ResourceCare Day Camp to get underway Monday
By Kathy Thomson
ResourceCare summer day camp is scheduled to get underway next week and will take place weekdays from July 8 through July 26.
According to program assistant Ragan Riley, there is one very important change from previous years that parents need to know about.
“This year we will not be able to accept any registrations once camp has started!” Riley said. “Anyone who did not sign up during our official registration days in June needs to get enrolled before 11:00 a.m. on Friday, July 5. Even if your child won’t attend the first week, but they plan to come on the second or third week, they have to be signed up before camp begins or they can not attend at all!”
Riley explained that changes in government regulations required the local day camp to change from an “open site” to a “closed site” status in order to continue to be eligible for grant money.
“We have additional paperwork that is being required by the state, and we need to make sure everything is completed 100 percent!” Riley said.
Anyone still needing to sign up a child for the camp can go to the Youth Center on Friday, July 5 between 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. to get registered, or they can contact ResourceCare at 325-762-2447 before the deadline at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow, July 5.
Fundraising
“Every fundraiser we do throughout the year is for day camp,” said Riley.
On Monday, Resource-Care workers were making homemade salsa and tortillas that has been sold to local residents for the Fourth of July holiday.
Plans are also being finalized for a kickball tournament for the first weekend of August.
“We do get a grant for food only that only covers about half our food cost (breakfast snack, full nutritious lunch, afternoon snack, and milk,” said Riley. “We feed over 200 a day, including both workers and campers.”
The RC employees also sell homemade breakfast burritos and salsa three times a year to help cover costs.
“We have to come up with other funds to pay for gas for the bus to transport campers, arts and craft supplies, insurance costs, and fees for activities, plus the cost of t-shirts for each kid and worker, paying the high school workers and adults and kitchen crew for working, and for other supplies,” said Riley. “So we depend on donations and fundraising throughout the year.”
Along with the fundraising events including CareFest in the fall, bake sales throughout the year, and most recently, work at the Fandangle grounds by Riley and others, the camp is made possible by the United Way of Abilene and Albany Chest.
But local contributions are key.
“Our funding is down from last year, and we could use more if anyone wants to donate,” said Riley. “We are hopeful that the upcoming CareFest, along with grant money, will be able to fund next year’s Day Camp. But for now, we are still looking for donations.”
Along with monetary donations, the camp can use bottled water, sunscreen, Fruit Loops, cornstarch, large marshmallows, pretzels, Gold Fish, popcorn, cookies, Kool-Aid mix, and arts and crafts supplies. Donations can be dropped off at Resource Care during normal business hours or at the Youth Center from 8:30 to 11:00 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, or picked up by request.
Contributions can be mailed to ResourceCare, ATTN: Day Camp, PO Box 2435, Albany, TX 76430.
Campers
Day Camp is free to registered children from three years of age and potty trained through those going into sixth grade.
Over 100 kids are already enrolled, and at least 40 student workers and volunteers are signed up to help with the camp this summer.
The camp will begin at 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday from July 8 through July 26.
Children should be dropped off at the Youth Center no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
“We are not set up to handle early drop-offs,” said Riley. “Please do not bring your child until 8:30 a.m.”
A breakfast snack will be served.
“It is not a full breakfast,” Riley said. “We will serve something small, like a breakfast bar, or a piece of toast, or a bowl of cereal. If your child is used to a larger breakfast, they should eat before they come.”
Riley also reminded parents that outside food is not permitted.
“This is also a requirement for some of the grant funding,” she said. “We have to abide by their rules.”
The preschool and kindergarten children will swim from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon.
A hot lunch will be served.
Older children will swim from noon until 3:00 p.m.
The kindergarten and younger children should be picked up at 3:00 p.m. from the Youth Center.
The older children should be picked up from the City Pool at 3:00 p.m.
Other Activities
“We will be visiting the Albany Sports Center, Feed Store, Friendship Baptist gym, and the Aztec Theater, and we are continuing to add events,” said program director Mindy Ary.
Tuesday, July 16 will be “Cowboy Day.”
“We will have local cowboys bring a roping dummy, demonstrate how to rope, and we will have some other activities,” Ary said.
The children will go to the Aztec Theater to see a movie on “Crazy Hair Day,” Friday, July 19.
Kids are encouraged to dress up in red, white, and blue for “America Day” on Tuesday, July 23. Ary said that special activities on that day will include an obstacle course and snow cones.
Day Camp History
The day camp has been held annually since 1998, when 15 kids participated in the program designed to help reduce the youth crime rate in Albany during the summer months by providing students with a safe place, nutritious food, structured activities, and educational experiences during part of their summer vacation.
