In the midst of a heat wave, children in Montgomery got a chance to cool off and have fun in Heritage Park with a very special activity.

On Saturday, July 13, the Montgomery Area Public Library hosted an event called Splash and Learn Fun with Firefighters. The activity was part of the library’s Summer Learning program. The program was held with the help of the Montgomery Volunteer Fire Company. This year, it was also promoted by the Muncy Public Library.

Amber Adams, Director of the Montgomery Area Public Library, Corey Breneisen, Director of the Muncy Library, and Samantha Jutsum, Montgomery Library volunteer, were all present at the event.

Adams said that it was the third year in a row that the library has held Splash and Learn Fun with Fire Fighters.

Heritage Park proved to be a great place to hold an outdoor event on a hot day. There were plenty of shade trees and benches for parents to lounge while their children splashed in the water. The library also provided free ice cream and bottled water to participants.

The Montgomery Volunteer Fire Company brought a fire engine that sprayed two jets of water into the air, one from the top of the truck, and one from the hose. The water streams created a large pool for the children to play in. Sounds of laughter, splashing, and squeals of delight filled the park as the children had fun cooling off in the water.

Adams expressed her appreciation for the Montgomery Volunteer Fire Company coming to the event each year, and commented that it was nice to have the Muncy library present at the event as well.

“I just think it’s nice for Montgomery. At the library we talk about partnerships a lot. It’s nice to have the library and the Montgomery Volunteer Fire Company come together. It’s great that they do this for us.” Adams said.

The event was brought back again this year due to the positive feedback that the libraries have received in the past. Breneisen commented that people said, “It was really fun. It was just a great way to cool off on a hot summer day and get families to come out.”

A new feature this year was The Tot Spot. Adams said that Samantha Jutsum had the idea to have a separate play area for babies and toddlers who might be too intimidated to play in the large pools of water created by the fire truck.

The shaded Tot Spot featured a kiddie pool, a little tent, children’s lawn chairs, a chalkboard, and chalk.

Jutsum said, “Just in case smaller kids are intimidated by hoses and the depth of the water, they have water play to take part in. There’s little toys, scoops, sea creatures, and fun things that they can discover in the little pool.”

The Montgomery library’s Summer Learning program will continue through early August. A full schedule of Summer Learning events is available at the circulation desk or online at montgomerylib.org.