Kids of the Community, Noon Exchange host event

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Nearly 100 children attend the swim party sponsored by Noon Exchange and Kids of the Community taking place at Gilley Pool. (Duane Sherrill photos)

Threatening skies did not deter around 100 children who swam the night away recently at the Gilley Pool in an event sponsored jointly by Kids of the Community and McMinnville Noon Exchange.

The new facilities offered a broad assortment of activities for the children. Some elected to wade around in the shallow portion of the pool, while others chose a more exciting route by either sliding on one the pool’s super slides or diving from the diving boards.

“This is one of those events the children look forward to,” said Juvenile Court Judge Larry Ross who is also a leading member of Kids of the Community. “It’s great to let children have the opportunity to get out and have good, clean fun in an atmosphere like this.”

The pool event also included a pizza party for the children, many of whom were reluctant to get out of the pool to eat given the amount of fun they were having.

The pool party was the most recent event for KOTC, which routinely holds events for its members each month. The organization was formed a few years ago to provide activities for at-risk children as well as foster children. The Organization, which consists of over 200 children, is overseen by a team of volunteers, many of whom work with the juvenile court system.

According to Ross, KOTC is always looking for sponsors. A sponsor can be an individual, organization or church which either financially sponsors an event or actively hosts an event.

Anyone interested in helping KOTC may call the judge’s office at 473-6043.