Something to Do
By Albert B. Kelly
When it comes to summer
and kids, it’s really all about what you choose to do with your kids. I say
that, because quite frankly, I get tired of hearing people complain that
there’s nothing to do in our greater Bridgeton area. I think it’s a case of not
always seeing the forest from the trees; or at least not considering the
various activities and opportunities available in our community.
With that in mind, I want
to challenge the naysayers (and everyone in between) this coming weekend (August
22nd, 23rd, and 24th) with a sports festival
in City Park; this in addition to the RiverFest and CrabFest that will be
taking place on Saturday.
For the record, this will
be our first effort in developing our own sports festival (Greater Bridgeton
Area SportFest) similar to those in other parts of the country. This is part of
working to put our best foot forward; inviting one and all to come and
participate in the SportsFest over 3 days and to check out the
RiverFest-CrabFest on Saturday.
This sports festival is
the brainchild of two dedicated community volunteers; Jerry Young and Terry
Gould who started the Tri-City Boxing program several years ago; something they
did on their own time and their own dime. And while the festival will certainly
feature boxing, there will be a whole host of activities for all ages and
interests.
Our first-ever sports
extravaganza will literally have something for everyone; from hula hooping to
Zumba and bike races, to softball, double-dutch, footraces, and horseshoes, to
name but a few. It is an event for the entire family and it is a forerunner to
what we hope will be a much larger festival in 2015. So this year is about
getting started, planning, trial and error and ironing out the kinks.
Considering the dozens of
volunteers who have stepped up to put the SportsFest together, the whole
“there’s- nothing-to-do” mantra is little more than a slap in the face to those
who give of their time and talent to make things happen…to make our city a
place to be.
Have you ever walked
through the park and witnessed the young midget-league football teams
practicing and the men who are running them through their paces? Have you been
to the Bridgeton Invitational Baseball Tournament and witnessed the men and
woman who work the refreshment stand and take care of the ball field?
I encourage you to travel
down to the Cohanzick Zoo, the only free municipal zoo in the state, and take
note of the improvements- all courtesy of the Cohanzick Zoo Society; a
dedicated group of volunteers who care deeply about our zoo and the community’s
enjoyment of it. And while you’re at the zoo, check out the Splash Park, with a
weekly attendance of 1,100 visitors.
There’s Code Blue and the
volunteers who provide food and warmth to the homeless. There are the donations
from our local MacDonald’s and other corporate sponsors that let us provide
book bags and school supplies to hundreds of students in need. There’s Bridge
the Gap’s “Fun in the Son” event in our park with adult volunteers and dozens
of kids. There’s Vacation Bible Schools from our churches and Revive South
Jersey’s program at Bridgeton Villas.
I get that we’re an
impoverished community according to a lot of measures; but that doesn’t mean we
have to think impoverished thoughts and settle for it. We need not hold up
deficiencies as if they’re the only thing to see.
We have our full-time
critics who offer only criticism with no solutions; who ask only questions but provide
no answers. So be it, we won’t be defined by our deficiencies or the critics;
not when we see those who volunteer and invest themselves in the community. They’re
reaching for our best; leaning toward what we will become- not focused on what
we lack.
The weekend will start at
Alden Field on Friday (August 22nd) as we kick things off with a
short program thanking volunteers in our community. If you volunteer in any capacity;
please come out so we can recognize you for your hard work.
For those who think there’s
nothing to do, come out and enjoy our festivals and meet a lot of great people
who know there’s a lot of good stuff happening in Bridgeton.