Parks program drawing about 100 kids daily at Albion in first week

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – These kids play GaGa Ball at Bullard Park today on a busy day for the Village of Albion’s Summer Recreation Program. About 100 kids were there for games and other activities.

With GaGa Ball, players hit a ball rolling on the ground with their hands, trying to get another player out who’s hit with the ball and don’t catch it.

This is the first week of the summer recreation program at Bullard.

It runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday until Aug. 4. There is no charge, but children must be registered, which can be done at the park. Once the immunization records are turned in, each child will receive a free Park Recreation T-shirt. The village already has given out 75 shirts and will be ordering 50 more.

Amari Jones, one of the park supervisors, eludes one of the kids in a game of chase.

New this year are some snacks and water provided by Foodlink in Rochester. John Grillo, the recreation director, said Recreation Committee member Annette Finch made the connection with Foodlink to have the snacks, including bananas, available for kids. The Albion Masonic Lodge holds the food and brings it over each day.

Grillo said parents and guardians are encouraged to pack a lunch for the kids. The snacks and water are just to supplement those lunches.

On Friday, the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries will be providing pizza for the kids at the park.

These kids wait under the big bucket of water at the Splash Pad.

The water comes crashing down on the kids, to their delight.

Park supervisor Faith Bennett, left in yellow, and Nikki Creasey lead these kids in playing Simon Says. A new pavilion is under construction at Bullard.

Hailey Crawford, left, and Parker play a game of Connect Four at the pavilion.

Faith Bennett leads these kids in an egg racing game. They tried to keep the egg on a spoon and see who could go the fastest.

Hailey Crawford and Nick Andrews, park supervisors, join this group of kids on the swings.

Next week the recreation program will be offering a tennis camp at the Albion Central School from 10 a.m. to about 11:30 a.m.