(Manchester Police Officer Adam Marois and Manchester Salvation Army Youth Officer Beth Russell, taking time out for a photo between kids’ activities.)

The Gym is Open!

Kids program every Wednesday at Manchester Salvation Army

MANCHESTER - As the summer temperatures rise, parents wonder how to occupy their children with meaningful activities. Well, The Salvation Army of Manchester, located at 661 Main Street, has an open gym program for children ages 6 to 12 every Wednesday morning. Officer Adam Marois, from the Manchester Police Department, comes faithfully each week to interact with the children. He can be seen in his uniform playing dodgeball with the kids or organizing them for many other fun activities. Adam enjoys eating with the children and serves them lunch every time they meet. Last week, one of the children wondered, if when she completed an activity, whether she could get a ride in his patrol car!

Officer Marois, Beth Russell, and several other volunteers have been helping the children since August 2014 when the program first began. Beth is the Youth Officer at The Salvation Army, while Adam attends the Manchester Church of the Nazarene and has been a police officer for seven years. Beth and other church members of The Salvation Army started the youth program last August to help the children enjoy a safe and structured time with friendly adult role models. Adam commented about his involvement, "I immensely appreciate the opportunity to play with the children and converse with them one on one. They are obviously able to relate to the police more openly and I am also able to influence their young lives in such a positive manner."