The summer is slowly coming to an end, but this weekend gave Selma’s youth a chance to enjoy a little bit more summer fun.

Since I moved here last September, I’ve heard people complain about the lack of entertainment for the young people countless times. So when I heard about the Black Belt Community Development Coalition’s Kid’s Day Out Week Fest, I was pretty excited.

The three-day fest kicked off with a Scavenger Hunt event Thursday at the Selma Mall. that allowed children to answer questions about Selma in hopes of being deemed the winner.

The fun continued Friday as the public visited the Selma mall at 3 p.m. to enjoy the Kids Day Out Festival, which included a magic show, an inflatable bouncer, face painting, crafts, food and more.

The three-day event concludes Saturday, or today, from 6 to 9 p.m. with a Back-to-School Fashion Show, featuring models ages 8 to 18.

It is easy to get consumed in the negativity living in Selma, such as crime.

Events like Kids Day Out give the little ones a chance to escape it and enjoy their youth.

Every kid should have a chance to be just that—a kid.

Summer is wrapping up, and it is nice to see these kids squeeze in a little more fun before they have to hit the books, starting in August.

Our community providing entertaining activities for the youth shows that we think about and care for them.

It displays our love for the younger generation.

While some might think events like the Kid’s Day Out Week Fest are small, we should all realize that it could have a huge affect. Showing the young people this kind of love now might prevent tragedies, such as violent crimes later.

I had the pleasure of watching children enjoy the Scavenger Hunt. It was a beautiful thing to see them benefiting from learning Selma’s history in a fun way.

It was also pretty amusing to see parents get just as, if not more, competitive than their children during the hunt.

Not only does the event provide children with a great weekend of excitement, but it also encourages the public to give back to students.

Profits from the food and raffle, held Friday, will be used to fund school supplies donation to three area elementary schools.

The group also accepted individual donations.

Thanks to the organization and those who contributed, three schools will be given 25 backpacks full of school supplies.

It is easy for the people in Selma to focus on all of the town’s negative aspects, but I hope we can put that aside. Instead, let’s appreciate all the pleasure the Kid’s Day Out Week Fest brings to our children.

Our children deserve it.