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 Late summer sunshine blazed from a clear blue sky as hundreds of area residents converged on Limerick Community Park on Saturday, Sept. 8, for the annual Limerick Community Day.
Karen Hegedus, coordinator of the Limerick Township Parks and Recreation Department, was pleased with the success of the event. “It’s going good,” she commented, “Great turnout.”
She noted that this year’s Community Day featured more high school sports teams, more demonstrations, more business expo participants and more community groups. “We’re expanding it a little more” each year, she remarked.
The business expo was organized by the Spring-Ford Chamber of Commerce. Centered in the park’s main pavilion, the expo spilled over into several additional tents, with more than 70 participants, including businesses, churches, politicians and more.
Chamber President Tim Canfield said he is “very happy to see the event growing year after year.” The festival was “blessed with great weather again,” he remarked, and noted, “Parks and Rec and the chamber did a great job.”
Highlights for the younger set were “NorthLand,” a selection of giant inflatables sponsored by NorthPointe Community Church, and the Spring-Ford Rotary Club’s dunk tank, moonbounce and game tent. In the game tent, children could test their skills at ring toss, a basketball toss, balloon darts, toilet roll toss, fishbowl toss, ball drop and more while winning a variety of small prizes.
“It’s a joy to see the smiles on the children’s faces,” Rotary President Bill Breslawski remarked.
Offering skill games for the older kids were Spring-Ford High School sports teams, including the football, volleyball, girls’ lacrosse, boys’ lacrosse, boys’ soccer, baseball and girls’ basketball teams.
A number of service groups set up displays to show what they have to offer to area residents. Included were the Spring-Ford Alumni Association, Spring-Ford Community Education Program, Boy Scout Troops 10 and 230, Cub Scout Troop 230, Girl Scout Troop 4410, the National Guard Limerick and Linfield fire companies, Limerick Township Police Department.
And, Limerick Township Open Space Committee, Limerick Township Historical Society, Royersford Free Public Library, Montgomery County Aging and Adult Services, CHADD, Visiting Nurse Association, Spring-Ford Health and Wellness, the Western Center for Technical Studies, Montgomery County Chapter of Mothers and More, MOMS Club of Limerick/Linfield and St. James United Church of Christ.
Entertainment and demonstrations were provided throughout the day, including Michael Kropp, guitar and vocal; vocal performance by Rebecca Carroll; impersonator Tom Carroll and Crossroads Church Worship Team. Demonstrations featured dog agility, Dragon Star Martial Arts, Star Attraction and Cappucio Dance.
A Miller Keystone Bloodmobile was set up in the parking lot, and a sand volleyball court was available for open games. Local restaurants operated several stands, offering festival goers a sampling of the foods available in the Limerick area.
The day began with the annual 5K Run for the Park, which featured a 5K run/walk, one-mile kids run and tot trot. Charlie Koenig, one of the organizers of the race, noted 129 people participated, which is about the same number as the last three or four years. Many young families were represented, he said.
“I’m happy with it,” he remarked, noting that once, about 10 years ago, about 300 people participated. At that time, though, fewer races were run in the area, he said, and a “bigger cause,” the building of Manderach Memorial Playground, drew more runners to the event.
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