A Record Number Of Campers

 Head To The Parks

By Steve Bigham

The Parks & Recreation day camps are now in full swing at Dickinson and Treadwell parks with more than 1,200 kids expected to take part during the three two-week sessions. That’s a record according to Parks & Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian.

Another 1,488 kids are enrolled in the 19 sports camps to take place at various times throughout the summer and 45 at the middle school camp.

“We’ve got a total of some 3,000 children signed up. That’s an all-time high,” Mrs Kasbarian said. “That’s at least 400 more than last year. The number of kids in this town continues to grow.”

Parks & Recreation has been sponsoring summer day camps for more than 30 years in Newtown. In the early days, camp was held at Dickinson Park. Then, as enrollments grew, the camp was divided into four sites: Head O’ Meadow School, Sandy Hook School, Middle Gate School, and Hawley School. Campers were bused to Dickinson Park for swimming lessons. When Treadwell Park opened in the early 1980s, the camps were moved to the two parks.

The Newtown summer camp program is now called “Camp Lash,” in honor of Newtown resident Howard Lasher, who has contributed and collected several thousands of dollars to the campership fund in recent years.

For the first time ever, the annual camp talent show will not be held due to a lack of parking, Mrs Kasbarian said.

A two-week session costs $126, which works out to $2.10 per hour. Call 270-4340 for more information.