Listen to this article
Center commemoraes its first year with a carnival.
by George Rocheleau, Major, and Pon Thoummavong –
Hundreds of people attended the San Francisco Ray and Joan Kroc Center’s first anniversary Halloween Carnival on October 30—a celebration of the center’s first year.
Predicting how many people might show up for community events has been a challenge—and a pleasant surprise—since the center’s dedication a year ago. This time, before the doors opened, a long line of trick-or-treaters had formed, and by the end of the four-hour event, we had welcomed almost a thousand attendees!
Children from the community, together with their parents and Kroc staffers, sported a splendid array of Halloween costumes. Everyone enjoyed the open house and carnival games, including bowling, sharp shooter, mini golf and the cakewalk.
An appearance by Ronald McDonald—surrounded by hundreds of smiling children—was a high point of the festivities. He posed for photos and wowed the crowd with his magic tricks and funny stories. We also welcomed R.J. Kroc, the Kroc Center’s 7-foot tall mascot, the latest addition to our team.
Located in the Tenderloin district, the San Francisco Kroc Center has come a long way since it opened, and today it continues its mission of providing facilities and services that encourage life-changing experiences. In the past year, it has gained 2,300 members, and totaled 115,095 visits. The center has provided 168 hours of swim lessons, eight weeks of summer day camp, 1,536 physical education classes by the neighborhood De Marillac Academy, and over 13,000 senior nutrition meals and 56 holiness and Sunday school meetings. The Halloween Carnival is a welcome addition to these activities, which work towards the goal of The Salvation Army and the Kroc Center of offering safe and secure family events within the community.