Courtesy Photo Jim Mott displays some of the sports items donated at Grow Sports Day, when it was first held five years ago. Grow Sports Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Alpena Farmers’ Market.

ALPENA — Donate new and used sports equipment to a good cause on Saturday, and learn about youth sports opportunities, at Grow Sports Day at the Alpena Farmers’ Market.

Held in conjunction with the Antique and Rummage Sale, Grow Sports Day is meant to promote participation in sports programs in our community. It is especially geared toward youth programs, but promoting exercise and activity for both youth and adults is the goal.

Donated items will be given directly to the appropriate sports program that will be represented at the event. More than 20 sports groups will be there to sign people up and provide more information about what they offer.

“It makes it convenient to have them all in one place,” said Alpena Farmers’ Market President J.B. Cook.

That’s in addition to at least 10 rummage/antiques vendors and 30 farmers’ market vendors, open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. If you have rummage or antiques to donate, you can bring them to the fundraiser tent, and all profits from those items will go toward growing sports programs. The $20 vendor fee for antique and rummage vendors will also go toward sports programs.

The event was held for the first time five years ago, according to Cook. Now is the time to bring it back, he said, “because of the hit our sports took with COVID,” and all the cancellations that happened during 2020.

“We want the money to go toward starter programs,” Cook explained, giving the example of the Thunder Bay Basketball Association for students in grades 3 to 6. He’s talking about local programs, not pay-to-play travel teams.

“We’re trying to get kids involved and adults involved in sports,” Cook said. “We want to get them more exercise,” he added, but that’s not all. He pointed to “the team experience” and “setting goals” as two valuable aspects of being in sports.

The Huron Humane Society will be selling donated items as a fundraiser for their group. Ethan O’Brien from Bobbing for Piranhas will be playing live at the event.

Northland Area Federal Credit Union is sponsoring the event.

“It’s part of our health and nutritional incentive program,” Cook said.

He added that part of a $4,000 Youth and Recreation Grant is making it possible to put on this year’s event.

Nowicki’s will have its food truck at the event, and is donating 20% of sales to youth sports programs.

MidMichigan Health will be giving out free youth bike helmets.

New and gently used sports items will be accepted, such as baseball gloves, football cleats, ice skates, golf clubs, bicycles, bike helmets, and anything that will help get kids moving.

The Alpena Farmers’ Market is located at Mich-e-ke-wis Park, 1302 S. State Ave.