1/28/04

Summer Camp Draws Record Number on First Day of Registration
Parks & Recreation Takes in Record One-Day Revenue

The Parks and Recreation Department brought in nearly a record one-day revenue Feb. 2 when registration opened for a number of different summer children's and youth programs. Nearly that entire amount was from summer day-camp registration alone. In one day, one 12-hour registration period, about 470 summer day-camp slots out of 624 total were filled.

"That shows the quality of our camp and how much people like our summer camp," said Len Bradley, director of Parks and Recreation.

During June and July, the Town Parks and Recreation Department holds day camps for ages 5-7, 8-10 and 11-13. Each week-long camp focuses on a different theme, including arts and crafts, sports, and camping out. The cost for a week-long camp is $55 for Holly Springs residents ($66 for nonresidents). Each camp in each age group can accept a maximum of 26 participants. With three age groups, that's a maximum of 78 participants per day.

In 2000, when the Town first began this type of summer camp, there were only 20 participants per day. Within four years, the camp has grown exponentially, and the Town is looking at expanding the camp next year.

"It's a good program at a really great price," said Sarah Kennedy, office manager with the Parks and Recreation Department. "People are finding out about it."

Marcia Schroer, Parks and Recreation leisure program supervisor and organizer of the camp, agreed.

"There's a high demand for things for children to do when they're not in school," Schroer said. "This beats day care; it's more fun for the children. The whole attitude of the campers, the staff - they're here to have fun and enjoy the activities we have planned."

The first camps to sell out were the Splash-Around and Run-Around camps for ages 5-7. The Splash-Around camp involves water activities every day - including learning about the plants and animals that live in the Parrish Womble Park pond and playing in a system of yard sprinklers set up in the park fields. In the Run-Around camp, participants travel on a different field trip every day. Destinations include a miniature golf course, roller skating rink and bowling alley.

"We have maintained a pretty high standard for our summer day camp," said Schroer. "We want to make sure that the children stay safe and have fun."

Town of Holly Springs - PO Box 8 - 128 South Main Street - Holly Springs, NC 27540 - (919) 552-6221 - Holly.Springs@hollyspringsnc.us