Summer begins with Greenfield's annual water day

The Greenfield community held its third annual water day Friday afternoon, giving community kids a chance to cool down in the summer sun.

Sponsored by Highland County Community Action Organization, the Paint Creek Joint EMS and Fire District and the Greenfield Water Department, this is the third year the event has been held in the village.

Fire Chief Bradley George said that HCCAO provides lunch to the estimated 100 children who turned out to run through the open hydrants and to be sprayed with water from the fire trucks.

"We've been doing this for three years, as long as (the district) has been in business," George said. "But this started back years ago with the old Greenfield Fire Department.

"The community just comes together," George said.

Greenfield water plant operator Nathan Campbell said it is an event organizers look forward to and is another sign of all the good things that are happening in the village.

"It's something we really love to do for the kids," Campbell said. "Years ago the fire departments used to open the hydrants, and this kind of grew from that. Now Community Action is providing food. We're going to do it maybe three times this year, where previously we had just done it two. Community Action gave away a weekend pass for food. We're feeding a lot of kids."

While two more events are slated for later this summer, official dates have not yet been set. Campbell said an event will most likely be held in early July, and another date just before school starts.

The water days are held at the corners of Lafayette and Fifth Streets from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

"The adults have a lot of fun too," Campbell said. "If we catch people getting a little too close, we'll try to get them wet. It's just a good time in Greenfield. We're doing a lot more, have more volunteers and there are more activities in Greenfield than we've ever had. It's awesome. There's a lot of great stuff going around."