By Laura Mazur
Community Post
Summer will be here before you know it.
But before it is, New Bremen's Amsterdam Center decided to kick off the season right.

The Amsterdam Center Merchants held a summer kick-off on Saturday to get community members out and enjoying the weather and to get them out to see what this particular shopping plaza has to offer.
“There were pony rides, games, food and other activities. Everyone I talked to was very pleased with the turn-out. At the chamber, this is the kind of activity we like to see because it brings people to local shops and stores,” said Jim Coons, executive director for the Southwestern Auglaize County Chamber of Commerce.
The idea for the summer kick-off came from a similar event having happened about five years ago incorporating the Amsterdam Center Merchants. Having been successful, the group decided this past winter to again organize the day of fun and for the stores. This time, the merchants invited other local groups as well, such as the Relay for Life Life teams, the Cardinal Pride Association, the New Bremen Historic Association, the New Bremen Library and others.
“Everyone knows someone who has had cancer and wants to raise money for it,” explained Shirley James, a Relay for Life team member who attended Saturday’s event.
Relay for Life members painted faces for donations, as well as sold purses, bracelets and other items to increase funds for their team. A number of fundraisers are currently going on in the area with this Sunday celebrating Survivor Sunday with ribbons and other decorations around town. Preparations are also being made for the annual walking event for Relay for Life, which will be June 13 and 14 at Cardinal Stadium.
As for the summer kick-off, some other people in attendance, like Emma Krieg, 4, of New Bremen, just enjoyed “the horsey rides” of the day.
Now with another year of successful fun under their belt, the Amsterdam Center Merchants have decided to continue on with this special day the weekend after Memorial Day each year.
Coons said, “The focus for the foreseeable future is to provide local shopping days for businesses with merchants in our area.”