11:54 a.m.
Sunday, March 11, 2018 11:53 am
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ROCHESTER - With a full week off from school the week before last, Rochester youth and teens came together for a fun-filled week of themed activities at Rochester Recreation and Arena's February Vacation Camp hosted at the Rochester Community Center.
Kids ages 6-13 participated in a wide variety of activities during the week, with each day centered on a dedicated theme.
On Artsy Fartsy Day, campers completed arts and crafts and took a tour of the Rochester Museum of Fine Art Gallery at the Rochester Community Center. The tour gave them a chance to appreciate art that's easily accessible. "We want our camp programs to expose Rochester kids to the many great people and organizations available our community, one of them being the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts." said Recreation Program Coordinator Cindy Lamie, who planned the theme days and camp activities for the week.
Hero Day allowed campers to learn about the different types of everyday heroes. To help bring the event to life, Nick Fitts, a special forces staff sergeant with the Massachusetts Army National Guard, and Army veteran Chris Dooley visited and shared their experiences as members of the armed forces.
The camp also included a Chef for a Day event, which allowed campers to visit the Rochester Area Senior Center's kitchen and experiment with various cookie recipes before indulging in a taste test. The day also featured a visit from Kayla Peach of Sweet Peach's Candy and Confection in downtown, who talked about the candy business and taught campers with an interactive lesson on creating candy, including their famous candied apples.
Campers also had an opportunity to participate in games in the Community Center gym, keeping them active throughout the week.
"We do everything we can to provide kids with a unique and fun experience each day at camp," Assistant Recreation Director Lauren Krans said. "It's also a great way for the whole community to come together and build lasting relationships that can continue even when camp comes to a close."
Camp staff are all involved members of the Rochester community and include Spaulding High School student athletes, honor society members, alumni and teachers.
Rochester Recreation & Arena offers various camps throughout the year, including April Vacation Camp and Summer Camp. Registration for Rochester Rec Summer Camp opens on April 2. For more information on the summer camp and other programs, visit their website www.RochesterRec.com