Children will get a chance to be a part of history next week at the Youth Museum in Marietta. Visitors will dress in costumes from the American Revolution era and act in skits for a personal history lesson.

The one-hour historical program includes a puppet show on the life of Benjamin Franklin. Families and groups are welcome Tuesday-Aug. 1. Admission is $7.

The Marietta and Cobb school systems opened the children's museum 35 years ago to teach children history through role-playing and hands-on history.

Information: 8:30 a.m.-noon, Monday-Friday at 770-427-2563. The museum is 3 miles west of the Marietta Square at 649 Cheatham Hill Drive in Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.

—-Tucker McQueen

Kennesaw recycles plastic, aluminum

Kennesaw's efforts to be clean and green paid off during its July 4 celebration.

The city collected 377 pounds of plastic and aluminum for recycling.

The trailer and carts to pick up the recyclables are part of the "away from home" recycling grant package from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs Office of Environmental Management.

Kennesaw is one of 35 communities in the state to receive the grant worth about $15,000.

"The equipment received through this grant," City Councilman John Dowdy said, "will help us improve our efforts to keep event areas clean, beautiful and trash free, and to keep recyclable materials out of the landfill."

Information: 770-424-8274, or visit www.kennesaw-ga.gov/green.

—- Karen Rosen

Hospital auxiliary seeks volunteers

The Northside Hospital-Cherokee Auxiliary is looking for volunteers.

People who are outgoing and friendly and can commit to at least one shift per week will serve in these positions: receptionists and greeters for families, visitors and staff in the main lobby, Emergency Department and Same-Day Surgery; patient wheelchair/discharge and transport person; golf cart drivers; and computer-savvy individuals for medical records and data entry.

In 2007, Cherokee Auxiliary volunteers gave more than 12,000 hours of service to the hospital and community and raised more than $25,000 for hospital and community projects.

Information: call 770-720-5282 for an application.

—- Karen Rosen

Special Needs Field ceremony set

The Special Needs Development Group and the city of Acworth will hold a ground-breaking ceremony for construction of the Special Needs Field on Saturday at 10:15 a.m.

The ceremony will be held at the future site of the field at the Acworth Sports Complex, 4000 S. Main St. Eight teams take the field at 9 a.m.

Information: RSVP by calling 770-917-1234 or e-mail mwilliams@acworth.org.

—- Karen Rosen

Expo collects tons of food donations

The Rite Aid Health and Beauty Expo at the Cobb Galleria Centre collected 14,526 pounds of donated food for the Atlanta Community Food Bank.

The event, which featured free health screenings, celebrities and health and beauty giveaways, was free with a non-perishable food donation.

Bill Bolling, executive director and founder of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, said the food collected equates to 9,684 meals for families and individuals in need. Rite Aid operates 161 stores in the Atlanta metro area.

—- Karen Rosen