‘Helpmobile’ Visit Later Than Expected Nickelodeon Will Be In Rathdrum Sept. 22

Sat., July 3, 1999

Emily Phillips Staff writer

Nickelodeon’s 60-foot “Big Helpmobile” will roll into Stub Myers Park on Sept. 22, about a month later than the date originally expected.

Nickelodeon, a children’s cable television network, chose a city in every state to visit in its huge vehicle. The Helpmobile will come to Rathdrum after visiting Butte, Mont.

Lance Bridges, city parks supervisor, said he was expecting the Helpmobile in mid-August, when kids wouldn’t be in school, but he is hoping kids still will be able to participate.

“We’ll certainly take a look at the program,” said Ron Schmidt, Lakeland School District assistant superintendent.

Schmidt, Bridges and Rathdrum elementary school principals are discussing the schools’ involvement in the program. The Helpmobile also serves as a lab to teach kids about volunteerism.

Bridges said civic groups, sports teams and individual families can plan to start working on Stub Myers Park on Aug. 14 for “Rathdrum Day.” Bridges said it will be “like an old-fashioned barn-raising party” - a community effort to modernize and improve the park.

“Hopefully, the whole community will come together … in upgrading our one big central park,” he said.

Somebody called Nickelodeon last year to nominate Rathdrum for the Helpmobile visit, but no one seems to know who it was.

“It’s quite a mystery,” Bridges said.

Anyone interested in helping with the park cleanup should call Bridges at 687-2700.

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