ORIGINALLY WRITTEN JULIE ANDERSON
Every summer, with school no longer in session, children and parents
go battle the same old question: ?What can I do today??
Parents can help occupy children?s time with a variety of
activities
offered by local organizations, churches and the city.
?There?s just the general benefit of keeping kids busy during the
summer,? said Lonnie Isaac, director of the Hillsboro Recreation
Commission.
He said summer activities provided by the city fill some of the
time
children would have to be at a baby-sitter, as well as let them be
around their friends and stay involved in the community.
?With the (school?s) grant program, we are able to offer more free
activities,? Isaac said.
The grant program pays for activity instructors.
Water options
One popular activity during the summer is swimming. For those
wanting
to learn to swim, two sessions of Red Cross swimming lessons are
offered. The sessions begin June 19 and July 3.
Each session is two weeks long. Anyone interested should call the
municipal pool to sign up.
Swim team also is offered for children ages eight through 18.
Registration is $25. Practices start May 31, but swimmers may sign
up
during the season.
For more information or to register for lessons or the swim team,
call
the Hillsboro Municipal Swimming Pool at 947-3750.
Athletic teams
Another way to keep children occupied is through baseball and
softball
leagues offered by the HRC.
?Our biggest deal is softball and baseball,? Isaac said.
A new program this summer is junior golf.
For a $15 fee, children can participate in the two-week activity.
Participants will have access to the course one morning a week,
allowing them a time to have the course to themselves. The program
begins in mid-June.
A junior tennis program will be offered free to USD 410 students.
This
program is paid for by a grant through the school.
It begins the first week of June and continues all month, meeting
twice a week.
Sign-up is already completed for baseball and softball because the
T-shirts have been ordered, but children can still sign up for the
other activities.
Isaac said if a child wants to participate they try to let them,
although they may not receive a T-shirt.
He encourages any parents with ideas for activities or the ability
to
lead them to contact him. He said there is the possibility for
additional programs throughout the summer.
For more information about the programs, call Isaac at 947-3490.
Indoor options
For those who want to stay out of the heat, a variety of indoor
activities are offered.
Children can take a step back to ?medieval times? with the
Hillsboro
Public Library?s six-week summer reading program.
Children, ages 3 to 11, will read stories and do activities
relating
to the medieval theme. They can also read independently.
Registration is already under way for one of two classes, held on
Tuesdays and Fridays, beginning June 13 and 16.
For an evening of entertainment, families can attend the summer
drama
group?s performance of ?A Royal Command Performance.?
It will be presented June 16 and 17. The evening will begin at
6:30
with a Renaissance Fair providing some pre-show entertainment and
the
play begins at 7:30.
Tickets are $3 for general admission and $1.50 for children and
students.
The drama workshops are directed by Judy Harder and financed in
part
with contributions from the Arts & Crafts Association.
Service and camps
Another opportunity exists at Parkside Homes, where children can
volunteer to work during the summer.
Children looking for an adventure can attend one of the area camps
this summer.
The 4-H camp will be held June 15-18 at Rock Springs Ranch,
located
about 10 miles south of Junction City. It is open to any 4-H
member
ages 7 through 13, as well as friends of 4-H members.
Nancy Pihl, county extension agent, said registrations are still
being
accepted. The cost of the camp is $102.
While at the camp, children will participate in the Rock Springs
activities, including archery, horse back riding, canoeing, arts
and
crafts and nature activities.
In addition, 4-H agents will lead activities on such themes as
building rockets, theater activities, puppets, line dancing,
sports, a
carnival and talent show. A campfire will be offered for telling
stories and singing.
Younger children can sign up for Rookie Camp, open to first- and
second-grade students. The cost is $45 for two days and one night,
June 15 and 16.
Area churches also are holding camps for children over the summer.
The Mennonite Brethren Southern District churches are holding
three
camps:
n A senior high camp will be held June 4-9 in Colorado. The cost
is
$145.
n From June 20-24 a junior activities camp will be held at Tabor
College for students completing the fourth through sixth grade.
The
cost is $115.
n The third camp is the junior high camp, July 5-8, in Oklahoma.
It is
open to youth who completed seventh through eight grade, and the
cost
is $125.
Vacation Bible schools
In addition to camps, the churches also offer vacation bible
schools.
The United Methodist Church, First Mennonite Church and Trinity
Mennonite Church are holding a combined vacation Bible school from
6:30 to 8:45 p.m., June 4-8, at the First Mennonite Church.
It is open to children ages 4 through the fifth grade. The theme
for
this year is, ?The Greatest Story Ever Told: God?s Story.?
For older children, the churches will hold a Junior High Bible
Academy
at HUMC at the same times. The academy, open to sixth through
eighth
graders, will focus on the theme ?Boosting Self-Esteem.?
Parkview Mennonite Brethren Church also is holding its vacation
Bible
school from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m., June 4-8. The theme will be
?SonZone
Discovery Center.?
Ebenfeld Mennonite Brethren Church will hold VBS from 8:30 to
11:30,
June 12-16 with the theme ?SonZone Discovery Center.?
On Friday, the children will be served lunch as a reward for
finishing
bible school. It is open to children age four through fifth grade.
Hillsboro Mennonite Brethren Church also is holding a VBS with the
theme ?SonZone Discovery Center.?
It will be held from 9 to 11
City offers activities for summer fun
