Fun in the sun: Summer camps gearing up

What are you doing
this summer?

Does a day camp at a local church or the local arts center sound good to you?

If so, you're in luck.

Seymour First Church of the Nazarene, St. Paul Lutheran Church (Borchers), Immanuel Lutheran Church, Girls Inc. and Southern Indiana Center for the Arts each have different activities in which you can take part.

First Church of the Nazarene

Rebecca Lanier invites kids in kindergarten through sixth grade to take part in the first NAZ Camp, June 2 to Aug. 1. She said in the past, Seymour First Church of the Nazarene had a successful day camp, and the church is looking to restart it. The deadline to register is May 21.

The theme is "Fruits of the Spirit."

"We will be focusing each week on one of the fruits: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control," Lanier said.

She said she is also interested in inviting guest speakers from the community to speak to the students, either at the church or on a field trip, "as to how his or her career expresses a fruit of the spirit."

If anyone is interested in doing that, Lanier said, e-mail her at nazcamp@yahoo.com or call the church office at 522-2060.

Lanier assures an educational and safe environment.

"We currently have five teachers on board, a medical assistant and two teachers' aides," Lanier said. "Plus, we will all be CPR/first aid certified. We all love working with kids and are excited to plan the daily program for NAZ Camp."

Camp program hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

"The best thing about NAZ Camp is that kids will have a blast in a structured program," she said. "We think kids have a lot of energy and need an outlet, especially in the summer, to release that energy.

"A child who attends NAZ Camp will have fun and learn how to treat other youth, adults and the community with a gentle, loving, kind, peaceful, patient, joyful, good, faithful and self-controlled attitude. Obviously, we have high expectations of what kids might learn, but we truly believe anything is possible with Jesus."

Kids attending the camp will need updated registration information on file with the church before attending the camp. They will also need to bring lunch each day, but snacks will be provided.

St. Paul Lutheran Church

At St. Paul, northwest of Cortland, Carolyn Jones, director of youth and family services, said activities at the church and service projects in the community are planned.

The camp, June 9-13, is for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. It runs 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. each day. There is also a camp for ages 2 to 5 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The service projects, which will be after 2:30 p.m. every day except June 13, include trips to Southern Indiana Center for the Arts, Lutheran Community Home, Seymour Police Department and Gaiser Park. all in Seymour, REMC in Brownstown and Starve Hollow State Recreation Area in Vallonia.

Jones said the events go into the evening and include a meal.

There will also be a bike ride June 11 to raise money for the church's new playground, followed by an evening of swimming at Brownstown Pool.

On June 10, a fun fair will be held at the church, featuring sno cones, carriage rides, popcorn, a dunk tank and more.

A contest will also be held between the classes to bring in non-perishable items for the Anchor House shelter and food pantry in Seymour.

Jones said you don't have to be a member of the church to attend day camp.

She said 167 kids attended day camp last year, and it's been offered at the church for more than 10 years.

"It's one of our main outreach programs we do for the church. We've drawn a lot of people to our church through our day camp."

Jones added, "We are accepting high school and junior high kids to be youth helpers, and adults who want to help."

She recommends registering early, but people can do so on the first day of the camp. She said a registration form can be mailed or faxed to people interested in day camp. For information, call the church at 522-7364.

Immanuel Lutheran

Everyone is also welcome to attend Camp Mommy and Me at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Seymour.

Director Chris Behmlander said it's for mothers and their children age 2 to 5. It's offered in four sessions, June 18, June 25, July 2 and July 9. She said "We learn about the wonders of God's creation and his great love for us," Behmlander said of this new day camp.

Nature is the theme of the Bible stories in each lesson, including blooming world, water wonders, feathered friends and "creepin' critters."

On Thursday after each lesson, field trips will be offered. Call the church at 522-3118 for information.

Arts center

"We have lots of camps," Southern Indiana Center for the Arts executive director Dick Parman said.
First Camp is 10 a.m. to noon June 18-21 for kids who have completed kindergarten or first grade.

The Summer Art Camp is for grades two through 12, and all sessions run from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
For those who have completed second through fifth grade, the first week is June 23-27, second week is July 7-11 and third week is July 14-18. Registration is required by June 18.

In the classes, Parman said, students will have two different art classes, a music class and a pottery class.

A teenage camp, for those in grades six through 12, is July 23-26, and its registration deadline is July 16.

The popularity of the grades two to five camp expanded to more offerings.

"As that grew, we found a need for a younger camp and an older camp," Parman said.

"Kids make projects just about every day," he said. "They take something or maybe two things home with them."

Parman said each class can have up to 10 students, which would be 40 per week. Registration forms are available on the Web site, soinart.com. Tuition is $35 for SICA members and $60 for non-members. If you are interested in joining SICA, a membership form is also available at the Web site and can be mailed in as well. For information, call SICA at 522-2278 anytime between noon and 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.

"It's been a really good experience for kids," Parman said of the camps. "Kids absolutely love it and they keep coming back and they look forward to it year after year."

While students learn a lot at the camps, Parman said, it's important to continue encouragement at home.

"To the parents, you must brag on what your kid has done," he said. "It's showing them some accomplishment. It's building self-esteem and having the kid know they can be proud of what they have accomplished."

Girls Inc.

Girls Inc. of Jackson County is now registering for the 2008 Summer Camp from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year's camp will begin on May 28 and will end on July 25.

The fee for this year's camp is $75. If a girl is not a member there will be an additional $25 membership fee.

For information, call Girls Inc. at 522-2798.