School year ends with a whirl at Carousel of Dreams

The Gesa Carousel of Dreams and the Kennewick Police Department are inviting students to swing by for a celebratory ride, hot dog and drink when school lets out for the summer June 10 in Richland and Kennewick. Pasco schools finish June 17.

The end-of-school celebration is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the carousel in the Southridge Sports & Events Complex, 2901 Southridge Blvd., in Kennewick.

The carousel is asking for a $5 donation per person, or $20 for a family of six, though no visitors will be turned away for lack of payment. All proceeds will be donated to the Kennewick Police Department’s Community Care Program.

The carousel is donating its facilities while Kennewick Rotary is supplying the hot dogs and Coca Cola beverages.

“Now that we’re debt free, we wanted to give back to the community,” said Parker Hodge, executive director of the nonprofit carousel and event center. This spring, it paid off the $354,000 debt it took on to open in 2014.

Students will be able to examine police vehicles and climb into a SWAT vehicle and a firetruck. The Southridge aquatic playground will be open as well.

The Community Care Program gives Kennewick police officers discretion to assist citizens with basic needs during crises.

The program has raised about $50,000 and has spent roughly $15,000 to lodge displaced families, fix broken bikes, pay for hot meals and repair broken vehicles. In February, the program provided a used SUV to a young family after its van was stolen. The family needed the vehicle to take a disabled child to Seattle for medical treatment.

“When they need help, they need help right now,” said Cmdr. Scott Child.

This story was originally published June 7, 2016 at 11:33 AM with the headline "School year ends with a whirl at Carousel of Dreams."