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k DESTIN LOG Seclk'c ,4ar June 8,1983 ^ ^ IkMCtrEXutiiic Do Not Check QatDESTIN LIBP^'I lt;*3 r«3 nM Ux; 0What Can I Do, Mom?Here's Answer To Summer Blissby Karen MacGroganSchool’s out. Summer’s here. Hundreds of kids are at loose ends, and the perennial problem of what to do with themselves will plague parents for the next three months.Kids in Destin often complain that there’s nothing to do here. There’s the beach, but the young ones can’t, and shouldn’t, go on their own. There’s bicycle*riding, if they dare brave the traffic and the stray dogs.For many youngsters the answer to a fun-filled summer is camp. There are day camps, week-long camps, even three-week-long camps, within easy driving distance to Destin with programs to fill every kids’ wildest desire. And the nice part for parents, of course, is that while they work or play themselves, their offspring are constructively occupied and safely supervised.One of the more interesting-sounding camping experiences that came to light may be Camp Nautilus, on Black’s Island off Port St. Joe.Camp Natulilus is a ‘‘sea camp,’’ offering sailing, SCUBA diving and other water activities in three different three-week sessions. The camp director, Frank Wade, was “out on the island’’ when telephoned, so details are sketchy on Camp Nautilus’ program. It is reportedly for young people 9 to 15 years, and may be on the expensive side. The camp’s phone number is 227-1419.Adventure Camp, a subsidiary of Adventures Unlimited Canoe Rentals, is open to middle school-age children, grades six through eight.Located at Tomahawk Landing on the Coldwater River,12 miles north of Milton, Adventure Campers sleep in rustic cabins, take day-long canoe trips through the state forest and float down the river on inner tubes.Adventure Camp gives young people the opportunity to discover and enjoy outdoor recreation, from woods hikes to campcraft to hay rides. The one-week sessions run from June 12 to August 19, and a number of weekend programs are offered for children and adults alike. For more information, call 623-6197.Camp Timpoochee in Walton County is primarily for 4-H members, but when camping sessions are not underway it is open to other organizations and anyone in the community.Among this summer's sessions is a two-week horsemanship school which trains youngsters to show their horses. The training is done by experts from the University of Florida, which is affiliated with the local 4-H organization.Officials at Camp Timpoochee said education and safety are stressed at the facility, but fun is a top priority. The camp's phone number is 897-2224.Camping and Scouting are practically synonomous, and Destin Boy and Girl Scouts no doubt already have their summer camp plans made. But parents may not be aware that the summer camps for Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cubs and Brownies also welcome all area youngsters.Cub and Boy Scout day camps, held at a number of locations in the county, offer team sports, games, crafts, nature and fun.Day Camp for girls who have completed first grade through age 17 begins June 13 at Woodland Trails in Fort Walton, the cost is $6 per week, plus an extra $3 for non-Scouts to cover insurance and registration.Debby Withers at the Girl Scout office (243-4514) says even if a child has never been in scouting, the day camps will advance their skills just as they do those working on activity patches. “Campers are to bring a sack lunch with no candy, a nonbreakable drinking cup, swimsuit, towel and a big smile,’’ Withers said.The program, which is from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., includes swimming, crafts, games, nature lore and making new friends. Older girls will learn canoeing, and take an all-day canoe trip at the end of the 12-day session.Sandestin’s day camp is already underway, with tennis, golf, sailing, swimming and other water sports as well as arts and crafts for two age groups, three to five years and six to 12 years.Hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. six days a week, and the campers are fully supervised by college level counselors who are majoring in recreation, according to Sandestin’s Dave Feder.Seascape Resort officially opened its day camp on June 1. It is open to the public, for children five years and older.Seascape’s program includes sandcastle-building contests, horseback riding, field trips to places like the Gulfarium and the Gray ton Beach Park nature trail and “anything that's a learning experience for kids,’’ according to recreation director Diane Shepherd.Seascape’s day camp is open Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Half-day programs are also provided. Both Seascape's and Sandestin's recreational programs will run until Labor Day.For youngsters who are ‘horse crazy,’’ Lanna Williamsof the Brand’N Iron Corral in Santa Rosa Beach holds a special horse camp each summer.Children aged five and up can spend Monday through Friday working with horses. Each is assigned their special horse, and they do all the grooming, stable cleaning, feeding etc. for that week. They learn how to saddle, halter and bridle their horse, and how to ride safely and properly.“On Thursday I take them out for a picnic, and for the past two years I’ve taken some of the youngsters to Black water with their horses for an overnight trip, Lanna said. “We also have a little show during the camp, so they can show their parents what they've learned ’’Children under seven can attend the camp for four hours a day, if preferred, and will learn the same things. The groups are kept small, Lanna said, both for safety's sake and so that all will learn how to care for the horses.Some 1,200 school children will spend part of their summer vacation in the forests of Florida attending one of two environmentally-oriented camps operated by the Division of Forestry.Applications are still being accepted by the Forestry Division of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services which sponsors the Summer Environmental Program.The environmental camps are located at the Blackwater River State Forest, 45 miles northeast of Pensacola and Withlacoochee State Forest north of Tampa.The week-long, co-educational camp experience is open to any student who has completed the sixth grade but not yet entered the twelfth.Students are grouped by age for field studies and by gender for dormitories. The one week fee is $75 and includes lodging, meals, teaching materials and insurance.Students learn about conservation practices and how they affect their natural environment. Exploring swamps, canoeing down pristine rivers and observing wildlife in its natural habitat are just a few of the activities slated.Applications may be obtained by contacting the Division of Forestry office or the Environmental Forester, Division of Forestry, 3125 Conner Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32301.Both camps will open for their first session June 12. The Withlacoochee Camp will operate through Aug. 20: the Blackwater Environmental Camp will close a week earlier on Aug. 13.The longer one searches, the more exciting camping opportunities present themselves for Destin area youngsters. There is a smorgasbord of summer activities out there waiting for kids of all ages and interests.Now why are there children still spending the summer in a stuffy house watching television?From Adventure Camp for those who want to rough it in the wilds, to Camp Nautilus for those with sea fever; there's a place for just about every child.
Newspaper Details
Destin Log
Destin, Florida, US
Wed, Jun 08, 1983
Page 18
Full Page
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Bay C.
FL, USA 22 Nov 2024
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