Fun explodes in YMCA summer camps

MADISON – Camps at Hogan Family YMCA are making summer days even more special for youth.

On average, 225 campers from five to 14 years old are attending weekly.

“Hogan Family YMCA Day Camp is a great camp for working parents,” Barbara Sanders said. Drop-off starts at 7 a.m. and the day ends at 6 p.m. “We’re here 11 hours a day, 5 days a week.”

Parents can enroll their child for all 12 weeks or only one or two weeks for the camp experience. “We also have a three-day option available for parents needing only a partial week,” Sanders said. “Our goal is to meet the needs of a wide variety of families.”

Among the weekly options, “Madison Adventure” camp starts July 1. “We’ll learn about things we have here in our own backyard,” Sanders said. Madison Fire and Rescue Department will bring the fire truck. Campers will enjoy inflatable water slides.

Among games for “All Ball Week” on July 22- 26, campers will play pickle ball “on a volleyball court with a low net similar to tennis. Pickle ball and table tennis follow the same rules.” For “clay ball,” campers will form and mold a ball of clay into a work of art, she said.

“Pay it Forward” week on July 29 through Aug. 2 will put campers in service projects to help the community.

“Water World” on Aug. 5-9 will include swimming, playing in camp-made sprinklers, making art with water droplets and going to Southern Adventures.

A cookout with watermelon, games and ‘pie your counselor’ will add fun to the end-of-summer party on Aug. 12-16. “We’ll enjoy our last week of summer before we head back to school,” Sanders said.

Three-day camps are held at Madison Mission Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Cost is $75 for YMCA members and $100 for non-members.

Five-day camps at the YMCA cost $110 for members, $165 for non-members by auto-draft and $170 by other payment.

For more information, call 256-705-9622 or visit ymcahuntsville.org.