Next Day Camp session set July 24-28
By Donnie L. Lucas
The first-week Summer Day Camp sponsored by ResourceCare began Monday, July 10 at the Albany Youth Center, with almost 140 campers enrolled, but about 80 attending.
This year the program is split between July 10-14 and July 24-28 to accommodate a number of the high school age workers to attend church camps.
A total of 138 campers ages 3 through the sixth grade are enrolled, with 40 high school staffers signed up to work the event, along with 10 junior high volunteers.
“We knew that our numbers would be down during the first week of camp because a bunch of kids are attending a church camp,” organizer Ragan Riley said. “We should be at full enrollment during the second week. Everything went well on Monday even with the pool not being open. They seemed to have lots of fun.”
The drop off time is from 8:30 a.m. until 8:50 a.m. each day at the back door of the Youth Center.
“We can not accept any campers after 9:00 a.m.,” said organizer Ragan Riley. “Parents are asked to please stay in their cars when dropping off campers. We will be there to sign them in and take them inside.”
The pick up time for younger children through kindergarten and pre-K will be between 2:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. at the Youth Center.
Campers in first through sixth grade will be need to be picked up between 2:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. at the City Park Pavilion south of the swimming pool.
“We really need parents to pick up their children no later than 3:00 p.m.,” she said. “There were some kids not picked up until 3:30 p.m. on the first day, and we are not set up to have the workers stay that long.”
Campers are provided a light breakfast, a full lunch, and an afternoon snack. Since the food is provided through a summer food program grant, no outside food or drinks are permitted.
Campers are encouraged to participate in daily dress-up themes.
The themes for the remainder of the first week are throwback Thursday wearing any old Day Camp shirts or decade attire, and Freaky Friday with crazy hair, socks, etc.
The second week of dress-up will kick off with “Merica Monday on July 24 with red, white and blue, Superhero Tuesday on July 25, War of Colors on July 26, Tie-dye Thursday, and Hawaiian Day on Friday, July 28.
Age groups will be identified by color as follows: Purple – pre-K and Kindergarten girls, White – pre-K and Kindergarten boys, Pink – 1st and 2nd grade girls, Blue – 1st and 2nd grade boys, Red – 3rd and 4th grade girls, Orange – 3rd and 4th grade boys, Yellow – 5th and 6th grade girls, and Green – 5th and 6th grade boys.
Parents are reminded to send campers with a towel and swimsuit, except on Mondays when the pool is closed. Floaties and goggles are allowed if needed, but should be marked or tagged with a name.
“Please send kids with their regular clothes over their swimsuits,” Riley said. “That really helps us by not having to change 130 children into their swimsuits. The pre-K and Kindergarten kids will need dry underwear to change back into their regular clothes since they swim earlier than the rest.”
Parents are also urged to write their child’s name on everything sent to camp.
“We aren’t responsible for lost items, and it really helps if things are identified,” she said.
Riley added that no toys or electronics, including cell phones, are allowed.
Parents can call ResourceCare for more information at 325-762-2447, or contact Riley at 214-663-3271.
