Hidalgo Medical Services draws 750 to annual Jump Into Summer event

More than 750 people crowded Gough Park in Silver City for Hidalgo Medical Services’ sixteenth annual Jump Into Summer event, a turnout that showed how much rural families still rely on one-stop community outreach as summer begins. HMS said more than 400 children registered for the event, which ran from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 13.

For parents, the biggest draw was not just the water slides, jumping balloons, music and giveaways. HMS also stationed staff from Behavioral Health, Dental, Family Support, Human Resources and Credentialing, Information Technology, Medical, the Mobile Unit, Nursing and Transportation. That mix gave Hidalgo County families a chance to see, in one place, the services they can actually use when a child needs a dentist, a medical visit, behavioral health support or a ride to care. In a region where access can be uneven and many households are far from Silver City, the presence of transportation and the mobile unit mattered as much as the free entertainment.

The event’s growing footprint also suggests something about unmet needs at the start of summer. HMS said its fifteenth annual Jump Into Summer in 2025 drew more than 475 registered participants and more than 650 anticipated attendees, while the fourteenth annual event in 2024 drew more than 575 registered participants and more than 700 anticipated attendees. This year’s crowd pushed even higher, reinforcing the event’s role as a major touchpoint for families looking for school-break support, preventive care information and a low-pressure place to meet local health workers.

Jump Into Summer has long served that purpose at Gough Park. In 2019, the 11th annual event brought hundreds of people to the park and featured community partners including Big Brothers Big Sisters, BlueCross BlueShield, Beginning Years, Imagination Library, El Grito and Western Sky Community Care. Edith Lee, who spoke about the event then, said its goal was to promote health and wellness and make it a family fun day with physical activity.

HMS, which Share New Mexico describes as the only Federally Qualified Health Center in both Hidalgo and Grant counties, has turned the event into more than a celebration. For families in Silver City and in more isolated parts of Hidalgo County, it is a reminder that care, referrals and support services are available if they know where to look and whom to ask.