Maybe Richard Ashenfelder didn’t have summer camps growing up but he’s certainly doing his part now, along with the rest of the West Chester Parks and Recreation Department, to make sure children get the fun-filled experience. The crew is gearing up for a 3rd Annual Casino Night, set to unfold Friday, March 22, which will benefit their “Send a Kid to Camp Fund.” We chatted with Rich to score the inside scoop on this amazing summer program.
All the proceeds from Casino Night go toward West Chester Parks and Recreation’s “Send a Kid to Camp Fund” so that is a primary reason for attending, but what else will guests have to look forward to at the 3rd annual fundraiser?
Guests have a lot to look forward to at our 3rd Annual Casino Night. The evening will feature plenty of Black Jack, Craps, and Roulette tables for guests to play at. With your winnings, you will be able to enter to win multiple prize baskets. For the basketball lovers at the event, the NCAA Basketball Tournament will be broadcast on multiple flat screens. Also available for our guests will be beverages, light hors d’oeuvres, and desserts. In addition, throughout the night, we will be awarding door prizes from various local supporters. One of our top raffles is a set of three balcony suite tickets to for the Philadelphia Flyers vs. The Boston Bruins on April 23rd. These tickets include food and drink during the game. A 50/50 raffle will also be held.
Getting back to the Camp Fund, can you explain how this idea came about and why it’s so important, not only to West Chester Parks and Recreation, but more importantly, to the kids?
The idea behind the camp fund came from our founding director Kathy McBratnie. She saw the need to help children who were not financially able to attend camp and wanted to provide a summer experience for them.
How do you choose the recipients for the camp fund?
We choose the recipients, on a case by case basis. We review each financial aid application submitted, and see how we may help each individual family.
What are the summer camp details? Are they all overnight camps? Where do they take place, etc.?
We offer two different camps at three locations. Our camps are day camps; we do not offer overnight camps. The Summer Day Camps are an eight week program. Park Camps are held at Everhart Park and Hoopes Park for ages 5 to 10. Camp BIG is held at East High School and is for ages 11 to 14.
Last year, you were able to send 20 kids to camp that wouldn’t normally have the chance to experience the summer fun. Can you explain what type of fun that is? What activities happen at West Chester Parks and Recreation’s summer camps?
Each week there is a weekly theme which the daily activites and visitors are based on. Weekly themes this summer are: Kenya, Earth Week, Sponge Bob Week, and many more exciting themes. Campers are always busy at our camps doing activities such as arts and crafts, sports and games, and learning new things from exciting visitor presentations.
It appears that summer camp food has come a long way (thinking since old-school camp movies), and culinary arts even worked its way into activities. Is that the case at any of West Chester Parks and Recreation’s camps? What is the cuisine like and are there chances for kids to get hands on with it?
Children are responsible for providing their own lunch everyday. However, we end each summer with a celebration based on a certain country. Last year’s celebration was Greece. During the Greece Celebration, there was a food station where multiple Greek dishes were served such as Gyro’s, Pastichio, Greek Salad, and Spanakopita. Food was provided by two local restaurants, De Starr’s and Mythos.
Speaking of summer camps in the past, do you have any childhood camp memories of your own? If so, what was your favorite thing about camp?
Summer day camps were not offered where I grew up. My summers were spent playing little league baseball, attending basketball camps, going to the pool and catching fireflies.
