Three hundred children and their parents enjoyed learning and seeing emergency response vehicles, learning about beekeeping, and playing in bouncy houses at the 10th annual “Kids’ Fun Day.” The event hosted by the Bristol, Tenn., Adventurer and Pathfinder Clubs took place at the Sugar Hollow Park in neighboring Bristol, Va.
Gary Johnson, Pathfinder leader, contacted the Parks and Recreation Department of Bristol to secure a section of the park, and early Sunday morning, the volunteers set up signs, registration area, and the canopies and tables to house the learning stations.
Each child who attended was registered and given a passport to carry with them throughout the day. At each station, the children and their parent/guardian would listen to the short presentation at each station, and after the child received four stamps on their passport, they went into one of five bounce houses/slides, rode on the Thomas Train, and/or got their face painted by the best artist around. They then learned some other things and got to play some more.
The day was perfect for the event with sunny skies and the occasional cloud to give some relief from the heat.
This year, the police, sheriff’s department, SWAT team truck, fire engines, and an emergency truck manned by EMTs were stations that each child passed through to learn how each department serves the community to keep everyone safe.
In the main area other stations included music, beekeeping, woodworking, health emphasis with the Virginia Health Department, blood pressure screenings, information on music camps for children, and more. E.W. Dempsy, Georgia-Cumberland Conference health ministries director, led the “Let’s Move” program, where children did agility activities. The Pathfinders’ booth had rope-making demonstrations and a nature exhibit where everyone learned that God created Heaven and Earth in only six days, and rested on the seventh day. The Christian Motorcycle Association prayed for attendees who requested prayer. Matt Hallam, pastor, and his wife, Lila, also handed out invitations to the church’s upcoming Vacation Bible School program.
The partnerships with area non-profit organizations received positive feedback, said organizers, whose hope is to continue building relationships in the community.
Georgia-Cumberland | July 2024
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