Kiwanis return to old-time street games draws crowds

THE SECOND  Annual Club Kiwanis Canal de Panama "Kermes" festival of old time street games, at Parque Andres Bello was a two day success with more than 2,000 visitors.

Even a scary act of nature which felled a tree at the event site  on Via Argentina could not shake the smiles and laughter of the faces of kids, parents, and grandparents.

"We supervised 15 different street games such as Pan Queso, Jacks, Hop Scotch, Handball, and Burro for 480 children, " reported Mark Scheinbaum, president-elect of the club. "I would estimate that those children represented more than 2,000 relatives and friends who often stopped by for a few minutes to check us out, but ended up staying two or three hours,"
The event which was sponsored by Club Kiwanis Canal de Panama and supported by Tribunal Electoral, the EDIOACC credit union, Banco General, and the offices of Bella Vista deputy Ricky Dominguez, It was an attempt by Kiwanians to get children away from their rooms and video games, and interacting outdoors with other children. The added bonuses were grins and even belly laughs when grandmothers grabbed the spotlight to show their grandchildren "the right way" to hop on one leg in hop scotch. Other parents crawled on the ground demonstrating their "special" techniques at shooting marbles, or their own style in jump rope or playing Jacks.
The scary moment came Sunday evening, a half hour before the scheduled end of the event at nightfall, when a large tree crashed against a fence and wall on the Via Argentina side of the park. No one was injured but children had been playing only 20 yards away from the giant tree a few minutes earlier. Police indicated at week of extra heavy rains–even for tropical Panama–wet soil, and steady high breezes contributed to the tree popping out of the ground. Some branches were entwined in nearby trees, so for safety reasons the main entrance of the park was closed at 630pm and the park was evacuated until fire and public works crews could arrive to dismantle the tree limbs.
Leannie Quarless, current club president noted, "The 63 student volunteers who donated time and effort for two days, allowed us to have each game carefully supervised, and also lots of extra hands for hauling equipment." She said the students represented "six Pamana area high schools, three Universities, including a crew of seven volunteers from the University of Panama School of Medicine." She estimated the volunteers contributed more than 500 manhours of work.
During the event Kiwanians sold hamburgers, drinks and snacks, and each day La Forchetta restaurant in Casco Viejo donated a dozen gourmet artisan pizzas for free snacks for the volunteers. Over the two day period Kiwanians from Club Kiwanis Panama, Kiwanis Las Perlas, and Kiwanis Club Rana Dorado as well as the Circle K Club of UTP (the Panama Technological University) came by to show support for the project.
Scheinbaum, who takes office Oct 1, 2014 said that the club is already talking about expanding the event next year, perhaps in the "dry season" during Panama's school "summer vacation" when children and families are looking for free events.
The Kiwanis Kermes charged no admission and every game was free. Prizes of pencills, pens, T Shirts and toys were provided to all children by Kiwanis.
Club Kiwanis Canal de Panama meets 530 pm Wednesdays in the club's Diablo Heights headquarters, one block from El Rey supermarket in Albrook. For information email Mbshine@aol.com