Summer Send Off on Saturday

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Feel like you didn’t have much of a summer this year? There will be a “Summer Send Off Community Block Party” from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday in the parking lot of the Delaware Community Center YMCA and Ohio Army National Guard Training Center, 1121 S. Houk Road.

“We feel like we should have a specific way to say bye to summer, and with school starting back up, football season starting off, and everybody kind of getting into their fall routine, we figured it’s the perfect time of year,” said Matt Kifle, membership director at the YMCA.

Other Y branches throughout the country have had similar Send Offs, and Kifle said he was previously part of a successful Send Off in Columbus.

“We were talking about it and we were like we would really love to have an event geared around the community, especially with there being so many neighborhoods right around the corner from the Y, and people being able to walk or ride over on their bikes,” Kifle said.

The inaugural event will be a unique collaboration.

“This is going to be our first big event with the Y, the city of Delaware and the Ohio Army National Guard all three headlining the event,” Kifle said.

City fire and police department vehicles, as well as military vehicles, will be lined up in the parking lot to view. Also on the blacktop will be several food trucks, including Dan’s Deli and Kona Ice. There’s also a dance floor, disc jockey and music competition.

There will also be several information tables set up, Kifle said.

“The Y wants to help increase awareness of chronic diseases, and talk about programs for youth, teens and adults.

The soccer fields will be used for inflatable toys, a soccer shoot-out competition, giant obstacle courses and carnival games like life-size Jenga, Plinko and Twister. In addition, there will be a raffle and door prizes.

City Manager Tom Homan and Assistant City Manager Jackie Walker touted the Send Off at the most recent meeting of City Council.

“We’re really ecstatic at the overwhelming support we’ve received from everybody in the Delaware community so that it can happen,” Kifle said. “We want as many people to come out as possible. It’s going to be a really neat event.”

Admission is free. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/DelawareYMCA or call 740-203-3051.

YMCA Block Party planned

By Gary Budzak

[email protected]

Nearby the Y

  • City Manager Tom Homan recently announced he signed the contract for the construction of the Veterans Memorial Plaza between the YMCA and the Ohio Army National Guard Training Center. Depending on the weather, it may be dedicated as early as Veterans Day, Nov. 11.
  • At its meeting Monday, City Council took no action on a resolution naming the street Veterans Park and the Community Center YMCA are on to Veterans Drive. While there was no objection to the name, council members wondered if the street could be named after a specific veteran from Delaware.

Gary Budzak may be reached at 740-413-0904 or on Twitter @GaryBudzak.

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