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Good times at the block party

Staff photo by Clay Schuldt Recari Harding takes a strong swing at a heart-shaped pinata during the 3rd annual Summer Party. Harding has experience with pinatas from last year’s party.

NEW ULM — Summer is here and area youth are looking for things to do. Saturday the place to be was the Annual Summer Party on Valley Street.

The event was started three years ago by Sandy Taylor as a way to give area children something do. For the last two years, the celebration was hosted at Ashely Sherrod’s home on the south end of Valley Street.

Each year roughly two dozen kids, ages 3 to 15, attend the summer party. Backyard games and activities start in the afternoon and continue into the evening. Activities included horseshoes, trampoline, tug-o-war, an inflatable pool. Most of the kids were happy to chase each other around with squirt guns.

One of the highlights of the event is the piñata. Sherrod said this year they went with three pinatas. This way each kid can take a whack at it.

The children even received a special visit from New Ulm Police Officer Chris Davis. Davis visited the party to answer any questions the kids had about police work. They had several questions.

Staff photo by Clay Schuldt New Ulm Police Officer Chris Davis talks to kids at the Annual Summer Party on Valley Street on Saturday, answering any questions the kids may have had about police work.

Davis went through the purposes of nearly every item on his belt from the hands-free camera to the taser. The kids were especially curious about his handcuffs.

Davis said the police department tries to have an officer visit block parties as community outreach, including the National Night Out, July 29.

The annual summer party takes a great deal of work to put on each year, but local parents are pleased with the results.

“It’s something for the kids to do,” James Bolden said.

Derrick Sherrod said all that matters is the children have fun. “Kids never cease to amaze us in the many ways they can have fun,” he said.

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