Oh, What Fun it is to Slide!

The One Day Water Park at the Chatham Fairgrounds in Pittsboro brought to mind the words of that Christmas song we all know and love – “Oh! What fun it is to ride…” But instead of “ride,” the day was all about the SLIDE. Everything slides and water. There were multiple bouncy house slides at the fairgrounds. Water was constantly dripping down the slides making them extra slick and slippery. And “Oh what FUN!” Children of all ages enjoyed the day. Yes, there were a few adults who tried out the slides, but mostly it was the children who were sliding and having all the fun.

The July 28th One Day Water Park event was organized and hosted by the Rock City Church, a congregation that had been meeting at George Moses Horton Middle School and now has a new location in Sanford.  Chatham Alliance, one of the sponsors of the day, was invited to help where needed. I was there. I decided to help “spot” the children as they slid down the steepest slide. For the younger ones, it was a bit scary. It was just a straight drop down from the top. I didn’t try it myself, but I imagined that it looked terrifying from the top–like a sheer drop-off cliff. Some children hesitated; while some just leapt onto the slide–no holding back, going for the total thrill. After the straight down drop, the slide had a fast straight curve up. The kids loved it, their momentum carrying them toward the top of the curve. Exhilarated, they went faster and faster then splashed back down to the middle for a watery finish. My job was giving high fives, saying, “That was great!,” and watching out for any safety issues.

Some children were in a hurry to try out each slide. They were eager to find out if the next one was better than the last. They ranked them and shared the results with others. The slide where I was stationed was, of course, ranked at the top of their lists because it was so steep. The line was long, and the kids had to be patient. But it was worth the wait. Over and over they would go down the slide. One boy was proud to say he had done the slide thirty-five times!

There were bubbles, too, lots of bubbles. A bubble machine was blasting out white clouds of foam that floated through the air and landed on the children. Foam on their heads. Some on their bodies. Dressed in foam.

The day was about connecting, a fun way for families and friends to have a good day together. And it was a watery connection that was needed. July 28th was one of our hottest days this summer. The One Day Water Park was a “cool down” and at the same time a way to be community together. Everyone was welcome. Music. Food. Water. Fun. And “Oh, what fun, it is to slide!”

Community…Connections…Relationships…Chatham Alliance.