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Washington Evening Journal
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Fall Family Fun Fest
WASHINGTON — To help local families say goodbye to summer and hello to fall, the YMCA of Washington County held its first Fall Family Fun Fest on Saturday afternoon.
The YMCA organized competitive games, face painting and offered open house tours to those interested in seeing the new facility. The Y's Men's group offered hot dog and hamburger meals throughout the afternoon.
Terri Hartzler, branch manager of the Y, said she hopes to make the Fun Fest an annual event.
'We thought it would be a fun way to get more families together, participate in things, not just for the kids but mom and dad to get in there and play with them,' she said.
Hartzler added that because the Y was unable to have its open house event for the new facility due to the coronavirus pandemic, they decided to offer opportunities to tour the facility for anyone who was interested.
Tamera Alexander, the school-age program director for the Y who helped organize the Fun Fest, said it was fun to see kids she interacts with outside of work. She said having kids programming is important because the Y 'is an inclusive building.'
'There's things for everyone to do here. We're open all the time, anyone can come and sign up for different programs and classes,' she said.
Erin Kaufman, a member of the Y, brought her two young daughters to enjoy the event.
'It's a way to support the community and a fun thing to do on a beautiful day,' she said.
Olivia, Kaufman's 5-year-old daughter, said she was excited to participate in the three-legged race and get her face painted with a purple butterfly.
'Purple is my favorite color,' Olivia said.
Connie Smith, who attended the event with her daughters, said it was a great way to get out on a Saturday afternoon and 'get [her kids] moving.'
'The kids go to the Y. They were really excited,' she said.
Mizael Nino, who enjoyed a hot dog after the first round of games, said his favorite competition was trash can pong.
'I liked throwing the ball into the bucket,' he said.
'I hope they do this again next year.'
Aubrey Smith, 6, participates in the YMCA of Washington County's morning and afternoon programs for kids. Smith attended the Fall Family Fun Fest on Saturday with her sister and mom and dad where she competed in various games including trash can pong. (Ashley Duong/The Union)
The Washington YMCA hosted its first Fall Family Fun Fest on Saturday afternoon. The athletic facility organized competitive games for family and kids. (Ashley Duong/The Union)
Connie Smith brought her daughters to the Y's Fall Family Fun Fest on Saturday afternoon. Smith participated in the afternoon of fun during the egg toss. (Ashley Duong/The Union)
At the Y's Fall Family Fun Fest, kids and adults alike competed in games including an egg run relay. David Messer carefully carried the raw egg to his teammate on the yard in front of the atheltic complex. (Ashley Duong/The Union)
In addition to games and food, the Y offered face painting for kids at its Fall Family Fun Fest on Saturday. Dexter Rich (left) and Macy Mullins (right) had fun transforming into animals with their face paintings. (Ashley Duong/The Union)
Erin Kaufman (right), a member of the Y, brought her daughters Olivia (left) and Carly to the Y's Fall Family Fun Fest on Saturday afternoon. At the first competition of the day, Erin helped her daughters get ready for the three-legged race. (Ashley Duong/The Union)
Mizael Nino said his favorite game to participate in during the Y's Fall Family Fun Fest was the trash can pong. Nino said he hopes the Y continues to hold the event in subsequent years. (Ashley Duong/The Union)
Leilani Nino was one of the first Fall Family Fun Fest participants to get her face painted. At the event held by the Y on Saturday afternoon, families and kids were invited for a day of fun, which included food and competitive games. (Ashley Duong/The Union)
