Kids ring in 2019 with Noon Year’s Eve party

POTTSTOWN >> It was an early start to the new year for a lot of Pottstown kids this weekend.

Smiles and waves could be seen from the Carousel at Pottstown Dec. 29 as kids and families enjoyed the Noon Year’s Eve Party hosted by The Pottstown Children’s Discovery Center.

“It’s really our first fundraiser for the Pottstown Children’s Discovery Center, which we’re trying to create in Pottstown,” said Beth Desch, one of the founders of the center. “It’s going to be a hands on children’s experience with different exhibits like STEM exhibits, art exhibits, allowing kids to do hands-on learning so that they can understand what they’re doing in schools.”

The day’s festivities began at 10 a.m. and featured a variety of activities including crafts, cookie decorating, a pinata, a noon balloon drop and, of course, rides on the carousel.

“We have overwhelming support. We were wonderfully surprised at how many people showed up,” said Desch. “We came up with the idea from the last event we did at Hometown Holidays. The kids did a scavenger

hunt around town and went from business to business, read a story and picked up pieces to put together at the end. We wanted to have something else and New Year’s Eve was a fun thing to do with kids.”

For the past year, museum Founders, Desch, Jennifer Brown, and Karen Hudson, have been endeavoring to make a hands-on learning experience a reality. The center will partner with local schools to help bring their curriculum to life through exhibits and activities that emphasize learning through play.

Additionally, the group has identified two potential building sites for the center, and the co-founders are fundraising $1.8 million dollars to secure a location with the intent to open in 2021.

For more information on the Pottstown Children’s Discovery Center and upcoming events, visit their Facebook page at w w w.facebook.com/pottstownkids/.

MARIAN DENNIS — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Smiles and waves could be seen from the Carousel at Pottstown as families enjoyed the Noon Year’s Eve Party to raise money for the Pottstown Children’s Discovery Center.

MARIAN DENNIS — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Kids reached for balloons as they fell down at noon Dec. 29 during the Noon Year’s Eve Party for kids at the Carousel at Pottstown.

MARIAN DENNIS — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Kids participated in a variety of crafts and other activities at the Carousel at Pottstown during the Noon Year’s Eve party.

MARIAN DENNIS — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Kids jingled bells and counted down until noon on during the first ever Noon Year’s Eve party for kids held at the Carousel at Pottstown.

MARIAN DENNIS — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA A balloon drop at noon was the culmination of a Noon Year’s Eve party for children at the Carousel at Pottstown. Kids got to celebrate the new year early as part of a fundraiser for the Pottstown Children’s Discovery Center.

MARIAN DENNIS — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA Families decorated cookies together and rode on the carousel in Pottstown during the Noon Year’s Eve Party held by Pottstown Children’s Discovery Center.