WILLIAMSTOWN, NY – A four-week summer day camp program is coming to Camp Zerbe in July.
Located in Williamstown, the Oswego County Nature Park at Camp Zerbe is a more than 540-acre park owned by Oswego County and operated by the Oswego City-County Youth Bureau that includes an interpretive nature center, pavilion, lodge, playground and other amenities. Oswego County Parks and Recreation will hold four, one-week summer camp sessions at the site each week this July for children ages 6 to 12.
Camp sessions are free to Oswego County residents and run Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Each weekly session has a unique theme and will provide campers with a fun experience and a better understanding of nature.
“We are excited to be able to offer a day camp experience for families in the northern parts of Oswego County,” said Oswego County Parks and Recreation Coordinator Zach Grulich. “We had a ‘trial run’ of day camp at Camp Zerbe last year when we ran a week-long STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) Camp program. It was a huge success and we decided to expand our offerings this year and make it a four-week program.”
Grulich said keeping youth active and engaged during the summer months is important, and the summer camp would allow children to interact and have fun with their peers in the beautiful nature setting at Camp Zerbe.
Registration for the summer camp program at Camp Zerbe opens Tuesday, March 1. For more information and to register, visit: https://youthbureau.oswegocounty.com/parks_recreation/camp_zerbe/summer_camp.php
Williamstown resident Linda McKinstry, who has more than 15 years of experience supervising day camps and helping children make lasting memories, will be leading the program as camp director this summer.
“I am excited to be coming out of retirement to help serve my community as the summer camp director at Camp Zerbe,” McKinstry said. “I look forward to creating a camp experience that will combine fun and learning together during the four weeks of camp. We will learn new songs, new games, and make new friends!”
The four sessions included in this year’s program are as follows:
Week 1 – Air theme
July 5–8 (no camp session on July 4)
Campers will use air for kites and parachute games, make windsocks and use bubbles and balloons. Children will also learn how birds use air. The week will be full of songs, games, and friends. Bring some air with you and you will be able to make some waves!
Week 2 – Water theme
July 11-15
Plan on getting wet this week. Bring a towel. Campers will be playing with water balloons, playing Capture the Flag, and learning about the water cycle. Attendees will play food chain games, survival games and learn how animals need to get to water. Children will go to Lake Lorraine on site and observe the habitat for reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Make sure you are hydrated with your own bottle of water. We need water to survive too!
Week 3 – Earth theme
July 18-22
What lives in the Earth? Campers will be getting down and dirty with mud and soils, studying seeds, painting rocks and using clay and plaster to make molds of animal tracks. Attendees will also learn to use a map and compass to find their location and discover how to use direction and geography to find other places.
Week 4 – Sun theme
July 25-29
Campers will learn how the sun impacts everything from insects to humans, making a sun dial and using the sun to create a sun print. Campers will play shadow tag and use hot and cold for experiments, in addition to learning about the solar system.
For any questions, please call 315-349-3450 or email Parks and Recreation Coordinator Zach Grulich at [email protected]
Camp Zerbe also offers pavilion and lodge rentals during the summer months. Groups may call the Oswego County Parks and Recreation Department at 315-349-3450 for reservations, which are required for use of the meeting center, pavilion and lodge.
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