Manitou Park Family Day Aims To Bring Community Together In South Toms River

SOUTH TOMS RIVER, NJ — Robert Taylor has spent much of his life trying to bring the community together, to create a positive place for children and teens in the area.

From a basketball league to keep kids busy to mentoring to speaking up against injustice, Taylor, through his Unity Pride nonprofit organization, is a fixture in the effort to bring good to the Manitou Park community.

On Saturday, Taylor is hosting the 27th annual Manitou Park Family Day at the 3rd Avenue basketball courts in South Toms River.

"I started Family Day in 1995, 27 years ago," Taylor wrote in a GoFundMe campaign to help support the event. "I wanted to bring the community together (all different races, religions, and beliefs) for a good time! I wanted us to celebrate each other and give the kids something to look forward to."

"I wanted to create a safe place filled with so much joy, laughter, and most importantly: LOVE," Taylor said. "As a community, we have exhibited just that."

Family Day includes food and drinks, face painting and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. there will be rides. There will be games and contests including a talent show, a hula hoop contest, a limbo contest, musical chairs, a relay race, 3-point and slam dunk contests, and hot shots.

There also will be school supplies available, health physicals and job obbortunities.

Family Day is set for noon to 8 p.m. and admission is $10 per person.

The GoFundMe will go toward food, drinks, decorations, school supplies and more for the event. Information on donating can be found here.

Family Day has received support from several organizations including:

• Ocean County Board of Social Services
• RWJ Barnabas Health
• Community Medical Center
• Bright Harbor Health Care
• Ocean County Health Department
• Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc.
• Ocean County Sheriff's Department
• Sadie Vickers Resources
• Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office
• Ocean Health Initiatives
• Toms River NAACP
• Manitou Park Fire Department