Freedom Elementary families party at the park

MANATEE COUNTY — With nearly every Freedom Elementary School teacher and faculty member stationed nearby, student Alexis Mejia and his friend, Johan Douay, didn’t feel the least bit anxious as they darted through crowds of children and their families and on to the next activity.

Although elementary school students typically enjoy holiday events on campus, this time, Alexis and Johan were relishing the festivities on their own turf — at Manatee Mobile Home Park.

“It’s a good party,” Alexis said, noting he got books and a board game at the event. “Some people can’t afford presents (like we got here).”

Faculty and staff members from Freedom, along with other community volunteers, gathered Dec. 14, at Manatee Mobile Home Park for the second annual Party in the Park event. Park residents, and neighbors in the community, came out for free hot dogs and popcorn, books, pictures with Santa, crafts and other festivities.

Principal Jim Mennes said about 100 children from the park are bused to Freedom each day, and the event is an outreach to those students and their families.

“They can’t get to us,” Mennes said. “A lot of these families don’t have cars. If one of the kids misses the bus in the morning, they miss school.”

Event organizer and guidance counselor Sherri Brunner said she regularly conducts home visits to families within the Manatee Mobile Home Park community and came up with the idea for Party in the Park after Freedom families, through Adopt-A-Family, previously provided Christmas gifts and other provisions to some of Manatee Mobile Home Park’s families. After sharing her idea with teachers and the community, Freedom hosted its first Party in the Park last year.

“I thought we could help the whole community,” Brunner said. “It’s not just about the holiday spirit, but it’s about building community — building relationships between the school and the community, spreading literacy and celebrating diversity. This is a global outreach, our community outreach.”

A first-grade program following last year’s Party in the Park proved the school’s goal of connecting with Manatee Mobile Home Park families through the event was working. Brunner said 100% of park students participated in the show, despite many of their families’ lack of transportation and poor attendance evidenced in years past.

Parent Malaika Burley, who attended this year’s Party in the Park with her husband and four children, agreed the event was fostering a sense of community between park residents and the school.

“It’s really nice they are out in the community trying to give something back,” Burley said. “It’ shows they actually do care about the students and the families.

“It’s nice to meet their teachers, too, not just for conferences,” she said. “You share the holidays with your family. Now, we get to share them with the teachers, as well.”

Christian Zambrano agreed.

“I like it,” she said. “Right now, there aren’t a lot of people who have enough money for gifts. It fosters (a feeling of community).”

Brunner said she hopes the event will get bigger every year, and hopes to get more organizations involved. Individuals or organizations wishing to contribute to the cause or participate, can contact Brunner at 708-4990, Ext. 2076.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].