Spring is settling in and the weather is warming up, which means one thing: the end of the school year is approaching. Parents around Northwest Indiana are searching for ways to keep their kids busy, safe, and learning while they work.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana is ready to meet that need with its annual Summer Camp program and flag football leagues. Hosted at nine of its Clubs starting in early June and lasting through early August, summer camp for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana features daily breakfast and lunch, weekly themed activities, field trips, and top-notch educational programming designed to prevent learning loss in creative ways. The best deal in town with affordable rates and a packed calendar, the camp promises a fun, engaging, and safe summer for every participant.
“We serve a lot of working families, and some of our kids never get to go on a big summer vacation due to busy work schedules,” Maggie Beezhold, area director for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, said. “We want every kid to feel like they’ve had a great summer, to give them a vacation-like experience so that when they go and talk to their friends they don’t feel like they missed out. We want our kids to walk away thinking, ‘I had the best summer ever’ because they got to spend their summer at the Club.”
Each Club hosting summer camp opens earlier during the program, starting at 6:30 a.m. and running until 6 p.m. On a typical day, a Club member arrives before 8 a.m. and grabs breakfast before jumping into Summer Brain Gain, a series of exciting, themed weeklong activities supported by Disney. Dynamic and innovative, the program keeps kids’ brains growing over the summer.
After that, the kids dive into a variety of activities ranging from science to art or simply play in the Club’s game room. Some Club members might even find themselves challenging a climbable rock wall, taking part in e-sports leagues, or tackling flag football.
“I feel like it’s our duty and responsibility to strike the right balance between fun and education,” Dwayne Washington, area director for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, said. “We’re the bridge for the schools while the kids are out for two months. We’re here to keep the kids lifted up and their brains growing until they go back to school in the fall. It’s a big responsibility that we’re proud to take on.”
Each Club is planning its own unique calendar, and all of them have packed their summer camps full of cool field trips. Some days focus on smaller and more local outings, such as a day at the Portage Emagine theatre or Zao Island. Other days might see the Club members take a trip out to Chicago to see the Brookfield or Lincoln Park Zoo, the Museum of Science and Industry, or Shedd Aquarium. More trips on Clubs’ schedules include the Indiana Dunes, Urban Air, Johnson’s Farm, Sandy Oak Ranch, Medieval Times, White Rabbit Escape Room, and more.
“I love the summer camp because it is an affordable and safe option for my children,” said Nichole Payne, who has three children attending the Portage Club. “They always come in excited to see all the staff. I know my kids are safe there and are doing different activities each hour. They have a lot of fun at the Club and on field trips. They always come home happy after a day at kids’ camp.”
Everyone loves a bargain, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana is committed to keeping summer camps affordable to Region families. This summer, Clubs are offering a $20 summer-only membership before any discounts. Members may then attend whatever camps they choose for low-cost weekly fees that vary by Club. Most Clubs also offer daily drop-in rates for parents who only need childcare for a day or two, and all Clubs will be offering free Club hours for teen members throughout the summer.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana strives to serve all their communities’ families well, and they work hard to make Club experiences possible for all. School employees for any school system served by Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana receive discounts. Military families, Anthem Medicaid card holders, and foster families can receive free or reduced memberships, and various scholarships are available for qualified families; their goal is to never turn away a family who wants their kids to be Club kids.
“One of the best compliments Club staff can receive is when a kid doesn’t want to leave at the end of the day because they’re having so much fun,” Beezhold shared. “It’s reassuring to parents because it tells them their kids are somewhere they want to be and are well taken care of.”
To learn more about Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana’s summer camp programming and leagues, including pricing, hours, and dates, please visit bgcgreaternwi.org/summer or stop by your local Club.
