Events of Wednesday, July 1, 20120

Salvation Army Food Pantry.  The Salvation Army of Jackson County Food Pantry Hours:  Regular Pantry Hours are 10 am-noon and 1-2 pm Monday through Thursday.  Food Boxes are available every 30 days.*In an emergency food may be provided from 2-4:30 pm -please call ahead – 517-782-7185.  The Fresh Food Initiative (FFI) starts July 13 and is every Monday from 9-10:30 am -through September 28. FFI is closed on Labor Day.  FFI is available to any one in need – please bring ID.

Explore The Trail System in Jackson.  Trails walking, hiking and biking are only a few of the ways you can make use of Jackson’s abundance of trails. Jackson’s trails give you a hundred great excuses to get out and experience nature in its purest form.

 Falling Waters Trail, an integral part of the statewide proposed Iron-Belle and Great Lake to Lake Trails. Placed where Michigan Central Railroad once stood, the Falling Waters Trail is a 10.6-mile linear park connecting the Village of Concord to the City of Jackson.  Next, the Falling Waters Trail continues for 3.4 miles as the Martin Luther King Equality Trail, formerly the Inter-City Trail, from Jackson’s Weatherwax Drive to Morrell Street. And finally, the Grand River Arts Walk leads walkers, joggers and cyclists from Downtown Jackson through the Arts District and onto Monroe Street.

Waterloo Recreation Area, the largest state park in the lower peninsula, contains enough trails to last a lifetime. 47 miles of hiking trails,12 miles of interpretive nature trails, and another 12 miles of equestrian trails are all nestled within 20,000 acres of protected forest.

The MacCready Reserve, south of town, includes 6.5 miles of dog-friendly trails among 400 acres of lush forest environment.

The Dahlem provides five miles of diverse trails. Walk among forests, fields, marshes and ponds, including a ⅜-mile trail for those with limited mobility, called the “The Nature For All Trail”. Trails are open year-round.