Page 4 • Wednesday , March 15 , 2017 • The Hammonton Gazette
Summertime plans
SUMMER , from Page 1 Summer camp has been a mainstay for children looking for activities to partake in during their summer vacation . Hammonton is fortunate enough to have two reputable camps in READ Preschool ’ s Camp Tuscaloosa and Haluwasa Christian Camp and Retreat Center , which have each been providing children with fond , funfilled summer memories for more than 60 years .
Children ages three-and-a-half to 14 will soon be able to fill out applications for the 2017 summer camp season at Camp Tuscaloosa , located at 400 S . Chew Rd . For $ 46 a day , campers will enjoy a nine-week program full of countless activities , such as basketball , archery , batting cages , human foosball , several unique themed days — ninja , carnival , pirate , alien — tether ball and much more .
This summer will mark the second season Camp Tuscaloosa is being operated by Sam and Lisa Seitles .
Lisa Seitles said the first experience with running the camp was a positive one , and she will be looking forward to another successful season at Camp Tuscaloosa .
“ Summer camp was awesome . I loved meeting everyone . I was sad when it was over ; I absolutely loved it … It was a nice break from curriculum to see the kids have fun all day ,” Lisa Seitles said .
The summer camp season at Camp Tuscaloosa will run from Monday , June 19 through Friday , August 18 . Once the registration period opens , applicants will receive last year ’ s rate of $ 230 per week ($ 45 per day ) if they register by April 1 . After April 1 , applicants will be charged $ 240 per week ($ 46 per day ). Registration must be made in three-week periods at a time and anybody who registers for six weeks or more will receive a further reduced rate of $ 220 per week ($ 44 per day ). Camp hours are from 9 a . m . to 3 p . m .
For more information on Camp Tuscaloosa , call 561-3321 or go to www . camptuscaloosa . com . Children seeking an overnight camping experience this summer will turn to Haluwasa Christian Camp and Retreat Center , located at 377 Ehrke Rd .
On Friday , March 17 through Sunday , March 19 , Haluwasa will have a teen retreat for ages 12 through 16 on Friday , March 17 through Sunday , March 19 and a public spring banquet on Saturday , April 8 at 6 p . m . An open house for the 2017 camp season will take place on Saturday , June 17 from 10 a . m . to 3 p . m .
Children ages six to 14 can register for Haluwasa ’ s nine-week day camp program , June 26 through August 25 for $ 285 per week or can get an authentic , fiveweek , overnight camping experience , Sunday , July 9 through Friday , August 11 for $ 495 per week .
The picturesque , 200-acre camp site will provide for plenty of indoor and outdoor games and activities ( swimming , boating , kayaking , horseback riding , archery ) for children this summer , and also opportunities to praise and worship since Haluwasa is a Christian camp .
As Haluwasa is in its 62nd year , administrative director Lorie Nilson said the camp provides an invaluable opportunity for children to get outside , experience new things and grow rather than staying in and gawking at their electronic devices all summer long .
“ I just think it ’ s important for the kids to get out and learn how
to play and communicate with one other . I think they ’ re inside too much on their electronic equipment and it just reconnects them with nature … We ’ re on 200 acres , have three lakes and it is just gorgeous here . They just get to go outside and enjoy God ’ s creation ,” Nilson said .
For more information on Haluwasa Christian Camp and Retreat Center , call 561-3081 or go to www . haluwasa . org .
Camp Tuscaloosa and Haluwasa Christian Camp and Retreat Center may have been around for more than 60 years , but this will be the first summer where children will have a local skating rink among their assortment of summer destinations . Hammonton Skating Center , located at 131 S . Second Rd ., was known as Rollway Skating Rink for the previous 45 years . Now under the ownership of Charles Kirchner , Nicholas Mazeika and Rita Bagliani , the new and improved — and now-airconditioned — skating center will be open during the summer for the first time .
Hammonton Skating Center will be hosting a full-service day camp this summer for grades four through eight , including access to all indoor and outdoor activities on site , as well as lunch , drinks and snacks for $ 39 per day for the first child and $ 34 per day for each additional child of the same family . The camp ’ s hours are from 7 a . m . to 6 p . m . and registering parents will be able to pick the specific days throughout the summer in which they want their children to attend . Hammonton Skating Center is also offering a promotion in which Hammonton residents will receive 10 percent off their registration fee . In addition to the promotion , anyone seeking to register can do so for half-price between now and March 31 .
The Hammonton residents promotion also applies to children who are students of the following schools : Winslow Twp . School No . 6 , Indian Mills Memorial School , Indian Mills Elementary , Assumption Regional Catholic School , Swift Elementary , Slaybaugh Elementary , JP Cleary Elementary , Buena Middle , Collins Lakes Elementary , Folsom Elementary , St . Joseph ’ s Regional Elementary , Mullica Township Elementary and all Vineland Elementary Schools .
Hammonton Skating Center will be holding an open house on Wednesday , March 15 , from 5 p . m . to 7 p . m . for anybody seeking to tour the facility or find out more about the camp and other programs . For more information , call 561-8061 or go to www . hscfuncenter . com .
Hammonton Skating Center ’ s day camp will take kids on various field trips throughout the summer . One of these destinations will be the Hammonton Swim Club , located at 213 Berwyn Ave and entering its 57th season in town . Regular family signups for the 2017 season ( Memorial Day through Labor Day ) are $ 645 .
Once a member , children ages four to 18 can register for the Hammonton Sting Rays swim team for $ 50 with each additional child at $ 30 .
The Hammonton Swim Club also offers swimming lessons in three , two-week sessions throughout the season , which each taking place four days a week . Swimming lesson sessions are $ 90 . Aside from the pool , members of the Hammonton Swim Club can have fun on its volleyball and basketball courts or in front of the big screen for several “ Dive-In Movie ” nights , which take place every Wednesday throughout the season , beginning at dusk . The movie nights are $ 6 per family for non-members .
Hammonton Swim Club Vice President Jeff Fusco said the club takes pride in being there for the town and its youth for the last 57 years and will look to continue doing so for years to come . For more information on the Hammonton Swim Club , call 567-8667 or go to www . hammontonswimclub . com .
“ This is going to be our 57th year opening for the community . It is a nice , safe environment , fully fenced-in , we have all Red Crosscertified lifeguards and we just like to be there for the community , always looking to expand membership and expand the swim team ,” Fusco said .
If camping , swimming and skating do not sound appealing , children will still have plenty of engaging activities in the arts to partake in this summer , both at the Eagle Theatre and Hammonton ’ s two dance studios , Dance Magic and Paul Morris ’ Dancexplosion .
The Eagle Theatre , located at 208 Vine St ., will hold a six-week summer camp . The camp will meet five days per week and will have plenty of fun , games and exercises , but will also be dedicated to preparing attendees with practical theatrical skills in preparation with an actual junior production of Godspell , which was performed at the Eagle Theatre in 2016 .
The camp will run Monday , July 10 through Thursday , August
See CAMP , Page 12