Season of fun

Staff

Published Sunday, May 29, 2005

By Ann Austin, Tribune staff writer

Summertime is best experienced by frolicking around outside. And kids who attend day camp at the Albert Lea Family Y will have plenty of exposure to fresh air and sunshine.

The Moraine Summer Day Camps start June 6 and run until Aug. 26. Children ages kindergarten through seventh-grade may participate in any or all of the week-long camps. Children may be dropped of at the Family Y as early as 7 a.m. and picked up as late as 5:45 p.m. Special transportation is available to children who are in summer school.

Different activities are planned every day and range from cooking over a fire to canoeing and fishing to doing crafts and singing camp songs. The counselors hope to start an archery program this summer.

"They love cooking on the fire," Kris Davis said. "Lots of kids haven't gone canoeing before, and they get really excited when they catch a fish," Erin Bartusek said.

Most activities are held outside at area campgrounds like Helmer-Myre State Park or Edgewater Park.

"They are able to come to an environment that is safe, diverse and they are able to play out in the wilderness, away from the technology and all the things of this world," said Erin Bartusek,who along with Kris Davis, is coordinating this year's activities.

This is the second year Bartusek has coordinated the day camp, Davis is new, though she helped with the School's Out program at the Family Y and was a counselor for the day camps.

Both coordinators grew up doing activities outside and value the lessons they learned. Bartusek was involved in the YMCA day camps when she was young and Davis was a member of 4-H.

"Society now (sees) children go home and watch TV...it's all computers and technology. Going back to the basics and seeing how fun it was when they didn't have this stuff (is valuable)," Bartusek said.

Three overnights are planned over the summer for Thursday evening when family can come to watch students show the crafts and skits they learned at day camp and participate in singing camp songs. One trip to Hickory Hills Campground is also planned this summer.

And every day, children are taught to keep the four principles of YMCA in mind: honesty, respect, responsibility and caring. Camp counselors encourage the kids to be role models for each other. "We think that our kids are making a difference for other kids too," Bartusek said.

And the counselors also enjoy their time with the kids.

"The best benefit I get out of this is I feel like I'm making a difference in these kids' lives," Bartusek said.

Meeting and getting to know the children's parents is also a plus for the coordinators. "You get to meet a lot of people," Davis said.

Parents are encouraged to attend activities and field trips with their children. Major field trips the day campers will be taking this year are the Minnesota Zoo, Science Museum, and Cascade Bay Water Park in Eagan.

The camp is American Camping Association certified, and are certified annually by choice.

Watch for the day camp group at the 4th of July parade this summer as they will build their own

float.

(Contact Ann Austin at ann.austin@albertleatribune.com or 379-3435.)

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