Hundreds hit the water

The water slide was the best part of the day.

"At Bible school, I went down it two times," said 5-year-old Alex Harold as he was waiting to go on the slide yet again at the Osage Community Centre on Thursday.

He and his cousin, Faith Essner, 7, were at the center with their grandparents, Helen and Bob Sproder of Cape Girardeau, to participate in the sixth annual Parks & Rec Day, co-sponsored by the Southeast Missourian Jr."It's all about kids today," said Cheryl Ellis, editor of the Southeast Missourian Jr., the monthly publication by and for children.

About 900 attended the free event, up about 100 from last year.

Every year, event organizers add something different. This year, Ellis said, Procter & Gamble donated some money that paid for a big inflatable water slide, which got a lot of use on a sunny Thursday afternoon. On a nearby field, model airplanes buzzed overhead. Later in the day, parachutists jumped from an airplane and another plane flew low over the community center to drop 600 ping-pong balls, each one worth a prize.

Businesses and organizations donated their time and products. Good Humor-Breyers gave away Popsicles and comic books.

"It's a really fun business to be in, and when we come here we get to see the kids enjoy it," said Paul Bronander, quality assurance manager in the ice cream division of the parent corporation, Unilever.

lredeffer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160