‘Family Fun, Fitness and Film Festival’ participants celebrate summer at Tassel Top Park

Ariel, from Rent A Princess joins dancers
from the Maine Dance Center at the 2022
Family Fun, Fitness and Film Festival.
The free event was designed to provide
resources for living a healthy lifestyle and
for participants to connect, socialize and 
have fun. COURTESY PHOTO

By Masha Yurkevich

On the evening of Thursday, Aug. 18, the beautiful sandy beaches of Tassel Top Park were filled with people not only enjoying the wonderful weather, but also fighting for a good cause. The Family Fun, Fitness and Film Festival was held at Tassel Top Park for the third year and is a collaborative effort between the Be the Influence Coalition and the Windham and Raymond Parks and Recreation Departments.

The event was a free family gathering designed to provide resources for living a healthy lifestyle. The event was intended for participants to connect, socialize and have fun. Activities included yoga on the beach, lawn games, bounce house and live entertainment. Activities were led by Laura Morris, Be The Influence director, in partnership with Joe Crocker the director of Raymond Parks and Recreation and Linda Brooks, the director of Windham Parks and Recreation.

“My mission is to create healthy ways for youth and community members to live without resorting to alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and pills,” said Morris. “Together we created this event, secured sponsors, partnered with area resources and youth groups.”

This event was originally designed in the response to COVID-19 and the anxiety that youth and families were experiencing due to the isolation as well as the increase in self-medication and unhealthy ways to cope.

“Be The Influence and both Parks and Rec Departments wanted to provide an outdoor, health outlet for the community that would encourage healthy ways to cope as well as provide resources for those that may need them,” said Morris.

Organizations that were present at the event include The Options Program/Sweetser, Maine Behavioral Health, City of Portland Health Department, Alateen, Windham Library, Phyllis Warhol, Licensed Social Workers, Be the Influence, Vacasa, Cumberland County Federal Credit Union, Bangor Savings, Cumberland Title Services, Windham High School Cheerleaders, Unique Unknown Hip Hop, Rebecca Woodbury-yoga and mindfulness, Sebago Lakes Chamber of Commerce, Rent a Princess, and Maine Dance Academy. 

With a thank you to all the sponsors who helped support this event each year, the event was free of charge and was open to anyone; those in the Windham Raymond communities and anyone else who may be visiting the park on that day, Morris said.

Brooks, who is also an active member of Be the Influence Coalition, said she was happy to be a part of the Family Fun, Fitness and Film Festival yet again this year.

“One of the best aspects of this event is having young people from organizations such as the Windham High School Fall Cheerleaders and the Maine Dance Center participate in this event to demonstrate the healthy activities they are involved with and show a willingness to give back to their community to be role models to youth,” Brooks said. “Tassel Top Park is a beautiful park on the shores of Sebago Lake and having this event held in this setting is a great way to remind people about the benefits of nature and the outdoors.”

There were roughly 85 people who attended.

“We had hoped for twice as much, but everyone that attended reported really enjoying it,” said Brooks. “This was not a fundraiser. We solicited sponsors on our own and brought in the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce to cover film, advertising and other costs.”

Brooks said that she thinks the main take away is that we are living at a difficult time and mental health issues and substance use is at an all-time high. “Communities need engaging events that provides the tools to handle stress in healthy ways as well as where people can go for help,” says Brooks. “This venue does both.” <