Round Rio Rancho

The weather for the recent 5th Annual Sundae is Funday event at Loma Colorado Park in Rio Rancho, NM was pretty darn perfect, encouraging what may have been the best turnout for this event ever! Not only was the attendance over the top, but the number and variety of booths and vendors was also a record. There were booths from local businesses, churches, political campaigns, animal adoption agencies, plumbing firms, government agencies and more.

In keeping with the play-on-words event title, there were a number of ice cream related events, including a 50 ft ice cream sundae, and the Mayor Swisstack Sundae, where Rio Rancho Mayor Tom Swisstack allowed children to turn him into a human banana split. (As I observed the carnage, the terms “nuts” and “gone bananas” came to mind.)  The man is braver than I…

There was a display of classic and collectible cars, various children’s games and activities and a wide variety of family friendly fun. In keeping with the original concept of an affordable family event, food and drinks were free or very reasonably priced.

The day was co-sponsored by the Rio Rancho Kiwanis Club, the City of Vision Civitan Club, the local Elks Lodge and the Rio Rancho Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department. Proceeds are earmarked to benefit  local Boy Scout Troops, the Rio Rancho Boys and Girls Club, and the Sandoval County Juvenile Justice Program and scholarships for children to participate in fee required recreation events. Co-Chairmen Dave Heil and Tony Popper plus Connie Peterson did a lot of the heavy lifting to make the event a success.