Snow cones, a slip-n-slide and summer heat: It was quite the trifecta for attendees of the Rotary Club of Medford’s fifth annual “Slide into Summer” event Saturday at Bear Creek Park.
More than 100 visitors took in the activities in the morning, with more to come as the temperature rose.
With inflatable slides, hot dogs, bounce houses, a Kona Ice truck and the massive, yellow slip-and-slide down one of Bear Creek Park’s western hills, kids could get immersed in plenty of fun.
Youngster Payton Wiltroute was gliding “pretty fast” down the slip-and-slide, enjoying all 120 feet of the slippy ride.
It was his favorite part of the event, he said. “The slip-and-slide; it’s because it goes super fast down, and the end is super freezing.”
“I did all the rides already,” Wiltroute added.
While the inflatables offered a lot of amusement, the kids’ consensus was that the 120-foot slip-and-slide was top-notch entertainment.
On her favorite ride, 8-year-old Megan Wan said, “probably the slip-and-slide, because it’s really fast and it’s really similar to the one I went on in that camp.”
The parents and guardians were happy to bring the little ones out and give them something to do in the heat.
“This is great for the kids to come out here and enjoy the sun and enjoy the company, and it’s all for a good cause,” said parent Lin Wan. “It’s all for the Medford Rotary Club fundraising for kids, so why not come out and check things out and get some exercise in the meantime.”
“It’s amazing, my kids are having a blast,” said Maria Wiltroute, a mother of five. “Last year, when we drove by there was a huge line and so we didn’t come, but this year we came early and prepared to try it.”
“I was excited that they’ve been able to go on everything multiple times already,” she added.
This year’s “Slide into Summer” put emphasis on bringing more amusement options to keep visitors entertained and reduce the waiting lines for antsy kids.
“I think the inflatables are great, especially the extra ones because we were having a little difficulty last year keeping the flow going,” Rotary President Al Densmore said. “We’re managing things a lot better, and there’s more dispersal, so it’s great.”
“Each year it seems to get a little better, and we don’t make the same mistakes twice,” Densmore added.
Funding earned from the annual summer event goes back into the Rotary Club of Medford’s youth-focused programs.
“‘Slide into Summer’ has been an event since even pre-pandemic where we partner with the Medford Parks and Recreation Foundation and we raise money for local scholarships and also projects locally for the youth in our community,” said Michelle Corradetti, Rotary assistant district governor. “It’s just a fun way for children to beat the heat and come have some fun and help our local community with scholarships and projects.”
One of those kid-centric projects includes working with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a nationwide book-gifting program that mails free texts to America’s youth.
“Jackson County started the Dolly Parton Imagination Library (partnership) in January of this year,” said Breann Wright, primary coordinator for “Slide into Summer” and Rotary president-elect. “We already have 2,500 kids in the county signed up for books.”
The Rotary event included a quieter section for kids to cool down, read a book and enjoy a hot dog in the shade.
“It’s a good day for a hot dog. July is hot dog month I think, so get it in,” Wright said.
The Rotary Club of Medford organizes a range of programs in town to aid Jackson County’s youth, such as its backpack program, international youth exchange and college scholarship fundraising.
Since the local club’s founding in the 1940s, the Medford Rotary Foundation has raised $1.7 million in scholarships.
“It’s so nice to have a really inexpensive event that’s raising money for kids,” Wright said. “It’s a great way to bring the families out of the house, even though it is ridiculously, swelteringly hot.”
“Our other signature event, the Rogue Relays, will celebrate its 60th year next year, so I’m hoping that this will be something that continues for many years into the future,” Densmore said.
