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BBBS Board Member Jessica Silva helps a young attendee with their bracelet. (Photo by Storme Smith)

(Right to left) Bailey Wexler and Lauren Roper hand out items for Edney Orthodontic. (Photo by Storme Smith)

(Right to left) Jessica Silva, Jessica Spivey-Toney, and Lucas Johnson give out goodies for Big Brothers Big Sisters. (Photo by Storme Smith)

Kids play basketball on Glow Night. (Photo by Storme Smith)

Family members enjoy a snow cone together. (Photo by Storme Smith)

Getting ready for a game of glow-in-the-dark frisbee golf (Photo by Storme Smith)

Young attendees enjoy a free snow cone at Glow Night. (Photo by Storme Smith)

TRYON—Gather Community hosted its fourth annual Glow Night at Harmon Field on Saturday, August 11, starting at 8 p.m. The free family event featured glow-in-the-dark frisbee golf, music, cornhole, volleyball, and basketball.

The fourth annual Glow Night once again gave families the opportunity for one last night of family fun before the school year began. Over 200 registered for the event, which included a free snow cone and a variety of glow-in-the-dark toys from the sponsors.

Edney Orthodontics, represented by Lauren Roper and Bailey Wexler, provided cups, glow sticks, and cool light-up glasses and shared Dr. Steven Edney’s commitment to the community.

Big Brothers Big Sisters, coming off a successful backpack giveaway earlier in the evening where they gave away almost sixty backpacks, was represented by Program Coordinator Jessica Spivey-Toney, BBBS board member Jessica Silva, and high school Big, Lucas Johnson. They handed out handmade bracelets, finger lasers, glow wands, and drinks.

Spivey thanked Outreach for providing the backpacks, saying, “Glow night is such a fun night before school, and it gets them ready to go back.” Silva added, “We get so excited, just like our littles do, about them going back to school and sharing in their educational journey.”

In its fourth year putting on events in the area, Gather Community has continued to grow and is looked forward to by kids and adults. Gather Community is an organization that seeks to fill in the gaps in local youth programming by creating safe spaces and programs for young people to socialize and be active.

“We’re happy to be able to do Hoopz and Glow Night again,” says Steve Martinez, founder of Gather Community. “We’re happy to be out here again at Harmon Field with the community and our wonderful sponsors tonight. We look forward to doing more events in the future and bringing transformational change to the community.”

Glow Night is the organization’s final event of the summer. Gather Community held another successful Hoopz basketball tournament last weekend on August 3. Edney Orthodontics, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and Polk County Parks and Recreation sponsored the family fun night.

For more information on how to support or get involved with Gather Community, contact Martinez at gatherasonecommunity@gmail.com.

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