United Way Blazes Trails to Success

Born Learning Trails encourage early childhood development

Lauren Fisher |

Born Learning Trail at Lakeshore Park, Eau Claire
Born Learning Trail at Lakeshore Park, Eau Claire

Early childhood learning takes place all the time, everywhere you go. To emphasize and encourage early childhood development, the United Way of the Greater Chippewa Valley installed 11 Born Learning trails in Eau Claire and Chippewa counties this summer. These trails feature interactive activities for parents and children to do together to aid in language, social, observational, kinesthetic, and emotional development.

The trails were created with the help of local sponsors and volunteers. More than 110 volunteers performed more than 300 hours of labor to bring the vision to life, according to Kathy Cooper, project organizer and volunteer coordinator of the Successful Children’s Network.

“It brings out the community involvement and encourages early childhood development, and any time we can do both, that’s a great success,” Cooper said. United Way plans to expand on this project by installing two more trails next summer.

CHIPPEWA COUNTY

Bloomer
North City Park
2640 Ninth Ave.

Cadott
Riverview Park
Park Place Road

Chippewa Falls
Irvine Park
Wolfe Drive

Cornell
Brunet Falls Park
Corner of Main Street and North Fifth Street

Lake Hallie
Hallie Ball Park
4902 117th St.

New Auburn
New Auburn Park
Park Street

Stanley
Chapman Park (on trail west of lake)
West Fourth Street


EAU CLAIRE COUNTY

Altoona
10th Street Park
Corner of 10th Street West and Hayden Avenue

Augusta
Library Reading Garden
113 N. Stone St.

Eau Claire
Near Lakeshore Shelter and Skateboard Plaza on Half Moon Lake
900 Broadway St.

Fairchild
Fairchild Village Park
Corner of East Main Street and South Center Street