As published in the Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, Bluffton News-Banner.
As the summer of 2026 winds down and Labor Day is just around the corner, I recently took time to reflect on a fun and busy summer in our community.
And the fun we had goes to show: If your kid is bored in this city, you aren’t looking hard enough to find activities to enjoy.
It was another summer that our Bluffton Parks Department knocked it out of the park. This was the first time I experienced a busy game night at Jefferson Park for youth baseball. The volunteers certainly make the league what it is and kudos to the neighbors for being hospitable; each game night the nearby streets are lined car-to-car.
My kid loved art camp and bucket drumming, but Matchbox Car Day at Roush Park was a highlight. It inspired us to get our own equipment to make an outdoor Hotwheels track using gutter pieces and wood panels.
Of course the summer wouldn’t be complete without many trips to the new Wells Community Pool. I am thankful for the partnership between the Parks Department/Pool and Bluffton-Harrison MSD childcare as several trips this summer were enjoyed by my kid with his childcare buddies. His confidence in the water has grown so much this year, and safe exposure to water goes a long way in creating a foundation for safe swimming habits.
Another highlight of the summer? The Brazilian United Soccer Camp at Lancaster Park. My kid has developed a love for soccer this past year and it was so fun to watch a group of American children learn the language and culture of Brazil through a shared love of a sport.
While the morning soccer camp was held, I made laps and got my steps in. Or I would sit and enjoy the quiet with a book, since the Wells County Public Library summer reading program had just begun at that time. I enjoyed seeing how many people used the pickleball courts and it gave me hope that I can always pick up new hobbies, even in my retirement years.
I couldn’t help but think about the times I was critical — and publicly — of developing Lancaster Park. I even reached out to the Parks Superintendent Brandy Fiechter to commend her on a job well done. The city park blew my expectations out of the water and we can’t wait to enjoy the Fall Fest on Oct. 9 at Lancaster Park.
Our summer was also full of reading. The summer reading program theme was “Unearth a Story,” and it was all about dinosaurs. We did a few free family events through WCPL for summer reading, such as a dino hunt throughout the library, excavation activities and borrowing a dino buddy to take on adventures with us. I read more this summer in a two-month period than I have in a very long time.
On July 4, we gathered with our neighbors on the Plaza for music and a parade before sitting through a wet fireworks show. My parents celebrated the 50th anniversary of their first date right back where it started — in Bluffton, Ind.
As the summer wound down, we also enjoyed Touch a Truck and the downtown movie night on the Parlor City Plaza this past weekend.
Sure, we also explored new areas out of the boundaries of Wells County this summer. But our trips away only made our adventures near home that much more fun. If you reached this far in my recap of our fun summer right here at home, I hope you take this for what it is: A congratulations to our local parks department and public library on another great summer in Wells County.
Jessica Williams Bricker 