The Evening Sun | Registration Is Now Open For YMCA Camp Thompson

NORWICH

—

The

Norwich

Family

YMCA

Camp

Thompson

registration

is

now

open

for

the

summer

season,

with

day

camp

programs

officially

beginning

on

June

26

for

kindergarten

through

eighth

grade

children.

To

register

visit:

norwich.recliquecore.com/programs/.

Camp

Thompson

runs

from

June

26

to

August

18

and

offers

adventurous

summer

experiences

such

as,

fishing,

hiking,

swimming,

outdoor

games,

arts

and

crafts.

Children

will

be

divided

into

four

separate

groups

by

grade

level.

YMCA

Youth

Development

Director

Kelly

Reppert

said,

“Summer

camp

gives

children

the

opportunity

to

spend

their

summer

outdoors.

Spending

time

outdoors

is

known

to

reduce

stress,

increase

physical

activity,

and

promotes

positive

mental

health.

Rain

days

will

be

held

at

the

YMCA

where

children

can

enjoy

activities

such

as

table

games,

arts

and

crafts,

swimming,

as

well

as

time

in

the

Kids

Gym

and

Main

Gym.”

“A

positive

experience

at

summer

camp

teaches

children

about

healthy

living

practices

and

fosters

a

lifelong

love

for

the

outdoors.

Attending

Camp

Thompson

gives

children

the

opportunity

to

learn

about

nature,

how

to

respect

the

living

things

around

us,

and

the

importance

of

preserving

natural

habitats

in

an

authentic

way,”

she

added.

Reppert

explained,

“YMCA

Camp

counselors

are

role

models

and

teach

YMCA

core

values

of

caring,

honesty,

respect,

and

responsibility.

Overall,

Camp

gives

children

a

safe

and

engaging

place

to

spend

summer

days.

Children

should

bring

their

own

lunch

which

does

not

need

to

be

heated.

A

refrigerator

will

be

available

to

keep

lunches

cool

and

healthy

snacks

will

be

provided.

Norwich

Family

YMCA

Executive

Director/CEO

Jamey

Mullen

said,

“Longstanding

support

from

the

United

Way

and

Preferred

Mutual

has

allowed

us

to

continue

offering

the

summer

tradition

to

many

area

youth,

and

we

are

grateful

for

their

support.”

The

Chenango

Untied

Way,

which

is

part

of

the

United

Way

of

Mid

Rural

New

York

supplied

funding

for

the

bus

transportation

of

day

campers

to

the

Camp

facility.

Funding

was

also

received

from

Preferred

Mutual

Insurance

in

support

of

the

Summer

program

at

Camp

Thompson.

Registered

Camp

children

can

be

dropped

off

at

the

Norwich

Family

YMCA

as

early

as

6:30

a.m.

Buses

will

transport

the

children

to

Camp

Thompson

and

back

to

the

YMCA

for

parent

pick

up

at

5:30

p.m.

If

needed,

special

arrangements

can

be

made

for

parents/Guardians

to

pick

up

or

drop

off

children.

“We

started

the

campaign

several

years

ago

in

an

attempt

to

raise

additional

funds

to

support

scholarships

that

we

were

giving

out

to

individuals

and

families

that

would

like

to

use

the

YMCA

but

might

be

in

a

tough

financial

pinch,”

explained

Mullen.

“It

could

be

based

upon

their

annual

income,

it

could

be

because

of

financial

challenges

with

relocating,

financial

challenges

due

to

bankruptcy,

financial

challenges

due

to

medical

or

attending

doctors

appointments,

and

things

of

that

nature,

he

added.

“The

financial

assistance

can

be

good

for

membership

to

provide

access

to

the

facility,

but

it’s

also

good

for

program

fees

also.

A

lot

of

families

need

childcare,

so

they

will

apply

for

some

assistance

to

help

them

with

the

ongoing

cost

of

childcare

for

their

children,

so

they

can

continue

to

work

and

know

their

children

will

be

in

a

safe

spot

during

non-school

hours

or

after

school

hours,”

said

Mullen.

Scholarship

applications

are

available

on

the

Norwich

Family

YMCA

website

and

at

the

front

desk.

Applicants

will

need

to

submit

a

completed

application

as

well

as

a

copy

of

the

prior

year’s

tax

return

1040

form,

and

other

supplemental

documents.

Processing

of

applications

can

take

up

to

two

weeks.

The

awarding

of

a

scholarship

can

help

to

cover

the

cost

of

a

child

attending

Camp

Thompson,

where

they

can

enjoy

several

outdoor

activities,

games,

and

crafts.

More

information

on

the

Norwich

Family

YMCA,

Camp

Thompson,

and

the

Open

Doors

Scholarship

can

be

found

online

at

norwichymca.org,

or

on

the

Norwich

Family

YMCA

Facebook

page.

Information

and

forms

are

also

available

at

the

Norwich

Family

YMCA,

located

at

68

North

Broad

Street

in

Norwich

or

call

Kelly

Reppert

at

607.336.9622

ext.1028

or

email

[email protected]