New Year's Eve party rang in new year

Middle school age kids brought in the new year with a celebration at the annual Green River Recreation Center's Middle School New Year's Eve party.

The party started at 9:30 p.m. and went on until 12:30 a.m., with a variety of activities carrying on through the night. There was all-night bingo, hungry human hippos where partners go against another team to capture balls in a basket, on wheels. It looks fun and trying.

There was also human bowling where kids act as the bowling ball, rolling into the blow-up pins. There was also karaoke, giant Jenga, a treasure hunt in the pool and a photo booth, plus snacks, pizza and subway sandwiches.

"We had a bunch of stuff going on," recreation supervisor Sherry Schumacher said. "There was a little bit of everything."

There were arts and crafts activities as well. Kids could paint their own miniature dinosaur. They could also make a dinosaur hat out of a baseball cap.

Why dinosaurs? The theme of the party was Jurassic. The staff decorated the inside of the building as well and included caves, dinosaur tracks, a volcano and more dinosaur theme elements.

Schumacher said there were 123 kids at the party this year; an average good turn out. She said the annual new year's eve party has been going on now for about 20 years. New kids come every year and many return year after year.

"It's just fun," Destiny Johnson said. "I get to see my friends and stuff."

It is Johnson and her friend's second year attending the New Year's Eve party. They brought some newcomers to the party as well.

Shortly before midnight, the kids all receive party favors to count down the seconds to the new year with, including horns, necklaces, glasses and more. The clock counts down, and a tarp full of balloons rains down at midnight.

"It was a great party," Schumacher said. "I think the kids had a ball."