Re: Saturday Events

Kim & Maureen here. First we want to say thank you for the feedback. We truly respect everyone’s opinions, whether positive or negative. When we decided to volunteer to help with the weekend activities, we never imagined it would generate a huge debate or much criticism. We truly wanted to create an event that would be enjoyable for everyone. Secondly, for those that know me pretty well, I think you know I would never endanger any children, whether they're my own or belong to others. Maureen and I are mothers of little ones, so safety was the single most important issue when consideration was given to the venue of the family picnic. I have 3 children ages 5 and under and visit the Town Beach often during the summer with friends and I have never felt like my kids were in ever in danger, given the proper supervision. In fact, most people I spoke with preferred that the “family” picnic be an alcohol free event, so the Town Beach seemed like a perfect spot. No matter where the venue, it was always assumed that parents were going to have to properly supervise their children of all ages. I (Kim), personally, did not want alcohol to in any way contribute to any potential lack of supervision or someone getting behind the wheel and jeopardizing the safety of others. I did not want that to be on my conscience, nor did I want to take on that responsibility or want that liability. Others have voiced concern over the “water” factor and the location of the pavilion at the beach and prefer to be nowhere near the beach or water and that is perfectly understandable and a very valid point. Thank you so much for bringing that concern up. It was not one I had considered because I had wrongly assumed that the large pavilion and playground would be far enough from the water that people would be comfortable. For those that e-mailed me or spoke to me privately, they have the opinion that they prefer a smaller, more private venue, like Clinton Beach where children cannot wonder very far. The new playground, of course, is only going to appeal to those with younger children. To be honest, parking was not a huge concern, since the Town of Clinton hosted a "Clinton Family Day" at the beach last summer and parking was never an issue then. Some also had concerns over the fact that thousands of people visit Hammo on any given summer weekend and didn’t like the large size or openness of a state park where kids could run or wonder off. Some people want to just relax without kids and have a beer or two at Hammo, poolside at Water's Edge or a local restaurant. That’s fine, too. I guess what were getting at is that we know we will never make everyone happy, so we (me and Maureen) have elected not to organize any formal event for Saturday. It is probably best that each classmate decide on their own where they feel most comfortable, with or without kids, with or without alcohol. The Clinton Town Beach, Hammo, the facilities at Waters Edge, visiting local family and old friends at their homes are all great ideas and nice places to visit. There are pros and cons to each and ultimately you should be deciding what is most enjoyable, safe and more suitable for you or your family as you spend time reconnecting with classmates. I will keep the pavilion at the Town Beach reserved for those that would like to grill or eat there, since there is no charge. If others want to reserve other facilities, that is perfectly fine, too. Thank you again to all.