The Announcer August 2026

08 26

ALL IN THE

ANNOUNCER An Aendale and S rounding Area Publication

Beyond the Backpack

Preparing for a Safe, Connected School Year!

August Calendar Inside!

Back to School Fair

August 13

M45 Celebration September 19

ALLENDALE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Announcer is delivered to you as a free monthly publication serving Allendale Township. It is brought to you by the Allendale Area Chamber of Commerce.

Scan Me! WEBSITE: www.allendalechamber.org OFFICE HOURS: By Appointment ADS SENT TO: Christie Tidd at allendaleannouncer@gmail.com

2026 Sustaining Partner Circle

Community Easter Egg Hunt at LifeStream Church at 10am

1 1 2, 9 3, 4, 7 3 3, 17 3, 10, 17, 24

92 for 22 March for Veteran Suicide Awareness at the Allendale Park from 8am - 1pm 11th Anniversary Party at Trail Point Brewing from 12 - 10pm RunFIT Leprino M45 Run Training Program with Ivy Rehab at Ivy Rehab from 6:15 - 7:15pm Lunches at the Library - Free lunch 18 years and younger from 11am - 12pm Pringles Taste Test for Teens at the Library at 2pm Allendale Township Planning Commission Meeting from 7 - 9pm Knowlton House Museum Open Hours from 7 - 9pm

4, 18 4 4

Knitting for Allendale at the Library at 11am

5, 19 5 5, 12

1 on 1 Tech Tutoring at the Library at 2pm

6 6 10, 11, 14 10 10, 24 11 12 22 12

Summer Carillon Concerts at GVSU with food trucks from 5 - 7pm Coolers + Concerts at the Allendale Park at 6pm

Touch a Truck at the Library from 6 - 8pm RunFIT Leprino M45 Run Training Program with Ivy Rehab at Ivy Rehab from 6:15 - 7:15pm Creative Dance at the Library at 10am GVSU Pickleball Outing! at the GVSU Tennis Courts at 5:30, registration required Lunches at the Library - Free lunch 18 years and younger from 11am - 12pm The Cozy Reads Book Club at the Library at 1pm Allendale Township Board Meeting at 6pm Blooms in Books at the Library at 6pm, registration required The 9th Annual Summer Summit + Fundraiser at GVSU Alumni House, registration req Allendale Mah American Township JonggBoard GroupMeeting at the Library at the Allendale at 2pm Township Office at 6pm

12 12 13

The Curious + Compassionate Book Club at the Library at 6:30pm

13 13 15

St Luke Food Pantry on 42nd on GVSU campus from 3 - 5pm

16, 19 17, 18, 21 18 20 23, 26

Grand Brunch in collaboration with AARP + GVSU (downtown) registration required Crafted Chaos at the Library at 10am

Allendale Back to School Fair at Allendale Middle School at 5pm Mission Allendale Food Truck at Lighthouse Community Church at 9:30am RunFIT Leprino M45 Run Training Program with Ivy Rehab at Ivy Rehab from 6:15 - 7:15pm Lunches at the Library - Free lunch 18 years and younger from 11am - 12pm Coolers + Concerts at the Allendale Park at 6pm Serial Readers: A True Crime Book Club at Trail Point at 6:30pm RunFIT Leprino M45 Run Training Program with Ivy Rehab at Ivy Rehab from 6:15 - 7:15pm

August Calendar of Events

LOCALEVENTS

*Please check with location or event before attending as information may have changed since publication

Aendale's

23 24, 25, 28 24 24 26 29 29 30 31

Summer Meet Up for Special Needs at Allendale Township Park at 3pm Lunches at the Library - Free lunch 18 years and younger from 11am - 12pm Adult Book Discussion at the Library at 6:30pm Friends of the Library Meeting at the Library at 7:30pm 2026 GVSU Alumni Volunteers Move In Day Diaper Ministry at Valley Church at 10am Mat Pilates at Snap Fitness at 6pm, $15 a person RunFIT Leprino M45 Run Training Program with Ivy Rehab at Ivy Rehab from 6:15 - 7:15pm Knowlton House Museum Open Hours from 7 - 9pm

