Victory Park in Slatington was bustling with exercise Saturday as Caring DAM Hearts hosted its third annual Rock the Park and Food Truck Festival, a free neighborhood occasion that blended meals, enjoyable and charity. From midday till nicely into the night, households, mates and neighbors loved stay music, raffles, buying and loads of meals.
One of the day’s largest hits was bingo, drawing a gentle crowd desperate to play and win. Slatedale Fire Company, Station 23, stored festivalgoers well-fed with hearty consolation meals, serving macaroni and cheese, cabbage and noodles, stuffed pepper soup and apple crisp.
Fire Chief Robert Schramel, together with Kameron Kromer and Tiffany Yesik, helped make the sales space a competition favourite.
To make parking and accessibility simpler, two golf carts — loaned by Don’s Golf Cart Company in Lehighton — had been added this yr. Volunteer Howard Linchuk rapidly grew to become the go-to man for shuttling company from the parking areas to the guts of the festivities.
The day additionally had a robust charitable focus. Rentschler Auto Dealerships sponsored “Fill a Truck,” accumulating hygiene merchandise for these in want.
Donations will proceed to be accepted at Rentschler showrooms. The dealership additionally sponsored all 4 bands that carried out all through the day.
Volunteers labored tirelessly to make the occasion a hit. Michele Degler, Neice Martinez, Carolyn Kutta and Deb Turock bought pull tickets and 50/50 raffles with smiles.
Martinez, CEO and president of Caring DAM Hearts, emphasised the mission behind the competition: “We had plenty of parking. Everyone had a great time. Our organization, started in 2016, spreads love and kindness to all. We help homeless, less fortunate and veterans throughout the Lehigh Valley and surrounding communities through random acts of kindness and purposeful events like this one.”
Local companies and organizations additionally showcased their providers.
Angela and Phillip Cole, house owners of PawSome! Pet Sitting, highlighted their licensed skilled pet care providers, which embody strolling, sitting and in a single day care. Meanwhile, Marilla Payne, founding father of One-by-Onesie, shared how her free clothes supply and commerce service has supported over 800 households since beginning in 2021, providing child and toddler clothes throughout the area.
The competition even had a star of types: Riley, the “Sidecar Dog,” stole the highlight alongside his proprietor, Jim Shelanick. Riley will probably be 6 in December. He has logged 30,000 miles driving in Shelanick’s Harley-Davidson sidecars and infrequently makes appearances at parades, faculties and occasions. Riley can be the star of a e-book, “Sidecardog Riley and His Great Adventures,” obtainable in print and digital codecs.
From music and raffles to meals, buying and neighborhood outreach, Rock the Park as soon as once more proved to be greater than only a competition — it was a celebration of kindness, generosity and togetherness in Slatington.
Slatedale Fire Company, Station 23, made dishes of macaroni and cheese, cabbage and noodles, stuffed pepper soup and apple crisp for the Rock the Park and Food Truck Festival on Saturday in Slatington. From left are Slatedale Fire Chief Robert Schramel, Kameron Kromer and Tiffany Yesik. PATRICIA INGLES/SPECIAL TO THE TIMES NEWS
Rentschler Auto Dealerships sponsored “Fill a Truck” with donations of hygiene merchandise. Rentschler will proceed accumulating in its showrooms to assist others in want. Rentschler additionally sponsored all 4 bands for the Rock The Park Event.
Marilla Payne is founding father of One-by-Onesie, a free youngsters’s clothes supply, commerce and pickup service for anybody within the Lehigh Valley. Sizes are NB to five. Payne began her enterprise in 2021 in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Families needed clothes,” she stated. “People would donate, we would pick up and we would supply to families in need. The onesie is the mainstay of baby fashion. It’s the way most babies begin their day.” The service has helped over 800 households to date. Contact them on Facebook to schedule a pickup or supply.
From left are Neice Martinez, Sidecar Dog Riley and Jim Shelanick. Riley will probably be 6 in December. For most of his life, Riley has been a passenger in his sidecar.