Kids and adults from all over town made their way to Downtown Newton on Saturday for food and summer fun at the first annual Community Youth Day hosted by Chief McKenzie Patrick and the Newton Police Department.
Taking place on the grass lot located between Third and Fourth Street in Newton, the fun included inflatable water slides, a gaming bus, a dunk booth, and plenty of food offerings such as hamburgers, hot dogs, and snow cones. The dunking booth, in particular, was a popular draw, with kids and adults alike taking turns trying to dunk Mayor Jay Powell and Ward 2 Alderman David Pitts.
“For our 1st annual Community Youth Day, we had a really good turnout,” said Chief McKenzie. “We had a lot of kids and adults that came out and enjoyed themselves. And we had our mayor and members of the board out here interacting with the community. I think it was a successful day!”
Patrick said that he has more plans in store for the next year’s Youth Day, including more fun for everyone. He added that he’s also got some other ideas in mind to help the police department connect with the community.
“We want our youth, and community, to know that the police are here for them. A lot of people see police as robots, and we just want them to see that we’re human just like them,” said Patrick. “In our community, there’s a lot of healing that’s needed, and getting out here into the community is our way of trying out best to bridge that gap.”
