Youngsters get out to have fun

SEVERAL hundred young people gathered at Kadina Park, Goonellabah, yesterday for a day of community fun.

FUN OUT: Enjoying a fun day at Kadina Park in Goonellabah are (front, from left) Courtney Johnson, 12, Lala Glew, 13, Brianna Roberts, 12, Tijana Caldwell, 13, Noelene Monseen, 12, Juantaya Caldwell, 8, and Darcy Clarke, 11; (back) Tia Kendall, 12, Tywana Caldwell, 13, Caitlin Duroux, 16, and Merinda Smith, 13. Picture: Cathy Adams

SEVERAL hundred young people gathered at Kadina Park, Goonellabah, yesterday for a day of community fun.

The community youth day was organised by Lismore City Council, the Lismore PCYC and Richmond Local Area Command police in conjunction with community and sporting groups. It was to give the local youth something productive and fun to do on their school holidays.

While the 200-plus kids socialised and had a barbecue, they will able to enjoy netball or touch football, thanks to the Lismore Bunjalarms, who not only organised the games, but helped teach the sports to the kids.

Touch football coach Brian Caldwell from Lismore Bunjalarms was taking some of the young boys through their paces on the footy field, and said it was great how, when they'd got hold of the ball, they really came together and had a great time.

Mr Bumsqueak was also on hand to entertain the younger children with his hilarious antics and balloon art.

From babies and their parents through to teenagers, all ages were seen to be having a great day, and enjoying the perfect weather for it.

Virginia Waters, from the Lismore City Council Goonellabah Community Plan, said the day was about bringing the youth together in a positive way, and inspired by the community plan's goal to promote reconciliation in positive and affirming ways.

She said it was great to see all the children and families having a great time.

School liaison officer from Richmond LAC, Kim Mewing, said she was pleased to see such a number of youth had come out for the day.

"It's great to see everyone having fun and coming together in a positive way," she said.