A Playful Rainy Day—

Campers Hand Paint A Birdhouse

By Kendra Bobowick

At children’s feet puddles filled with their reflections. Among them, Dickinson Park day camper Grace Howgego’s pooled image quickly shattered as she splashed, splashed, splashed her bright yellow boots in the water. Rain dropped in bursts Friday, July 31, as hoods went up and umbrellas opened one minute, only to close the next as sun broke through the clouds, pulling steam from the wet ground the next.

Peeking out from under the pavilion, a small group of campers walked with counselors Tom Gilbert and Sarah Murtha to see their most recent project — a hand-painted birdhouse now perched atop a post in a field. Hurrying along a gravel path leading shortly to a meadow smoothed by last Friday’s rain and wind, the campers gathered to look at their work.

“I have to rave,” said Assistant Director of Recreation RoseAnn Reggiano Thursday. “I can’t believe what a great job they did.” A large white, cylindrical birdhouse now sits on a post overlooking the field. With peace symbols, decorations, and acrylic paints applied by the first- and second-grade children, the birdhouse will be a reminder to them of their camp days every time they pass by. “It stands out, it’s amazing,” Ms Reggiano said. Day Camp Site Director Jeff Earle said, “It’s something they can always see.”

Tom and Sarah like the idea of a project that is “always there” in the field. They hope to add more birdhouses each year. As the two counselors returned from their walk down the path, they found children making the best of dreary weather while waiting for a ride home last week.

Just beyond the pavilion’s roof were friends Dylan Champagne, Tim Davis, and Carter Reynolds, also laughing as they crashed through puddles. Slipping off one of her yellow boots, Grace turned the shoe upside down as water spilled out. Looking up at the sounds of a storm, she said, “It’s thundering!”