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Community Corner

June Brings Twilight Swims, Introduces a Trails Experience

Events appealing to a variety of interests help make our outdoors a healthy and enjoyable part of our parks around Ellisville and Ballwin this month.

June brings twilight swims, a race for awareness and a trail challenge to fitness lovers in Ballwin and Ellisville

Both cities are sponsoring evening swims for a mix of entertainment and fitness.  Ballwin’s “Twilight Swim” is next scheduled for 8 to 10 p.m. on June 18 at the North Pointe Aquatic Center

Special Twilight Swim nights also are scheduled to feature fundraising activities, including a "Duck Swim" to help raise money for the Ballwin Historical Society. Residents with a current ID card pay $4, with non-residents only paying a dollar more. If you’ve got a Pointe Plus card or pool pass, entry is free.

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Also, on Fridays Ballwin will have “Family Floats” where any floatation device will be allowed, and root beer floats will be offered for $2.

Ellisville has a similar event called “Swimming Under the Stars.” It takes place 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, June 24 at the EDGE Aquatic Center in Bluebird Park. This event is free to pool pass members, and costs $2 for non-pool pass members.

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If you prefer to stay on land, two interesting activities are coming up. The Second Annual Beca’s Five is being held at Queeny Park on Saturday, June 25 starting at 7:30 a.m. The run is in memory of Rebeca Campos, a young woman who was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma, a malignant cancer.

This walk and “fun run” raised more than $20,000 and had nearly 400 participants in 2010, its inaugural year. Campos only recently passed away, and the organizers hope to have even more community support this year.

“Beca felt passionately about raising awareness and saving lives from this aggressive skin cancer,” said Rita Julien, one of the organizers. “We are honored to carry forward her legacy in this worthwhile effort, and every amount of support is vital.”

For a continuing outdoor challenge, the Open Space Council launched a year-long program this past Saturday, also National Trails Day. The program is called the Passport to Meramec River Trails, and features six trails along the river.

The trails all are within a short distance of the Ballwin-Ellisville area, including the Al Foster Memorial Trail at , and trails in surrounding areas like Sunset Hills, Fenton and Kirkwood.

“Passports” can be obtained at Castlewood State Park, at , and at other participating municipalities. When all six trails are completed by a participant within the year, the participant will receive a water bottle and a one-year Open Space Council membership.

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