A day of community for Lakeville residents in fourth annual Lakeville Day
Calvin Wiencek, 4, learns how to cast a fishing line with some help from his dad Jonathon during the fourth annual Lakeville Day on Sunday, May 17. Photos by Abby Van Selous
Everly Amaral, 11, aims for the target.
Emilia Azevedo, 6, learns how to cast a fishing line.
Olivia Thones sells homemade products during Lakeville Day.
Foodtrucks were introduced to Lakeville Day this year.
Vendors from Lakeville and some neighboring communities takeover the grass field at Ted Williams Camp.
Schools Out Ice Cream serves up some cool treats.
Calvin Wiencek, 4, learns how to cast a fishing line with some help from his dad Jonathon during the fourth annual Lakeville Day on Sunday, May 17. Photos by Abby Van Selous
Everly Amaral, 11, aims for the target.
Emilia Azevedo, 6, learns how to cast a fishing line.
Olivia Thones sells homemade products during Lakeville Day.
Foodtrucks were introduced to Lakeville Day this year.
Vendors from Lakeville and some neighboring communities takeover the grass field at Ted Williams Camp.
Schools Out Ice Cream serves up some cool treats.
LAKEVILLE — Visitors to Ted Williams Camp could get a taste of what Lakeville has to offer on Sunday, May 17 during the fourth annual Lakeville Day.
For the first time since its beginning, the event featured not just local businesses and lawn games, but food trucks, a cloudless sky and warm weather.
Melisa Turcotte, a park commission member, began Lakeville Day four years ago with another member who is now retired. Their shared idea for the event stemmed from Lakeville going through a “tumultuous time” regarding whether to buy the Lakeville Country Club.
“Everybody was at each other — very similar to now with the override — so we thought we needed something to bring the community together, and what better place than the parks?” Turcotte said.
She added, “When everything’s over, this still has to be a place that’s safe for everybody, and everybody enjoys coming to.”
Kids played lawn games, learned to cast a fishing line and how to shoot with a bow and arrow while vendors from local businesses sold products and shared information with Lakeville residents.
This year the event featured local businesses and food trucks either from Lakeville or from neighboring towns that have a Lakeville connection.
“They’re supporting us by coming and they’re members of our community, but we’re also supporting them right back,” Turcotte said, “So that’s like the best.”
Among the local vendors was Olivia Thones, the owner of Hare's Paw, a non-profit educational farm based in Lakeville.
This was the second time that Thones attended Lakeville Day, an event that she said helps the community “see what’s in the community.”
“Your neighbor can have a small business that you have no idea about, but now you’re here, you can see it and be able to support it,” she said.
Thones opened her business three years ago and noted that since she’s on an offshoot road, it’s not the most visible.
“It’s just good to see everyone that’s in Lakeville and be able to say, ‘Hey, I’m here,” Thones said.
Lakeville resident Everly Amaral, 11, stopped by Thones’ tent, where she got spicy pickles.
“I think they’re going to be delicious,” she said, adding that she wanted to attend Lakeville Day because she “heard there was food.”
She added, “It’s all Lakeville residents, so it’s really important that we support them.”
Nicole and Delilah O’Brien decided to attend Lakeville Day because they live up the street and visit Ted Williams Camp “all the time," Nicole said.
Delilah, 11, said she wanted to attend the event because it was a “very nice day,” adding, “I love Ted Williams Camp.”
Nicole noted that it can be nice to see people outside of work or school and that Lakeville Day gave residents the chance to “run around and play, go to different businesses that are in the community that you probably wouldn’t know about.”