FOOD

GVSUEVENTS Trail Point: Tues - Sunday Farmhaus Cider: Wed - Sunday

All Community Events: tinyurl.com/37nfn86s

TUE

Baby Storytime at the Library at 10am Summer Carillon Concerts at GVSU with food trucks from 5 - 7pm Trivia at Trail Point Brewing from 7 - 9pm Barre Fit at WM Elite Pom + Dance at 8pm Karaoke at Main St Pub starting at 8:30pm

THR WED

WERQ Fit - Lady Fit at West Michigan Pom + Dance at 8pm Trivia at Main St Pub starting at 8:30pm

FRI

Storytime at the Library at 10am Trail Point Run Club + Vinyl Night at 6pm Knowlton House Museum Open Hours from 7 - 9pm WERQ Fit - Lady Fit at WM Elite Pom + Dance at 8pm

Moms with Moms Group at the Library at 10am Trivia at Embassy Bar and Grill starting at 8pm

SAT

MON

WEEKLYEVENTS

Karaoke at Embassy Bar and Grill starting at 9pm

Senior Fit Time at Allendale Park at 11am, all abilities welcome Run Club at Farmhaus Cider at 6pm Live Music at Main St Pub at 6:30 - 9:30pm Trivia at Farmhaus Cider at 7pm Sculpt and Tone at West Michigan Pom + Dance at 8pm

August Calendar of Events

LOCALEVENTS

*Please check with location or event before attending as information may have changed since publication

Aendale's

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Beyond the Backpack: PREPARING FOR A SAFE, CONNECTED SCHOOL YEAR

Back-to-school season is about more than shopping for backpacks and pencils. As students head back to the classroom, many are also returning to laptops, tablets, and online learning platforms both at school and at home.

Technology has become an important part of education, helping students access assignments, collaborate with classmates, research new topics, and stay connected with teachers. While these tools create incredible opportunities for learning, they also present an opportunity for families to build healthy and safe digital habits As you prepare for the new school year, here are a few simple ways to help set your child up for success online.

CREATE A DEDICATED HOMEWORK SPACE Whether it’s the kitchen table or a quiet corner of the house, having a consistent place to complete homework can help students stay focused. If possible, choose a location with a strong Wi-Fi signal and minimal distractions.

TALK ABOUT ONLINE SAFETY Start the school year by having age-appropriate conversations about internet safety. Remind children not to share personal information online, to use strong passwords, and to tell a trusted adult if they encounter anything that makes them uncomfortable.

ESTABLISH HEALTHY SCREEN-TIME HABITS Technology is an incredible learning tool, but balance is important. Setting screen-time expectations, encouraging breaks, and creating device-free family time can help promote healthy digital habits.

KEEP DEVICES UPDATED Installing software updates and security patches helps keep devices running smoothly while protecting them from potential security risks.

Side Bar: Family Tech Tips SET HOMEWORK HOURS WITH SCHEDULED WI-FI PAUSES. FILTER AGE-APPROPRIATE CONTENT FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN. MONITOR DEVICES CONNECTED TO YOUR HOME NETWORK.

STAY CONNECTED WITH YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL

ENCOURAGE SCREEN-FREE FAMILY TIME EACH EVENING.

Many schools use digital platforms to communicate assignments, announcements, grades, and upcoming events.

Taking a few minutes to familiarize yourself with these tools can help you stay engaged throughout the school year.

HELPING FAMILIES NAVIGATE TECHNOLOGY Every family uses technology a little differently, and finding the right balance between learning, entertainment, and online safety is important.

AcenTek offers tools designed to help parents create healthier online habits and manage their home internet experience with confidence. Features such as screen time controls, the ability to pause internet access during homework or bedtime, content filtering, and connected device monitoring can give parents greater peace of mind.

Through ExperienceIQ and ProtectIQ, AcenTek customers can easily manage screen time, filter age-appropriate content, and add an extra layer of security to help protect the devices connected to their network.

As another school year begins, we wish all students, parents, teachers, and school staff a successful year filled with learning, growth, and new opportunities.

Here’s to a safe, connected, and successful school year!

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