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LeMoyne Community Center hosting Camp Challenge

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Courtesy of Teresa Burroughs

Tennis is one of the many activities this year’s Camp Challenge participants are enjoying.

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Courtesy of Teresa Burroughs

Campers pose with the Washington Wild Things’ mascot.

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Courtesy of Teresa Burroughs

Campers take a break from activities at Camp Challenge 2023 at LeMoyne Community Center.

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Paul Paterra/Observer-Reporter

This greeting welcomes participants of Camp Challenge 2023 at the LeMoyne Community Center in Washington.

Summer is off to an entertaining start at LeMoyne Community Center, where 160 youths from kindergarten through ninth grade are taking part in the free Camp Challenge 2023.

The camp is held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays through Aug. 4 at the center on North Forrest Avenue in Washington.

“We took a different approach,” said Teresa Burroughs, community center executive director, of this year’s camp. “We wanted to make sure it is more field-trip based so that the kids are able to go outside of Washington County and explore the various activities that are in Allegheny County as well.”

A total of 28 field trips are planned, including visits to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium and the Senator John Heinz History Center.

“We do an I-Spy event,” Burroughs said of an activity youngsters take part in during the trips. “We partner them two by two and pick out different artifacts for them to look for as a team. We want to make sure they’re learning and listening as they’re enjoying the field trip. They can get a prize if they find so many items. We try to make learning fun and interesting.”

Local sojourns are scheduled, too. Burroughs said the kids are enjoying the Bradford House in Washington, and trips are planned to Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village, a Wild Things baseball game and the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum.

Camp activities range from educational pursuits, such as reading, math and STEM classes, to physical, including tennis, Zumba, swimming and bowling. Photography, crafts, sign language and life lessons are also part of the summertime curriculum.

Burroughs said children are picked up and taken home if necessary, and breakfast, lunch and a healthy snack are provided daily.

Twenty counselors are on hand from area colleges as well as Trinity and Washington school districts.

The program is funded through personal and in-kind donations, as well as contributions from CNX, Highmark, Washington Financial Bank, United Way, Range Resources and Dr. Daniel Lattanzi of Bethel Park.

“We have children from all areas, all school districts that come and participate in our program,” Burroughs said. “It’s eight weeks of fun, of exploring and trying new things.”

The community center also is offering a Summer Youth cafe through Aug. 4 from Monday through Friday which provides free lunch for youths 18 and younger at 14 city sites.

“It’s our mobile ‘nutrifit’ program,” Burroughs said. “We deliver hot foods to children that come out so they’re able to eat. They have to eat those meals on site.”

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