Day camp ends six-week run of fun
WAYNESBURG – The Greene County Day Camp program ended its six-week run of providing free activities for county children during a pizza and pool party July 30, at Wana B Park in Carmichaels. Nearly 700 county children ages 5 to 15-years-old participated in the program, which started June 21. The county’s Department of Recreation employed 69 individuals as camp counselors and site supervisors.
With the exception of a few rainy days, Day Camp ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at five locations in Greene County: 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. Bobtown Elementary School in Bobtown and Morris Township Community Center in Nineveh served as drop-off and pick-up locations for children attending the Mon View and Ryerson camps, respectively.
Transportation for Day Camp was made possible in part by a grant from the Community Foundation of Greene County.
Each day, campers enjoyed a variety of activities, including arts and crafts, games and educational programs, as well as swimming each afternoon at any of the three county pools for $2 per day. Ryerson campers enjoyed swimming at the Ryerson Station State Park pool. All campers received a 2010 Day Camp T-shirt that they colored and personalized.
For the first time, lunches were provided to campers at all sites through a partnership with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
The Carmichaels Area, Central Greene and West Greene school districts prepared 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.
The Summer Food Program Fund of the Community Foundation of Greene County provided a $5,000 grant to assist with the cost of busing students to campsites in order to receive their free meals.
Throughout the program, various individuals and community groups also gave presentations to campers, including the American Judo-Hapkido Institute, Bowlby Library of Waynesburg, Carmichaels Borough Police, Carmichaels-Cumberland Township Volunteer Fire Company, Girl Scouts of the USA, Greene County Tobacco Control Program, Greene County Women’s Center, the Miss Rain Day contestants, Ryerson Park Manager Alan Johnson and Thomas Hughes House Reading Center of Jefferson.
Campers ages 5 to 15 years old were able to participate in Camp Challenge this year, which was sponsored by the Washington-Greene County Job Training Agency, Inc., and the Greene County Memorial Hospital Foundation. Camp Challenge provides education about positive lifestyles and career choices. During the last week of Day Camp, campers ages 5 to 8 had a Fun Day field trip to Mon View Park, and campers ages 9 to 15 took a field trip to Carnegie Science Center and Olive Garden.
All meals, supplies, busing and activities were provided free of charge to campers.
The Day Camp program is funded through sponsors and Department of Recreation fundraisers such as the Miss Greene County Pageant in March, the Dock to Lock 5K Run/Walk and 10K Run in May and Breakfast with Santa in December.
For more information on the summer Day Camp program, call the Department of Recreation at 724-852-5323.