By Anita Walker

The Fort Myers Housing Authority is proud to be able to once again host their annual summer camp. This years theme is "Shining Star", all of our resident kids are Shinning Stars. In prior years we have utilized Michigan Family Development as our base, but this year we are using the Carrie Robinson Center at 2990 Edison Avenue.

Camp is designed for residents who are 6 to 13 years of age. We develop three groups by age, 6 – 8 year olds; 9 & 10 year olds; and 11 – 13 year olds. We work with our community partners to bring an array of programs to our residents that are recreational and educational. PAL (Police Athletic League) is providing us with access to the PAL park, we give each age group different days to utilize the park. City of Fort Myers Parks & Recreation provides us hot and cold lunches and snacks for the campers every day. FGCU has nurses visit on-site every Thursday for nutrition, self-esteem, Dangers of Smoking, Dental Hygiene and other health classes. The Girl Scouts come out on Wednesday’s to teach sewing classes and other crafts. In addition, our counselors provide supervision for indoor and off-site activities such as board games, cards, art and field trips to the movies, Mike Greenwell’s, and other area attractions. We have weekly competitive sports (softball & basketball) in which the FMHA residents team play against the STARS and Ida S. Baker Center teams. We are all pretty even so far.

Camp counselors are made up of resident youths and without their volunteer time and patience we would not be able to facilitate camp every year. They do a great job and I want to introduce them to you.

On-Site Director:     William Hagan   Part-time Counselor: Sharia Spencer

Senior counselors: Renita Davidson   Frances Sanders    May Mark Barbara Owens             Inay Gavin             Arlene Dotson           Emma Ruffin          Katina  Hill

Junior Counselors:   Rashidi Lightfoot    Shandarell Rowe    Lorenzo Peacock     Marqius Barnes        Elmaria Moore     Antoinette Sanders    Preston Daymon III     Jason Jackson

If you would like to volunteer to be a camp counselor or have a program that you would like to share with us please call me (Anita Walker) at 461-5702. We hope if you have time you’ll stop by the Carrie Robinson Center and say hello. Camp is held five days a week, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. till 4:00 p.m.