Sand Springs Campers have some serious fun

Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club keeps parents, kids happy

I seem to have a knack for visiting Boys & Girls Clubs when discipline is being administered, probably because it’s usually late afternoon before I can finish up my office duties and get there. When I went to the Sand Springs Boys & Girls Club last week, I found Program Aide Hannah Roberts supervising six rowdy looking little boys and one girl filling a piece of paper with sentences such as “I will be respectful in the chapel,” and "I will listen when my counselor talks," and various other compositions that fit the individuals’ "crimes." And I rejoice!


Why? I’ve taught Sunday School and endured rowdy little boys and without discipline there’s lots of chaos and little learning. I hear that kids aren’t disciplined much in school anymore, and there’s a kid I know who can single-handedly stress out every person at a family birthday party because her parents don’t discipline, so again, I rejoice.

But there’s a lot more going on  than discipline at the Sand Springs Boys & Girls Club Summer Day Camp. Field trips. Daily swimming. Arts and crafts.  A camper named Ardiss, age 11, says her favorite activities are playing in the gym and computer room. Garrett, age 10, likes hanging out with his friends.They all like going on field trips; the top two favorites were a trip to Purple Glaze, where they glazed their own ceramics, and Bounce U. They are all looking forward to the tour of the Blue Bell Ice Cream factory where they will be given free samples.

Bethany Pousinho, club director, says her favorite moments are when she asks the campers if they had fun after an activity and they “excitedly say yes.”

“Sometimes when their parents come to pick them up they don’t want to leave,” she said. “If the kids are happy the parents are happy. That’s when I know we’re doing it right.”

And despite the fact the some of the kids were disciplined, when I checked on them again, they were having a great time watching a movie in the chapel, without shaking the pews as they had before. Way to go Sand Springs!
 -Sallie