County offers day camp activities
WAYNESBURG – Greene County children ages 5 to 15 years old will be able to enjoy free activities this summer when the county day camp program launches June 17. The camp will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday until July 26.
Pre-registration for Day Camp will be held from noon to 3 p.m. June 14 at all camp locations; however, anyone can register for day camp at any time during the six-week session.
This year, day camp locations include Jefferson Township Park in Jefferson, Lions Club Park in Waynesburg, Mon View Park in Greensboro, Ryerson Station State Park in Wind Ridge and Wana B Park in Carmichaels. Sign-ups will also be held at Bobtown Elementary School and Morris Township Community Center in Nineveh. These two sites will serve as drop-off and pick-up locations: Bobtown campers will be bussed to Mon View Park and Nineveh campers to Ryerson Station State Park.
Campers will have a variety of activities scheduled for them each day, including arts and crafts, games and educational programs. They may also swim at any of the three county pools for only $2 per day. All campers will receive a 2013 Day Camp T-shirt that they can color and personalize.
Lunches will be provided to campers at all sites through a partnership with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and the Community Foundation of Greene County. The Carmichaels Area and Central Greene school districts will prepare the meals daily as part of the Greene County Summer Food Program, an initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by the state Department of Education.
Activities returning this year include Camp Challenge, administered by Washington Greene County Job Training Agency Inc., with funding provided by Greene County Memorial Hospital Foundation. The mission of Camp Challenge is to educate the youth of Greene County about positive lifestyles and career choices, while providing a fun, interactive approach and environment.
Art classes will also return to day camp with instructors from the Monon Center. The classes will promote creativity and imagination through hands-on experiences in creating artwork. Funding is made possible in part through a Forget-Me-Not Fund grant from Community Foundation of Greene County.
During the last week of day camp, campers ages 5 to 8 will enjoy a Track and Field Day at Waynesburg Central High School. Campers ages 9 to 15 will take a field trip to Pittsburgh and tour the city and rivers with Just Ducky Tours. The two field trips will be offered for children who attend a minimum number of Camp Challenge sessions.
On July 26, Greene County Memorial Hospital Foundation and Rotary Club of Waynesburg are sponsoring an end-of-camp picnic at Wana B Park. The festivities will include a “Wizard Fun House,” obstacle course and boulder dash, courtesy of Elf Entertainment. Domino’s Pizza in Carmichaels will provide pizza for the party.
All meals, supplies and activities are provided free to campers. The day camp program is funded through various sponsors, the Greene County commissioners and Department of Recreation fundraisers, such as Miss Greene County Pageant in March and the Dock to Lock 5K Run/Walk in May.
Major sponsors of this year’s day camp include Alpha Natural Resources and Consol Energy, as well as Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, Community Bank, Energy Corp. of America, First Federal Savings & Loan of Greene County, Hartman & Hartman Inc., McCracken Pharmacy, R&D Watters Septic Service, SCI-Greene, Wal-Mart and Waynesburg University.
Providing additional support are Flenniken Library, Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Greene County Human Services and Michael’s Auto.
Day camp will not be held July 4 because of the Fourth of July holiday. For more information on the summer day camp program, call the Department of Recreation at 724-852-5323.