Fathers, sons fling paint at Annmarie Garden event

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Click here to enlarge this photo Photo by BRIAN WILLHIDE Chris and Amy Gavin of St. Mary’s City stand with their son, Jake, 4, next to their catapult and paint-covered canvas at last Saturday’s Father’s Day Fling event at Annmarie Garden in Solomons. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story

Back for another year due to its popularity, the event allowed parents, grandparents and other family members to build catapults with their young ones and use these devices to launch paint onto a large, blank canvas. Families registered and made their preparations by building the catapults from 10 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., when they took a small lunch break. From 12:30 p.m. until 2 p.m., however, the families were busy and active launching paint canisters with their catapults on to their canvases.

Michael and Zinnia James came all the way from Lorton, Va., to take part in the event.

‘‘It was about an hour and 20 minute drive, but it’s worth it,” said Michael James. Zinnia James mentioned how she was online doing some research when she found out about the event. Their daughters Jaimi, 7, and Bailey, 5, were very active throughout the day, helping build the catapult and launch the paint up and down on to the canvas.

‘‘I had a lot of fun,” Jaimi said.

‘‘It’s a unique experience . . . something different to do,” Michael James said.

Zinnia James added, ‘‘We try to get out and do different things like this, especially since we’re both in the military.”

The Harris family of Great Mills delayed its vacation to come to Saturday’s event. Leandra Harris said, ‘‘We were supposed to leave for vacation today, but forgot we signed up for this. So we delayed our vacation a day so that we could do this, and we’ll go ahead and leave tomorrow.” Doug Harris and Leandra Harris’ daughter Karson, 8, said, ‘‘It’s a once in a year thing so we couldn’t miss it.”

‘‘It’s a fun Father’s Day kind of thing to do. Sure beats watching golf all day,” Doug Harris said. He was even more impressed by Annmarie Garden’s facilities, adding that, ‘‘The exhibits and the new [Arts Building] are really cool.” He joked, ‘‘They’re cool with the air conditioning as well.”

‘‘It was a very good time. The catapults are easy enough to build so that the kids can help a lot too,” Leandra Harris said. Kobe Harris, 6, said his favorite part of the day was building the catapult. Karson, however, had the most fun ‘‘flinging the paint.” Leandra even mentioned how the family plans on taking the paint-covered canvas and having it framed to show off in their home.

The Gavin family of St. Mary’s City brought three generations together on Saturday, with son, 4-year-old Jake, 32-year-old parents, Chris and Amy, and 60-year-old grandfather Roger Boundy all participating in the fling. ‘‘We come here a few times a year, but some of our friends especially recommended this event,” Chris Gavin said.

‘‘The best part of this event for my husband and I will be a memory we can take away,” Amy Gavin said.

Jake said, ‘‘I had a lot of fun.” Amy, an artist herself, mentioned how she could really appreciate the event on Saturday. She said, ‘‘My son was so fascinated by the building of the catapult. He can’t sit still normally for a few minutes but he sure did when building this. For him, that will be the best part of this event.” Chris said, ‘‘It’s the perfect thing to get dads involved.”

There were many other families who took part in the event on Saturday, all of whom were laughing, smiling and having a good time with their children on the eve of Father’s Day.

When asked about whether they’ll be making it back if the event is held next year, all three families were in agreement with attending the event again next year.