THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 2, 1995 TAG: 9505310150
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 95 lines
School is almost out for the summer, and it's time to think about what to do with the kids. They can't just hang around the house and watch television all day. What to do?
Why not take advantage of the summer programs offered by the Chesapeake Parks and Recreation Department? Most are inexpensive and won't shred the family's summer budget.
In fact, one program sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Department offers free food during the summer to qualifying children.
Summer Play Time - Get your children out of the house and have them enjoy a memorable summer by participating in the free Summer Play Time program.
Children, ages 6-11, are invited to participate in many activities to be supervised by a trained professional recreation staff.
No early registration is required, children can participate in the Summer Play Time on a walk-on basis. Registration will be accepted at all of the Chesapeake Parks and Recreation supervised community centers or you can sign up your child on site on the first day of attendance.
Campers will enjoy an array of supervised arts and crafts, games and sports.
In addition, the staff will plan special events and programs available to all campers and other Chesapeake kids.
The program takes place daily from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, from June 26 to Aug. 11 at the following sites: Deep Creek Community Center, 2901 Margaret Booker Drive; Indian River Community Center, 2250 Old Greenbrier Road; Great Bridge Community Center, 212 Holt Drive; River Crest Community Center, 1001 River Walk Parkway; South Norfolk Community Center, 1217 Godwin Ave.; Western Branch Community Center, 4437 Portsmouth Blvd.; Carver Intermediate School, 2601 Broad St.; Crestwood Middle School, 1420 Great Bridge Blvd.; and Southwestern Elementary School, 1853 S. Battlefield Blvd.
Teen Time - Don't think that just the younger children get all the fun, Chesapeake's teens will be able to enjoy free supervised activities throughout the summer vacation time.
Also offered by the Parks and Recreation Department, the Teen Time program is open to ages 12-15. But all the centers will be opened to offer free play for those up to age 17.
The planned teen activities will include volleyball, talent shows, basketball, dances and even some social activities.
Sessions take place every Monday through Friday from June 26 to Aug. 11 from 3 to 6 p.m.
All Teen Time activities will be held at the Deep Creek, Great Bridge, Indian River, South Norfolk and Western Branch community centers (see above for addresses).
Register your child for either the Summer Play Time or Summer Teen Time by either filling out an application at any of the Chesapeake community centers or stopping by the site on the day of first day of attendance.
For more information about the Play Time or Teen Time programs, call 436-8467.
Food program - It takes energy to stay active during the summer and as a way to recharge all those youthful batteries, Parks and Recreation is once again offering a summer food program for Chesapeake youngsters.
Beginning June 19, the Summer Food Service program, for ages 18 and younger, will provide free meals throughout the summer to youngsters who qualify under United States Department of Agriculture criterion, said Ken Ablett, administrative assistant with the Chesapeake Parks and Recreation Department.
``Each breakfast and lunch we serve will be a balanced meal according to USDA requirements,'' Ablett added. ``These meals will be served through the summer to those children who depend on school breakfast and lunch programs during the school year. But when school closes for the summer, many of these children lose the opportunity for these meals. This program fills the gap.''
But the food service is available to any child regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or handicap.
Breakfast and lunch will be served at Carver Intermediate School cafeteria, 2601 Broad St., and at Crestwood Middle School, 1420 Great Bridge Blvd. Breakfast is served from 7 to 8 a.m., and lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Other lunch sites are Southwestern Elementary School, 1853 S. Battlefield Blvd.; and Sparrow Road Intermediate School, 1605 Sparrow Road. Lunch at both of those sites will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
``We were hoping to have been able to serve meals at several more schools, but many are undergoing some type of construction work,'' Ablett said.
Funding for the nine-week summer program comes from a performance grant agreement with the USDA and the City of Chesapeake.
Ablett said a typical breakfast will include French toast sticks, egg-and-cheese biscuits, peanut butter-and-jelly bars, grilled cheese sandwiches, various cereals, pancakes, honey-wheat doughnuts, milk, juices and fruit cups.
Lunches will include hot dogs, pepperoni or cheese pizza, hamburgers, chicken nuggets, various types of sandwiches, milk, fruit and juices.
For more information on the Summer Food Program, call the Parks and Recreation office at 547-6411. by CNB