A little bit of inclement weather won’t keep the community down.

Lisa Lyons, founder of Kids Like Us, announced the community center has rescheduled their Summer Fest event at Covered Bridge Park for Friday, July 27.

While the previous endeavor was postponed due to rain, Lyons added the makeup date will feature the same level of activities for attendees.

“We have inflatables for kids, face painting, games, food and Fortress will be the entertainment for the evening,” Lyons said. “Our young adults will also be assisting during the event.”

The cost for the event is $10 per person and $25 per family with all proceeds going to help the operation of the facility, which is located on Rogosin Drive in Elizabethton and serves children and young adults with special needs throughout the Tri-Cities.

Since opening this year, the facility has done its part to give back to the community in a variety of ways, especially over the summer, with an installment of summer camps.

“We have had five summer camps this summer and still have two more to go,” Lyons said. “New faces are coming each time.”

Starting Monday, the campers will go through a community safety camp that allows students to give back to local emergency personnel in Carter County and Elizabethton.

“Following that camp, we will have another titled ‘let’s give back’ and our campers will be doing different projects for the public,” Lyons said. “They will be making homeless bags and cancer blankets in support of one of our own.”

Lyons said the project is to recognize the efforts of resident Cathy Sanders.

“She continues to show her love and support for the center along with her husband, Ivan, even though she is going through her own struggles. We appreciate her and her family for what they’ve done for the center.”

Kids Like Us’ main purpose is to serve the entire population by raising awareness and educational opportunities for all when it comes to living with special needs. Lyons noted that her grandson, Caleb Waters, has also been impacted during this time and continues to show his support for the students at the center.

“He’s stopped by the center and helped with the kids several times and loves being with them,” Lyons said. “He told me when he ‘got grown’ that he would take care of Justin, my son with autism, for me when I got ‘old and couldn’t’ … it really is amazing to see the love. He has the patience and a gift when he is with them and never judges them or thinks of them being different. I am so proud of him and thankful he is such a mentor for others. That is what we want to continue to see happening at the center.”

Opportunities to help the center are readily available, Lyons added. To learn more, visit the Kids Like Us Community Learning Center Facebook page.