Community

Photos: Riverhead’s First Baptist Church hosts annual picnic

Hundreds of parishioners, friends and family attended the annual picnic at Riverhead’s First Baptist Church Sunday afternoon.

The picnic, held each year on the third Sunday in August for more than 30 years, is a way for the community to catch up and relax for a few hours on a hot summer afternoon, organizers said. This year, the picnic kicked off right after services were over, and featured basketball, hula-hoops, tables of food, checkers, chess and other games for adults and kids alike to play.

“[The best part is] definitely the fellowship, people getting together and enjoying each other’s company,” said Shirley Coverdale, wife of the Rev. Charles Coverdale.

Riverhead resident Thelma White said she’s been attending the picnic every year.

“It’s wonderful people,” she said.

PAUL SQUIRE PHOTOS | 1-year-old Kyndall plays basketball with the other kids at Sunday’s picnic.
Hundreds turned out to the annual picnic at the First Baptist Church on Northville Turnpike Sunday afternoon.
(L-R) Deon Miles, 9, and Jordan Gladney, 6, plot their next moves during the picnic’s checkers tournament. Deon would go on to win the game.
Even the adults got into the fun. Brian Lewis showed off his hula-hoop moves after lunch was over.