The last of four Neighborhood Summer Festivals sponsored by Mayor Edward M. Lambert, Jr. and organized and coordinated by Community Coordinator Maureen Ryan Estes, was held at Ruggles Park on August 14th, 2007. The Festivals began as a Neighborhood Council project and have become a corner piece of summer fun in Fall River. They provide an opportunity for neighbors to meet each other in a fun environment, as well as heart-healthy activities and good food. Human service organizations including the Fall River Police Department, the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Massachusetts, Stanley Street Treatment and Resources, South Bay Mental Health, KOOL Smiles Dentistry, HealthFirst, FSA Big friends, Little Friends, Diabetes Association, Inc., SMILES Mentoring, and Community Development Recreation provided activities for children and information for adults. Click here to see pictures of the Abbott Court Festival, here to see pictures of the Lafayette Festival, and here to see pictures of the Maplewood Festival. For further information about these events, contact Community Coordinator Maureen Estes at 508-324-2405.
 

(Top row, left) America's Promise Fellow Ine Ogagan joined Youth Outreach workers Phirom Choun, Jason Oliveira and Carl Burnett in blowing up Healthy City balloons for eight-year-old Orlando Flores and other children at the festival. (Top row, center) Fall River Police officers Debbi Jackson and David McElroy horse around with Officer McElroy's eleven-year-old nephew David on his birthday. (Top row, right) Three-year-old Logan Valois prepares to do battle with four-year-old Gabriella Correia under close supervision from one of the volunteer staff. (Middle row, left) Seven-year-old Emily Borges and nine-year-old Hailee Sousa show off their hula-hoop skills for Bea Dean of Stanley Street Treatment and Resources. (Middle row, center) Twelve-year-old Haile Arta and thirteen-year-old Evan Batista lead the pack in a sack race. (Middle row, right) Fifteen-year-old Alex Cirino tosses a bean bag at the target as his friend Jordan Bellefeuille, 16, looks over his shoulder. (Bottom row, left) Twelve-year-old Ashley Aguiar tosses a ball at the target in order to win a tee-shirt. (Bottom row, center) Maya Murphy, Kahea Kaaloa and Hailee Sousa race to grab a chair in the musical chairs contest. (Bottom row, right) Four-year-old Xavier Arpa circles the chairs waiting for the music to stop.