Options abound for summertime fun for Vegas Valley children

Annie Flanzraich

Friday, June 3, 2005 | 4:27 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

June 4-5, 2005

Summer camp programs are currently accepting applications for upcoming sessions:

Girl Scout Camp: 385-3677 or www.frontiercouncil.org Boy Scout Camp: 736-4366 or www.lvacbsa.org

Potosi Pines: 875-1980 or www.desertsw.org/potosi.html

YMCA: 877-9622 or 240-9622 or www.lasvegasymca.org

City of North Las Vegas: 633-1600 www.ci.north-las-vegas.nv.us

City of Las Vegas: 229-6297 or www.lasvegasnevada.gov/leisure]services

City of Henderson: 267-4000 or www.cityofhenderson.com/parks/youth/php/ YouthEnrichment.php

What's 11-year-old Erica Horne's favorite memory of her past two years at Camp Foxtail Girl Scout camp? She said it was hard to pick just one. But when it came down to it she listed a litany of activities she did at the site in Lee Canyon.

"We go on hikes up to the mountains and we pack our lunch and we eat it up there," the Hughes Middle School student said. "We do crafts and we sleep outside under the stars."

For her little sister Kayla Horne, 10, the best part about Girl Scout camp was arts and crafts. She remembers the details of how she made her own candle. This year Kayla is excited to go back to camp.

"I'm gonna get to meet new people and learn new songs," the Virgin Valley Elementary School student said. "And I'm going to learn about space, like how far the moon is away and stuff."

There are numerous opportunities for children to enjoy the summer camp experience without leaving Clark County, with a variety of programs sponsored by local churches, community organizations and municipal agencies.

The Girl Scouts of Frontier Council is one organization that offers children in the Las Vegas area camping opportunities over the summer. Girls ages 7 to 17 can participate in almost 30 programs offered, even if they are not Girl Scouts.

"At camp we try to provide an number of activities each session," Camp Foxtail director Darbie Adams said.

Activities at the camp include cooking, theater, outdoor and adventure skills, science and astronomy. Older girls have the opportunity to take trips outside of the campgrounds at Mount Charleston and go camping in Zion National Park or canoe the boundary waters in Minnesota.

Erica and Kayla's mother, Cheri Russell, said being away at camp is a chance for her children to develop independence.

"It's really important for them to spend time away from home in environment like that and learn to be on their own a little bit and have some adventures and have lots of fun," Russell said.

The Boy Scouts also offers opportunities for scouts at Camp Potosi at the Kimball Scout Reservation located about 30 miles southwest of the Las Vegas. The site features a canoe pond, mountain biking, archery and a rappelling tower.

The camp gives Scouts the opportunity to earn merit badges that they could not earn in a typical Scout meeting, said Donna Sword, program secretary for the Las Vegas Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

"It's a place where they can learn the leadership skills in a safe environment," Sword said.

Younger boys, 9 to 10 years old, can stay overnight at an adventure camp while older Scouts, over 11 years old, can either stay for six days at Camp Potosi. Older boys looking for an adventure can participate in a hike through the northern part of Zion National Park.

The United Methodist Church owns Potosi Pines Camp near the Boy Scouts Kimball Scout Reservation and operates different overnight programs. This summer boys can become buccaneers in a pirate camp while girls can embrace their inner royalty at princess camp.

Phyllis Murray, the site manager, said the children at Potosi Pines mature during their three- to five-day stay at the camp.

"We hope to help them grow in their faith and in their independence," Murray said.

For day campers, the YMCA of Las Vegas offers 11 different camping opportunities each week for children ages 5 to 15. They can go to Hollywood Camp to create commercials and participate in the "Y Grammy" ceremony or rock climbing camp and learn basic climbing skills. The weekly sessions begin June 13 and continue through Aug. 26.

There are many other day-camp prospects in the valley that are run by each city's parks and recreations department. The City of Henderson offers programs for children ages 5 through 14. Based on their age group they can participate in Teen Zone, Kids Zone and Junior Kids Zone. Each program offers different daily activities including arts and crafts, swimming and field trips.

In North Las Vegas children ages 4 through 16 can go to Kids Camp or Kiddie Camp. Kids Camp is a nine-week program that also offers arts and crafts, games and field trips. Kiddie Camp is offered in two-week sessions for 4- to 5-year-olds and includes cooking, swimming and games.

Las Vegas Department of Leisure Services offers three different options for parents and children. Children ages 4 to 15 can participate in Kids Kamp which is an all-day program that starts at 7 a.m. and goes to 6 p.m. Camp Odyssey offers the same arts and crafts, games, sports and field trips as Kids Kamp but has shorter hours, from 8 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.

Some of the 16 Las Vegas community centers boast specialty programs such as cheerleading camp, outdoor adventure camp or scuba.

Margaret Kurtz, a publicity specialist with the Las Vegas Department of Leisure Services, said that summer camp gives kids an opportunity to learn life skills. She said parents should sign up their children early because programs around the valley fill up rapidly.