As athletes prepare for the 2008 Summer Olympics games in Beijing, children in Fall River are preparing for their own Olympic-style games through a Community Development Re-creation program funded by the City’s Healthy Lives project. Working in combination with the summer Park & Lunch program previously announced by Mayor Robert Correia, CD-REC staff are currently offering young people a chance to compete in a series of events that will culminate with a city-wide competition at B.M.C. Durfee High School in mid-August. The Olympic-style competition will offer a 40 yard dash, 100 yard hurdles, a 4 x 100 relay, a tug of war, a basketball shootout, a soccer shootout, a kickball game, Nerf javelin and discus throws, and a kick, punt and throw competition. Children are working on different event each week in nine of the larger park locations throughout the summer: North Park, Lafayette Park, Maplewood Park, Griffin Park, Father Diaferio Village, Abbott Court, Pulaski Park, Kennedy Park and Ruggles Park. No registration is required, and all children have to do to participate is to show up each day at 10:00 a.m. Children can join the fun anytime right up to the August games. Free lunches are also available  Monday through Friday through August 29^th. For more information about the programs, contact CD-REC at 508-679-0922.
 

(Top row, left and center) CD-REC staff member Nicholas Camara explains the relay race rules to Amber Crocker, Celeste Chouinard, Andre Reis and Ashlyn Choquette as they gather at Lafayette Park. (Top row, right) Evan Blagman points out the relay race course. (Middle row, left and center) CD-REC staff member Ashley Motta goes over the rules for the race. (Middle row, right) Joseph Benevides and Evan take off on the first leg of the race. (Bottom row, left) Ashlyn brings her baton in while Andre takes off with his. (Bottom row, right) Rezwana Uddin finishes the race with her younger brother, Muhammad, in hot pursuit.