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MARILYN APPLEBY
FEEDING MINDS AND BODIES
Sometimes, it's the smallest things that
can seem so inspiring.
If you're reading this and you're the par
ent of a child older than 3, you're probably
facing summer with a mixture of anticipation,
both good and bad. Good, because it's a time
to decompress, let the kids run wild and play
with the hose in the yard. Maybe even get out
of town. But bad because you know your child
will be entering a new grade in school this
fall, and your biggest fear is what might drip
out of their brain this summer along with all
that sweat.
I count myself among the lucky ones with
a summer of camps lined up for my daughter.
What if you can't afford anything "extra?"
What if you're worried about just getting three
meals a day on the table, never mind the art
projects your child might bring home?
Then, I find out about a network of vol
unteers, day camps, churches and other orga-
Christian Childcare (Winterville) and all
Athens Housing Authority community centers
(Broadacres, Dogwood Park, Nellie B, Parkview,
Rocksprings and Tanyard Creek). The program,
now in its 24th year, serves not only kids par
ticipating in the program, but also any child
who walks in for a lunch. Most sites operate
May 28-July 19, with some exceptions, so
check with your nearest location to be sure.
I know there are people in our commu
nity who scoff at the idea of giving out more
"freebies," but seriously, you need to get over
yourself. Try going an entire day without eat
ing, maybe visit the library or go hang out
on a playground on a hot, summer day, and
then tell me how great you feel. And if your
body is supposed to be growing and learning
new things at the same time? Forget it. We're
doing our entire community a disservice when
we let kids skip a meal because their adults
can't afford it, for whatever reason.
Kids have lunch as part of the Athens Housing Authority???s annual Summer Food Service Program last year at the
Nellie B neighborhood.
nizations that work with the Athens Housing
Authority to help fill in these summertime
gaps, and it makes me feel inspired. Because
no matter what your income level, you want
what's best for your kid. Period.
Take last summer in Nellie B Homes.
Volunteers got together to run a summer day
camp where kids played games, worked on
reading and math skills and also had lunch.
It's a safe, positive place for the kids, that
keeps their minds engaged and their bodies
fed at the same time. It's the lunch part of
it that's instrumental, because, according to
several nonprofits working to end childhood
hunger, nearly two-thirds of Clarke County's
kids qualify for free or reduced-priced lunches
during the school year. If parents have a hard
time affording $10 a week for school lunch,
imagine the stress of summer meal planning.
The program can be found at day camps,
community centers and churches around the
county, including the Athens Latino Center,
Bethel Church Homes, the Boys & Girls Clubs
(Barrow County, Dearing Extension and Smilow
campuses), Bright Beginnings Preschool, East
Athens Community Center, Ebenezer Baptist
Church West, First AME Church, Heaven
Bound Ministries, Memorial Park, Mt. Pleasant
Baptist, New Grove Church (Winterville),
Oak Hill Apartments, Oasis Catolico Santa
Rafaela, Rhema Christian Fellowship, Lay
Park, Timothy Baptist Church, Walk By Faith
Christian Fellowship Church, The Wiz Academy,
YWCO Girls Club (Alps Road), Alpha & Omega
As a perk of living in a college town,
we get to reap the benefits of high-quality
summer camps offered by the University of
Georgia. There are not a lot of options, but
for middle- and high-school students, it's a
chance to delve deeper into topics that can
help shape college and career decisions.
For example, programs at the State
Botanical Garden and the Hugh Hodgson
School of Music have summer camps for kids
to investigate nature, marching band or twirl
ing. The whiplash for me came from the list
of camps at the Georgia Center for Continuing
Education's Summer Academy, where a week of
intensive study in unique topics such as fash
ion design, engineering or video game devel
opment starts at about $350 per week.
If you're trying to prepare your student for
life outside the nest, check out some programs
offered through the Fanning Institute, where,
for example, Clarke County students can apply
to stay on campus for three days through the
Clarke College Readiness program (it's free!),
or the unique Leadership Sin Limites youth
program, which attracts top Hispanic students
for a week on campus ($325).
Whatever happened to ice cream trucks,
climbing trees and swimming holes? I guess
they're still around. These days, you have to
squeeze them in between robotics and acceler
ated math programs. I just don't recommend
doing it without some food in your stomach.
Kristen Morales
ViVA-!
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