Loving Our City party at Barker

The Barker Park area was teeming with activity as the New Generation Church held its annual "Loving Our City" festival and the Wasco Reserves hosted the Tucson Sequeros at the Ballpark across the street.

Pastor Francisco Sanchez of Iglesia Nueva Generacion (New Generation Church), at 1017 Central Ave., said the Loving Our City event was meant to bring people together so they could enjoy games, good, fellowship and a spiritual message.

"We like this event because families all come together and spend time together," said Jeanne Ballard, a middle school teacher at Sequoia Middle School in Bakersfield who helped organize the event.

The festival was a combination carnival, dinner and prayer service. Families enjoyed several booths at which trinkets were given away. There also were free hot dogs, chips and soft drinks.

"We don't charge for anything," Pastor Sanchez said. "We want the community to just come and enjoy what we have to offer."

Sanchez said this was the fourth year the church has hosted the event.

Volunteers wearing bright green T-shirts were visible everywhere, assisting attendees and monitoring the booths.

Barker Park area on Saturday, June 15, was teaming with activity from 4-10 p.m. with the New Generation Church hosting its annual "Loving Our City" event and the Wasco Reserves baseball team playing the Tucson Sequeros at the ballpark across the street at 1281 Poplar Ave.

Pastor Francisco Sanchez of Iglesia Nueva Generacion (New Generation Church) located at 1017 Central Ave. hosted the "Loving Our City" event to bring everyone together in Wasco so they could enjoy some games, food, fellowship and a spiritual message given by Pastor Sanchez.

"We like this event because families all come together and spend time together," Ballard added.

"Loving Our City" was a combination carnival, dinner and prayer event.

Families were able to enjoy several booths where free trinkets were given away to anyone who wanted a token of the event for a keepsake. Also free were hot dogs, chips and a drink.

"We don't charge for anything," Pastor Sanchez said. "We want the community to just come and enjoy what we have to offer."

Sanchez said that this was the fourth year the church has put on this event.

Volunteers wearing bright green T-shirts were visible everywhere assisting attendees and monitoring the booths. Jeanne and Marcus Ballard were in charge of the event.

"We are excited about the many activities we offer such as a church service just for children, which is the first Sunday of every month at 11 a.m.," Jeanne Ballard said.

"We have a lot of activities at the church," Sanchez said. "We hold a volleyball tournament in October, vacation bible school, which will be July 24-26, and we feed the homeless the first Saturday of every month.

There are options for services depending upon what time is convenient for the parishioner such as Sundays at 11 a.m., and Monday prayer from 5:30 – 6 a.m. "We also hold prayers on Tuesdays from 6-7 p.m. and have a youth group on Wednesdays at 7 p.m.," Sanchez said.