Derby--Fall Harvest Military Family Day, Sept. 24 in Derby, offers a fun opportunity for military families to enjoy a free day of outdoor activities. The event will take place rain or shine.

Family Day will be held at Coutts Moriarty Camp, the former 4-H summer camp located on Lake Salem, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is sponsored by Operation: Military Kids (OMK), a University of Vermont Extension 4-H program, and open to all families with a parent or guardian in the Vermont National Guard or armed services. Non-military families may participate for $10 per family.

Kids and their parents will have a chance to challenge themselves on the low or high ropes course, scale a 30-foot climbing wall, go off-road biking on the pump bike track and play basketball. One of the highlights is the zipline with its "holy cow swing." Younger kids will enjoy the playground.

Free food and beverages will be available all day onsite. Participants also will gather to brainstorm ideas for future OMK events and programs.

To register, contact OMK Regional Coordinator Lindsay Jones at (802) 751-8310, ext. 357, or (800) 545-8920 (toll-free in Vermont) or by e-mail at lindsay.jones@uvm.edu by Sept. 16. Anyone requiring disability-related accommodations to participate also should contact Jones by that date.

OMK is a national program that brings together community partners to provide programs, camps and activities for military kids to teach leadership, citizenship and life skills. UVM Extension 4-H coordinates the program in Vermont in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture National 4-H program and the U.S. Army Child, Youth and School Services.

For information about Vermont OMK and upcoming activities, visit www.operationmilitarykids.org or www.facebook.com/OMKVermont.