YMCA holds costume party
HAMBURG — Friday Fun Night took on the Halloween spirit on Oct. 18 at the Sussex County YMCA, giving area youth an opportunity to dress up before trick-or-treating begins.
“The Friday Fun Night program is designed to give kids a safe, fun environment in which to socialize with their friends,” YMCA Membership and Marketing Director Debbie Soutter said. “We feel it is very important for youth in this age range to have a place where they can exercise their independence and still be safe in a supervised setting. This program is about striking a balance between structure and freedom.”
According to Soutter, Friday Fun Night always has a theme.
“Sometimes the focus is on physical activity and fun exercise, while other times it’s more about fostering healthy social relationships with peers,” she said. “Ultimately, we want Friday Fun Night to be an event that kids can look forward to and their parents can feel good about.”
Speaking of parents, Wantage resident Jennifer Derin says for her, safety is an issue.
“I like to know my son is supervised and that I have to sign him in and out,” she said. “There’s not a lot for kids my son’s age to do around here, so I thought the YMCA would be a nice change. I figured it was affordable and that he would have a good time. Besides, it was something other than video games.”
Her son, Jake Derin, 10 attended the event dressed as a 1920s gangster.
“I like the time period,” he says.
Vivienne Diaz, 11, of Sussex decided on dressing as an 18th-century colonial girl.
“I like my costume because I’m really into the Revolutionary period,” she says. “I’ve been to Williamsburg, just not Gettysburg yet.”
Wantage resident Melissa White, a YMCA program assistant, runs Friday Fun Night and organized the costume party.
“Members and non-members are welcome,” she says. At the event, children had the choice of being able to dance, swim or participate in themed activities.
White explains, “we provide a mix of physical activity and fun games to keep the kids active and healthy.”