Following a brief period of uncertainty in Ormstown over the availability of a day camp for young people this summer, the municipality has announced that a replacement organization has come forward to helm the activity.
“We will have a day camp, and it will be run by the soccer association,” says Ormstown’s mayor, Christine McAleer, who admits she is especially pleased with this news. “They made us the offer,” says McAleer, who adds the town has been working with the association over the past few weeks to come up with a fun and affordable program to benefit working parents this summer. “I’m hoping parents are going to be happy,” says McAleer, who describes the association as a well-known organization run by involved and caring citizens.
The municipality had already set aside a budget for the day camp when they were informed that the organization Une Affaire de Famille was no longer willing to run the activity. A total of $22,000 will now be provided to the Ormstown Soccer Association; the money will cover a per diem lunch box incentive for camp counsellors and a subsidy to ensure the fees remain reasonable for parents, among other things.
“It was natural for us,” says Eudes Loh, the president of the soccer association, who points out the club has been working with the youth population for over 40 years. “We had already been thinking about doing a more intensive activity during the summer, so when we saw there was a need, we approached the town,” he says. “The soccer club belongs to the community. We are just administrators,” he continues, suggesting the board of directors sees the opportunity as a community service that will bring the club some additional visibility. “Soccer is a tradition in Ormstown,” he says, adding he especially appreciates the level of collaboration with the municipality. “We are partners. The town is providing the infrastructure and support, and we have the expertise.”
Marie-Pier Hart, who coordinates the association’s activities, says she is equally on board with the idea. She has previous experience working at the municipal day camp and has lots of ideas for this coming summer. For example, mornings will focus on developing soccer skills, while the afternoon will incorporate more typical day camp activities for campers between the ages of 5 and 12. Young adults hired to work at the camp will be trained as camp counsellors and in basic soccer skills. The camp will also include daycare services for children who require care outside the regular operating hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
More details on the day camp will be released in the coming weeks by the municipality and on the soccer association’s Facebook page.
