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Other kids gravitated to the nearby playgrounds and swings. There were also grassy areas for soccer. Next to the picnic shelter was a volleyball net. Volleyball soon became a very popular game. Because the volleyball court was made of sand, it also became a place for the children to build sand castles and play in the sand. The children, parents, and families enjoyed rotating around to the different games as they got tired, bored, or hot.
The idea for the outdoor event developed this spring after Lauren Hautz contacted Suzi Smith, the HRIS education coordinator. Hautz wanted to plan a picnic for students taking her ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Language) class at Hidenwood. Smith and I then worked closely with this ESOL teacher to organize a time when several refugee families could gather to have an exciting afternoon.
During a break in the games that pleasant day at Newport News Park, everyone took a short walk from the picnic shelter to the reservoir. There we stood around talking, watching the kids attempt to skip stones in the water and relaxed. Then we headed back up to the picnic shelter to grab another bite to eat.
The kids picked up another game of bean bag toss. This time, they had a better idea of what they were doing. They began getting the bag through the hole. Even though the kids were still hyper, all the adults had started to wind down.
Soon we had to divide up the food and make our way back home. It seemed like everyone who went agreed that it was time for a short nap.
The picnic was thoroughly enjoyed by both adults and children. The goal of the picnic was achieved: families got to spend time together, adults got to forget about work and worries and the kids got to have an afternoon of fun.
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