As the sun started to go down over the Suffolk YMCA Wednesday afternoon, Sarah Connolly sat at a table under a large umbrella to escape the heat.

But it was still too warm for the 11-year-old, even for an August afternoon. Fortunately, she had another way of cooling off.

&uot;It’s ice cream and it’s free,&uot; Sarah said, feasting on her vanilla/strawberry/chocolate/sprinkles concoction. &uot;It’s a perfect day for it. If it was raining, we would have had it inside, and it wouldn’t have been as nice.&uot;

Dozens milled around the pool area, as lifeguard Brian Hancock scooped together one sundae after another.

&uot;We’ve already gone through four gallons,&uot; he said.

At another table, Nansemond-Suffolk Academy student Rixey Smith cooled off with some of her friends.

&uot;I didn’t just come because of the ice cream,&uot; said the 14-year-old. &uot;It’s good, but I also got to be with all my friends. We are going back to school where you have to work; here, you can just play.&uot;

Playtime commenced for over 300 of the facility’s members, said events coordinator Stephanie Clark.

&uot;We were gladly surprised (but the number of signups),&uot; she said. &uot;We love our members and we wanted to show them how much we appreciate them. We didn’t know we’d get to serve so many.&uot;

jason.norman@suffolknewsherald.com