All good things have to come to an end – and the summer of 2002 is rapidly winding down.
Before the kids head off to school and before Labor Day weekend approaches, the Weehawken Recreation Department held its third annual "Summer of the Century" Field Day at Weehawken Stadium Wednesday night, an event that brought out nearly 750 youngsters of all ages to participate in the games of chance and fun.
There were several games for the youngsters to enjoy, with prizes galore to be awarded. There were other fun activities that made the children laugh and smile, like a water balloon toss and a bean bag toss. There was a Super Soaker game, which originally was intended to see whether the participant could knock down water bottles with the gun, but evolved into kids shooting each other with the water blasters.
Just pure, clean, safe fun – the perfect way to end a perfect summer.
"It was the last of our organized activities," said Donna Daly, a recreation supervisor and coordinator. "This was our really big-time event. There was a lot of planning. We had a lot of events going on at the same time and we had a lot of kids there. The kids got so excited, so things tend to get a little chaotic. Especially with the three-legged race. We couldn’t tie their legs together fast enough, before they wanted to run off. It took a lot of team work. We just couldn’t do it all."
The children were also treated to hot dogs, watermelon and soft drinks, which were quickly dispensed and gobbled up.
"We ran out of hot dogs and we had about 40 pounds," Daly said. "We had 15 watermelons and they were gone. And we went through a lot of soda."
The children were awarded with plush toy animals and inflatable beach balls as prizes this year. Last year, they won inflatable bats and hammers, but they quickly became weapons, hitting each other over the heads once they were blown up.
"We learned our lesson," Daly laughed. "No more hammers."
The three-legged race was very popular. So was the water balloon toss, which also turned a little crazy, when the object of the game was slightly altered to a water balloon war.
"The kids started whipping balloons at each other, but it was all in fun," Daly said. "I think they like to get wet."
Especially when the temperature hovers around 90 degrees.
"They all had so much fun," Daly said. "It really was fun to watch."
The tug-of-war was also a joy to see, a "Battle of the Sexes" with the boys battling the girls. The youngsters grabbed the rope with all their might and the looks of determination were priceless.
Not only were the children happy with the evening’s festivities, but their parents were more than elated as well.
"It was a very good way to end the summer, and I was very happy with it," said Agnes Annese, who has two sons, Joseph, age 10, and 6-year-old Frank. "My boys both had a very good time. They were hanging out with their friends and they had a lot to do. I think it’s important to have something like that in a safe environment, because all the kids were safe and in the same place. From the toddlers all the way up to teenagers, they all had a great time. It was a great way for them to get together. The parents socialize and the kids play."
Michele Denfeld agreed, as she attended with her daughters, 2-year-old Grace and 5-year-old Alyssa.
"They had a lot of fun, seeing their friends and winning prizes," Denfeld said. "That’s what it’s all about, a chance to win prizes. I think the town does a great job in bringing everyone together. They always try to do nice things for the kids. I think that’s a great thing."
Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner was pleased with the performance of his Recreation Department, not just the end of the summer celebration, but for the entire summer.
"We had a great summer," Turner said. "The parks were full, there were plenty of activities and there were no complaints from anyone. It was a long, hot summer, but there were a lot of activities to keep everyone active and happy."
Added Turner, "As it winds down, everyone is a little tired, but for a good reason. The kids are ready to go back to school. All of our workers did a great job. The summer was long and hot, but very good."