County day camps for children to begin Monday
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 Monday. The camp will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday until July 24.
Registration for day camp will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Friday, 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 and Wana B Park in Carmichaels.
Sign-ups will also be held Friday at Bobtown Elementary School in Bobtown, Graysville Elementary in Graysville, Morris Township Community Center in Nineveh and Nemacolin Fire Hall in Nemacolin.
These four sites will serve as drop-off and pick-up locations for the main camps. Bobtown campers will be bused to Mon View Park, Graysville and Nineveh campers to Lions Club Park and Nemacolin campers to Wana B Park. After morning programming, Jefferson campers will also be bused to Wana B Park for lunch and swimming.
Because of the ongoing restoration of Duke Lake, Ryerson Station State Park in Wind Ridge will not be used as a camp location this year. Children who previously attended the Ryerson camp can use the Graysville or Nineveh sites to be bused to Lions Club Park.
Busing for the day camp program is paid for in part by grants from the Community Foundation of Greene County and the Greene County Memorial Hospital Foundation.
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 a day. All campers will receive a 2015 Day Camp T-shirt that they will wear on the day camp field trips.
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. Carmichaels Area and Central Greene school districts will prepare 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.
New programming this year includes hands-on projects covering science, technology, recreation, engineering, art and math. The “UP STREAM” program will combine these topics with physical activity.
“We’re excited to offer a new educational program to day camp,” said recreation director Jake Blaker. “Each child will not only visually examine these topics and other areas, but the projects will allow each child to kinesthetically experience them through exploration and exercise.”
Activities returning this year include art experiences provided by the Monon Center of Greensboro. The classes will promote creativity and imagination through hands-on experiences in creating artwork. Funding is made possible in part through a grant from the Community Foundation of Greene County.
Other programs throughout the summer will be presented by Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Flenniken Library, Greene County Conservation District, Greene County Human Services and Penn State Cooperative Extension.
During the last week of day camp, campers ages 5-8 will enjoy “Lego Day” July 21 at the Greene County Fairgrounds. Campers ages 9-15 will be broken into two separate field trips to Nemacolin Woodlands. Those attending the Jefferson Township, Mon View and Wana B camps will go July 21, and campers from Lions Club Park will go July 22.
Children must attend seven out of the 10 “UP STREAM” programs to participate in the Nemacolin Woodlands field trip.
On Friday, July 24, an end-of-the-year picnic will be held at Wana B Park. Greene County Memorial Hospital Foundation will provide funding for two Lazer Tag Battle Cruisers from Fantasy World Entertainment. Lunch and snacks will be provided by the hospital foundation and Carmichaels Area School District. After lunch, the children will enjoy the Carmichaels pool for the afternoon.
All meals, supplies and activities are provided free of charge to campers. The day camp program is funded through the Greene County Commissioners, various sponsors and Department of Recreation fundraisers such as the Dock to Lock 5K Run/Walk, held in May.
Major sponsors of this year’s Day Camp include Consol Energy and Noble Energy, as well as Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, First Federal Savings and Loan of Greene County, Nathanael Greene Community Development Corporation and Waynesburg Animal Hospital.
Day camp will not be held Friday, July 3, due to the Fourth of July holiday. For more information on the summer Day Camp program, call the county Department of Recreation at 724-852-5323.