in Uptown storefronts, and find collection bins inside the businesses. The collection started July 27 and ends at the conclusion of Ready, Set, Explore! on Aug. 3.

School supplies, personal care items and clothes are requested. Sought are:

• School supply items: pencils/pens, crayons, markers, colored pencils, glue/glue sticks, pencil sharpeners, rulers, scissors, notebooks, binders, composition books, folders, note pads, erasers, Post-its, highlighters, notebook filler paper, math calculators, laptops, hand sanitizer, tissues, pencil boxes, and supply pouches.
• Personal care items: toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, mouthwash, shampoo, conditioner, hair styling products, brushes and combs, deodorant, lotion, feminine hygiene products, shaving cream, razors, bodywash, loofahs, soap, facial cleanser, tissues, cotton rounds, Q-tips, and nail clippers.
• Clothing: New undergarments, sweatpants, leggings and other clothing essentials are needed in a full range of sizes – from kids to adults.

So come on out for some family fun in Uptown Saturday, Aug. 3! Bring the kids to participate in the Ready, Set, Explore! scavenger hunt, and please consider bringing along a donation to the Back to School Drive for Neighborhood Bridges!