The Department of Parks & Recreation is bustling with activity this summer — from summer camps to one week clinics and specialty camps, not to mention its year round programs like Boot Camp and Open Gym. With all of this activity, the department manages to keep its fees reasonable and programs accessible to all residents. How is this done, you may ask? It’s simple — the department works exceptionally hard with community partners and organizations so that these programs remain available.
The Summer Parks, Theater and Teen Theater programs run for more than five weeks and include special day trips, field trips and performances. Through partnerships with MoorArts, the Friends Enrichment Program and MooreKids these camps are available to all residents. These relationships provide scholarships and funding for children who want to participate in the programs, but for whom the fees may cause a hardship.
MooreKids and the Friends Enrichment Program provide individual scholarships for children while MoorArts helps to facilitate the funding behind the theater expenditures. Keeping these local, hometown programs accessible to everyone is important in the development and growth of not just the individual child but also to the community.
The Special Needs Summer Camp, which functions as an extension of the MTPS Extended School Year, is another important element to maintaining structure and services for our young people with special needs. The generous donation to the Special Needs Camp by Sean Fischel Connect has allowed the camp to expand and include those children over 12 who would have aged out of the original program. This year, there are 35 young people, ages 5 to 25 in the Special Needs Summer Camp who are enjoying daily activities, field trips and events as a result of the department’s special relationship with Sean Fischel Connect.
At all of these camps, while the children are playing with their friends, lunchtime rolls around. Children who have received a scholarship to attend these camps are also provided healthy lunches daily, courtesy of community partner, Live Civilly. Each day the children are provided drinks, sandwiches, fresh fruit, snacks and healthy options as part of their attendance at these camps. As with all of its partnerships, the Department of Parks and Recreation provides the opportunity for all children to participate in programs that encourage healthy activity, socialization and community building.
Additionally, children needing equipment for any of the camps, clinics or programs need look no further than the local non-profit, The Perfect Game. This organization, which was started by two Moorestown students, provides gently used sports equipment to any child or family in need. Families need only to contact The Perfect Game to ask about finding things like hockey sticks, soccer cleats, basketballs and more.
So as we reach the mid-point of the summer, the department would like to thank its community partners that make all of these programs accessible and available to all residents. For more information about the department’s programs, or the scholarships provided for them, please visit www.moorestownrec.com and see the list of community partners under the Partnerships tab.
