Summer’s Best Two Weeks celebrates 20th anniversary
?Third Presbyterian Church in Uniontown is observing the 20th anniversary of its Christian athletic camp called Summer’s Best Two Weeks.
Officials at the church, located at 425 Union St., are asking former participants to join in the closing ceremony at 7:30?p.m. Friday to celebrate the milestone anniversary. The camp is being held this year from July 11-22, with Tyler Brooks as director.
“We have former campers who have kids who have come to the camp and we’re rounding up former directors to be recognized at the closing ceremony,” said Lisa Buckingham of Martins Ferry, Ohio, who is one of the former camp directors and daughter of the founder, the late Rev. James Tweardy.
Tweardy, who was pastor of Third Presbyterian, brought the idea to the Uniontown church after discovering the program in Sharon. The camp is open to youths who have completed second through seventh grades. It allows them to compete in team sports such as kickball, soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, basketball and hockey as well as individually in archery, tumbling, track, wrestling for boys and balance beam for girls. Campers get a chance to learn new skills and perfect skills they already may have.
The program is operated as a day camp with Bible study, singing and skits as well as sports. Youths have an overnight camp out sometime during the two weeks.
On the average, 70 children attend the camp but there have been as many as 100 participating. The camp is operated by a staff of college students whose summer job is to run four of these camps within a circuit that operates in the Pittsburgh area as well as Uniontown.
Anyone who wants to be part of the closing ceremony can just show up.
Buckingham said, “We’re really excited about the anniversary. It’s been fun to see how it’s become part of the Uniontown community. Teachers tell us that when they have students write essays about how they spent their summer vacation, a lot of times they hear about Summer’s Best Two Weeks.”
Buckingham, who has been a camper, counselor and director for the program, said, “It’s a camp that stays with you, whether you’re in it one year or 10. People still have distinct memories. It leaves an imprint that’s lasting, and it’s really fun.”