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Community Corner

WAU Family Fun Fest brings the Fun, despite weather

Family Fun Festival brings together community and students.

Around 1400 people gathered on the commons at Washington Adventist University Sunday to celebrate the annual Family Fun Festival, held each April. Though last year brought warmer weather, the day saw a high of 65 degrees with wet grounds, forcing attendees to various benches. Guests milled around the free day-long event centered around wholesome family fun.

Nuela Lynch from Silver Spring, attended with her four-year-old son Aidan, despite the overcast weather.

“There are so many free activities for the kids here today, we couldn't stay home,” Lynch said, who found out about the event through the Silver Spring Mom's List-serve. When asked what his favorite part of the festival was, Aidan responded, “the petting zoo, because the animals were soft. The big bunny was my favorite.”

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The petting zoo included a bunny, hens, a llama and two donkeys. Also for the kids was a moon bounce, henna tattoos and an inflatable slide. WGTS, the Christian radio station housed on the campus is in its second year of sponsoring the festival and managing all the music this year and brought American Idol finalist Jason Castro to the main stage.

Also on the stage was the Gateway Fellowship Praise and Worship Team, which brought Gary and Toni Crowley to see their son play.

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Gary and Toni met while at school at WAU and moved to Salisbury, Maryland in 1988 after Gary graduated. Their son, Geoff, will graduate in May with a degree in Theology and has hopes of being a youth pastor.

As they waited for their son to start playing, Gary remarked on the overcast weather, “A little more sunshine would have done this better, but there is a lot of variety of food and vendors.”

One of those vendors, Health Groove, served up free grilled chicken with mango salsa and grilled fruit.

Rodney Johnson, Healthy Groove event chef said they'd served about 20 people and expected at least double that by the end of the festival at 5 p.m.

Along with Healthy Groove, were several types of food, ranging from jerk chicken, pad thai and pizza to fried oreos and funnel cake.

WAU senior Morgan Whittaker attended and had been up since early that morning for the Flip 'N Run 5K.

“The flow is better this year, each section, the food, vendors and music, all have their own section,” Whittaker said, comparing this years set up to last years, but voicing the sentiment of most, “I just wish the weather was a little better.”

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