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BOROBEAT: Family fun in Flatbush

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Note: More media content is available for this story at BrooklynDaily.com.

By Colin Mixson

Brooklyn Daily

Citizens for a Better Community, a super block association representing 14 residential blocks within East Flatbush, held its 12th annual Family Day event at Paedergat Park on Saturday, featuring good food, good fun, and some great talent.

“I was hoping that we would find a diamond in the rough at this year’s talent show,” said organizer Yvette Barrow. “We have this young girl, Victoria Chyrack, who plays the violin and after she played, she started singing. As soon as she opened her mouth in was like a nightengale singing. I know she’s going to go far.”

The long-running, family-oriented party has an interesting past, which stretches back to before the event was held in Paerdegat Park.

Back then, Family Day was like any other block party, albeit, with one exception — the organization may represent 14 blocks, but Family Day orgainizers could only choose one in which to hold the event, and residents of the 13 other blocks were prone to jealousy whenever their street wasn’t chosen to host the party.

“Because we have 14 blocks belonging to one orginization, it can be difficult for any of the other blocks, which got to feeling left out,” said Barrow. “That’s when we decided to host the event in Paerdegat Park.”

Since then, organizers like to boast that there hasn’t been even a single incident of bullying, or any other form of kid versus kid violence.

“In 12 years, not one child has hit another at our Family Day,” said Barrow.

The day begins with a series of athletic events for the young sports fans, including sack and foot races, with the winners receiving trophies and ribbons for their feats of athelticism.

Another reoccuring treat that kids look forward to every year is a pony or two, which Citizens for a Better Communtiy bring to the park and let the kids ride around on for a while.

This year, however, organizers went with a different stable than usual, Kensington Farms, and saved $500 — however, you get what you pay for, and these ponies weren’t a big fan of the event’s tradtional Carribean music.

“The ponies were alright, but they’re not Carribean ponies,” said Barrow. “They’re afraid of the music.”

That’s right, apparenlty the ponies at Kensington Farms aren’t the biggest fans of Carribean tunes and became agitated with the music.

So organizers compromised with the little horses, and trotted them down to Foster Avenue, where the ponies chilled out enough that the kids were able to get their rides in — in the end, it was all worth it.

“They look to me like little princes and princesses,” said Barrow. “The look on their faces brings joy to my heart.”

Reach reporter Colin Mixson at cmixson@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-4514.

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