Generations unite for heartwarming event

CHILDREN and adults came together for an afternoon of intergenerational fun at the Connecting Generations Bangalow winter event last weekend, enjoying classic games like limbo and old-fashioned sack races.

Around 50 people gathered at the Bangalow Heritage House & Museum on Sunday for the event, held in partnership with Lennox Head-based GenConnect.

Upon arrival, families received heart-shaped necklaces featuring conversation-starting questions such as, “What’s your favourite travel destination?”

Attendees then joined older volunteers to learn new skills and crafts, including crocheting and making ‘God’s eye’ crafts from sticks and wool. Children also painted rocks and sculpted Pokémon characters out of clay and ping pong balls before the day wrapped up with a lively all-ages soccer game.

“Jazz musician John Hoffman improvised really good beats for the limbo and soccer game,” Connecting Generations Bangalow founder Ruth Winton-Brown said.

A group of musicians who regularly jam in the rotunda at Piccabeen Park on Sunday afternoons also gave an impromptu performance at the event, which was emceed by nature-based educator Felicitree Mentoring.

“That gave it a really great vibe,” Winton-Brown said.

Children also enjoyed dressing up in garments and accessories provided by Maia Willow of Our Timeless Threads, while Sally the Painting Princess provided free face painting.

“We had virtues as an underlying theme, so children could choose a value such as compassion or perseverance and have the word painted on their face or paint it on their rock,” Winton-Brown said.

“It was a lovely afternoon. After the drenching we got on Saturday the sun came out and the weather was beautiful.”