School is out, summer fun is in

  • Published
  • By Roland Balik
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  It's that time of year again when parents try to plan positive activities for their children over the summer months and their children try to figure out how to occupy their time.

The Dover AFB Youth Center  is one step ahead of both parents and children.  They have a wide variety of scheduled activities on tap for the summer and some of the events have already begun.

This week saw the last day of school for students in the Caesar Rodney School District, Wyoming, Delaware, and the unofficial start of summer vacation for those students.

"We have lots of opportunities for the kids this summer," said Roxanne Lee, 436th Force Support Squadron Youth Center director of youth programs. "We start Summer Day Camp on Monday and it [cost] is based on total family income."

The Summer Day Camp is an 11-week program and runs Monday through Friday, 6:15 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., through August 28.

"We're going to have different activities and trips for the kids weekly," said Lee. "We're going to the Herr potato chip factory, Philadelphia Zoo, swimming, bowling, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and to The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington, D.C."

Also being offered are several 4-H, Air Force and a creative art camp that are free, along with many more activities.

One of the free Air Force camps, Sideline Sports, which includes archery, fencing, lacrosse, and Ultimate Frisbee, will be offered again this year.

"We are expecting enrollment to be over 100 [children] for each week," said Lee.

Some children enrolled in the Before and After School Age Program got a head start on the summer fun by planting a variety of vegetables in a garden located on the east side of the Youth Center.

"They planted tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, sweet potatoes, chili peppers, watermelon, zucchini, and pumpkin," said Wendy Jones, 436th FSS Youth Center school age program assistant. "We are going to donate items grown to the Cooking Club for tasting and to the kitchen for Terri Cubbage, 436th FSS Youth Center cook, to incorporate the garden-grown items into some meals."

For those aspiring young actors, the Missoula Children's Theatre, Missoula, Montana, is scheduled to return August 3-7, to instruct all those wishing to participate in this year's production, "Wendy and Peter," a version of Peter Pan.

For more information and dates on programs offered at the Dover AFB Youth Center, call 677-6376, or go to http://www.doverafb436fss.com, and "like them on Facebook at Dover AFB Youth Center.