500 Kids Celebrate Unity Day in Benton Harbor

More than 500 kids spent a sunny Thursday afternoon proving that community starts with connection.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Southwest Michigan hosted its sixth annual Unity Day at the Benton Harbor Fettig Youth Campus on July 23rd. United Federal Credit Union sponsored the celebration, which has become a summer tradition for young people across the region.

The afternoon transformed the campus into a hub of activity. Kids competed in sports challenges, created sidewalk masterpieces with chalk art, cooled off on water slides, and dove into interactive games designed to bring different groups together.

For many attendees, Unity Day marks the highlight of their summer at the club. Others were experiencing their first day as new members, getting welcomed into a community that keeps growing each year.

"Some of this is a new experience for some kids who haven't been to the club before, so we love welcoming new kids and making them feel welcome," said Sherri Ulleg, VP of Marketing & Communications at Boys & Girls Club. That spirit of inclusion defines what Unity Day aims to accomplish.

The Ripple Effect

The event does more than provide a fun afternoon. Organizers designed Unity Day to celebrate the unique strengths every young person brings while teaching skills that extend far beyond the campus.

Through friendly competition and creative activities, kids build genuine friendships across different backgrounds. They develop leadership abilities by working together and learn what it means to truly belong to something bigger than themselves.

Six years running proves the concept works. The event has grown from a simple gathering to a 500-person celebration that brings together the entire Southwest Michigan youth community for an afternoon focused on what unites rather than divides.

These kids will carry those lessons about unity, belonging, and leadership into their schools, neighborhoods, and eventually into their adult lives. That's how one summer afternoon creates change that lasts generations.