Monday, September 27, 2010


A Day of Play

Screams of laughing kids running, jumping, bouncing and playing throughout Cherry Park could be heard from a far Saturday.
Rock Hill was named Playful City USA by the national non-profit organization, KaBOOM, which wants every child to have a place to play near their homes. The only other city in S.C., to be named was Spartanburg.
Rock Hill held the first festival of play on Saturday to celebrate the award.
Marissa Leppamaki, 33, said that she got a phone call from her son’s school telling her about the festival. She brought her two young sons out to Cherry Park for the celebration. She said that her son’s favorite activity since arriving was the trash pick-up.
There were many activities set-up throughout the park for kids to be able to do. Kids were able to bounce in an inflatable bounce-house and jump from a small trampoline to flip and roll onto a mat.
The Fire Department was out with the fire truck and a fire house that was filled with smoke, so kids could crawl through to find their way out. The bookmobile truck was out for kids to be able to go in and check-out books.
One side of the park was set-up with games for kids to do like frisbee throwing, big ball volleyball, hula-hoops, badminton and more.
Jennifer Wood, 30, said that her kids were having fun as long as the mascot stayed away from them. Wood said that the festival would be a good way to wear her son out.
Older kids got to sing Karaoke in one booth that was set-up.
Another side of Cherry Park was set-up with many different booths that was sponsored by different organizations in Rock Hill. Some booths gave out cups, pencils, tattoos and much more. Many booths had games for the kids to play such as bean bag toss, banana toss, corn-hole, and recycle trash pick-up.
Karolyn Mobley, 36, who arrived later during the festival said that the favorite thing her kids will probably enjoy doing would be the bounce-house that was set-up. Mobley said that she had nine kids all together and they liked to go to the park to play and to the YMCA.
There was a musical play called Seussical put on by the Rock Hill Community Theatre. Employees from scarowinds were even out dressed in costume to give a little fright to the kids.
All activities were free for the kids to be able to do.




Different Organizations that joined the city in celebration

Back The Pack
Lead Awareness Program
Piedmont Medical Center
YMCA
Olive Garden
Rock Hill Recycling
McCelvey Center
Founders
All on Board Coalition
Piedmont PRIDE DARE to SHARE
The Hands of Mercy Inc.
Rock Hill Community Theatre
NutriLite
Museum of York County
Mary Kay
Rock Hill Fire Department
York County Library

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