The sun was shining brightly in St. John’s on the afternoon of Friday, July 14 – the day of Choices for Youth’s (CFY) Staff Summer Fun Day. This event, organized by CFY’s Live Well Committee, invited CFY team members to gather together for an afternoon of fun in the sun. Hosted at Pippy Park’s North Bank Lodge, CFY’s Staff Summer Fun Day offered delicious food and fun activities to approximately 80 CFY team members.
Event attendees were greeted by the mouthwatering scent of Ziggy PeelGoods – The Live Well Committee arranged for one of their trucks to be on the scene serving up fresh, hot fries and poutines along with cold water and pop. Guests were asked to contribute their favourite summer tunes to a playlist prior to the event, and an upbeat selection of summer favourites played while they munched away.
Full-bellied attendees then descended on the various games made available for the event. Washers clinked in and around boxes, sandbags slid across cornhole targets, and a volleyball ricocheted around the grass as attendees played or spectated the assorted activities. A hammock was even set up in the shade, offering a relaxing place to observe the action.
Those looking to beat the heat took to the lodge, where there were plenty more snacks to enjoy – there was even a popcorn machine to add some salty, buttery goodness to the mix. A Shutterstruck photo booth was installed in the hut, where staff could grab various fun props and strike their best – and most hilarious – poses.
The high temperatures persisted throughout the afternoon, but a welcome reprieve from the heat came in the form of a visit from Kool Daddy’s Ice Cream truck. A nostalgic jingle filled the air as the truck rolled up to the event and set up shop. CFY team members quickly lined up with childlike enthusiasm to select their favourite cold treat – choosing from the pictures, as is tradition. Drumsticks, Polar Bars, and even Spongebob ice creams made the rounds, and everyone enjoyed this special experience.
Perhaps the highlight of the event was the dunk tank. Attendees were hesitant to take the plunge despite the heat of the day – in fact, each new arrival had to deflect numerous requests to be the first sacrifice. As the afternoon wore on and the heat intensified, however, a small number of volunteers emerged, with a far greater number of eager ball throwers lining up to have their chance to dunk a co-worker.
Once the first brave volunteer splashed down into the tank, other attendees were emboldened to try for themselves, as the energy and spectacle of the dunk tank took over the event. When all was said and done, more than half a dozen team members, including some members of CFY leadership, were drip-drying in the sun – unfortunately, nobody remembered to bring a towel!
When the event concluded in the late afternoon, all present agreed that it was a wonderful afternoon. Shout out to CFY’s Live Well Committee for organizing this Staff Summer Fun Day. Events like this help strengthen the bonds between different areas of CFY and increase unity within our organization.
Special thanks go out to the CFY team members who were unable to attend this event due to work commitments – certain services we provide are essential and therefore need to be staffed. We greatly appreciate these individuals for their hard work and commitment.
Written by Chris Morris