Rayce Byrne listens as YMCA representative Laura Cassaro explains the YMCA’s E-Sports program.
                                 Kevin Carroll | Times Leader

Rayce Byrne listens as YMCA representative Laura Cassaro explains the YMCA’s E-Sports program.

Kevin Carroll | Times Leader

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KINGSTON — As part of a long-running initiative designed to keep children healthy and active, the Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA held a Healthy Kids Day event at Kirby Park on Sunday afternoon.

“We hold Healthy Kids Day every year as a national initiative to showcase our programs and get kids involved,” said Ashlee Rittenhouse, the Greater Wyoming Valley YMCA’s youth director. “We have all of our different youth departments here today.”

Underneath the Martz Pavilion in Kirby Park, a handful of young children made a pass around the tables set up by the YMCA.

At each of these tables was a representative from one of the YMCA’s numerous summer programs, with some information about what they have to offer for the area’s youth.

For Rayce Byrne of Berwick, the YMCA’s E-sports program caught his eye.

Byrne was accompanied by Roslyn Crawford, whose own son was in the middle of football practice elsewhere in the park.

“We’ve gone to the Berwick YMCA a couple of times,” she said.

YMCA rep Laura Cassaro said that the E-sports program was a popular one.

“It’s still relatively new, but everyone loves this program,” Cassaro said. “You get the chance to play against other YMCA teams, too.”

The event also featured some fun activities for children, including music and some hula hoops.

Healthy Kids Day is held this time of year to keep kids occupied and physically active when the school year ends and children find themselves unoccupied and idle without access to physical activities and equipment provided in a school setting.