The warmer weather of spring makes it a great time to gather and celebrate the holidays, nature or general positivity of the season. As such, spring events take many forms with plenty of opportunity to host unique programming.
A popular event for the Yorktown, Virginia, community is the annual Victory Egg Drop put together by the Victory Family YMCA, a branch of the YMCA of the Virginia Peninsulas, and Victory Church. During this event, families are invited to enjoy fun activities, a visit from the Easter bunny and food trucks. But the main attraction? A helicopter that drops thousands of eggs from the sky.
“We operate in boxes,” said Paul Parzik, the center executive of the Victory Family YMCA. “We have lovely facilities and have a vision of putting on great programming inside of it. But it’s just a vehicle for your mission. Our mission is in the community.”
The event gets the area involved with the local Y, the church operating it and the city hall offering up parking space on the busy day. Anyone from the community can join up to a certain number because of safety precautions. There are also separate sections for toddlers, school-age and young adolescents at the event to ensure everyone has a fair shot when grabbing the eggs.
“Pastoral leadership at the church believes in collaborations and the power of serving better together just like us,” said Parzik. “We can do more together rather than operating from unique silos. We do this because we don’t think to do otherwise. In reality, we’re all the same community.”
Here are a few other ways community rec centers are encouraging members to appreciate what the season has to offer:
Eric Snow Family YMCA
Canton, Ohio
The Eric Snow Family YMCA, a branch of the YMCA of Central Stark County, is celebrating the Kentucky Derby with their third annual Derby Downtown happening on Saturday, May 4.
This fundraising event will have a special viewing of the 150th greatest two minutes in sports along with bourbon tasting, jazz music, and silent and live auctions. Members can enjoy the evening and dress up to the theme while supporting the Y’s mission and programming.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Bloomington
Bloomington, Indiana
On April 6, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bloomington hosted a Spring Fling dance that was Barbie-themed. The event brought young girls and their father figures together to attend a night of sparkly dresses, dancing, fun activities and more. Greater community members were invited and the event was free.
The Boys & Girls Clubs also partnered with a local boutique where attendees could shop for dresses and shoes before the event to make the experience even more special.
Dallas Aaron Family JCC
Dallas, Texas
The Dallas JCC hosted various programming to celebrate Earth Day on April 16. Activities include a yoga class, a meditation workshop, live music and more. The event takes place outside to appreciate the beauty of nature.
On April 17, the J is partnered with a local company to offer a free way for members to dispose of paper documents in celebration of Earth Day. This method ensures material with potentially important information is disposed of in a secure way that’s safe for the environment.
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