The Summer Camp Sister Act

 

By Steve Bigham

Sisters Avril and Fiona Fraser have a busy summer in front of them as heads of the Parks & Recreation summer camps at Dickinson and Treadwell parks.

Avril, 24, is the site leader at Dickinson, while Fiona, 20, is in charge over at Treadwell.

The Fraser sisters have a combined 14 years experience as camp counselors in Newtown, and during their early years spent many years as campers themselves.

The two sat down with The Bee Monday after their first day of camp. They talked about their love of kids, outlandish questions often asked by parents, and, of course, their friendship. These two sisters are best of friends.

And, according to Parks & Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian, Avril and Fiona are perfect for the job, passing on to both campers and counselors the art of having fun in the sun.

“They’re so friendly and always smiling. I’ve known both of them since they were young teenagers and I’ve watched them grow and mature. Both of them have wonderful work ethics and are very responsible,” she said. “They know how to make camping a wonderful experience for the kids.”

And that comes with experience. Avril was the assistant site leader at Dickinson last summer under Jason Hiruo and was the natural choice to succeed him. Fiona was the next most senior counselor and was given first consideration.

Fiona admits she almost turned the Treadwell job down, knowing it would mean she and her sister would be at different sites. In the end, however, she accepted the job. To make up for their being apart during the day, the two sisters are waitressing together on weekends at the Elms Restaurant in Ridgefield.

When not running camps, Avril is a kindergarten teacher in Woodbury. Fiona is an elementary education major at Western Connecticut State University.

The Fraser sisters say they love their jobs as site leaders, but admit they’ll miss the whole counselor experience. As a site leader, your job is more administrative.

“You have to enforce the rules, but still remain friendly and let the counselors know you’re on their team,” said Avril, who graduated from Newtown High School in 1995.

 Fiona agreed, adding that she missed the fact that she could no longer play “duck, duck, goose” with the kids. “As a counselor, you’re always tying shoes or yelling, ‘whose lunch is this.’ As a site leader, you’re more of a floater moving from group to group,” said Fiona, a 1998 NHS grad.

Both are confident that summer camp in Newtown will be a big hit with the kids this year.

“We’ve got a great group of counselors. Most of them have spring in their step,” they said.

And what would camp be without the parents? These loving moms and dads want the very best for their children and aren’t afraid to speak up. Here are some of the more common questions:

1. Does this park have a tick problem?

2. What SPF (suntan lotion) do you recommend?

3. Do they have to wear their bathing suit all day?

4. Is there a refrigerator for my child’s lunch?

The Fraser sisters say they’ve got plenty of fun stuff planned this summer, including the talent show. This event is usually reserved for the kids, but Avril and Fiona might want to put together their own act. Avril plays the flute and Fiona the saxophone. They both know a thing or two about twirling and tossing flags as former members of the NHS color guard team.

This year’s assistant site leaders are Kim Minnock (Dickinson) and Brendan Bowes (Treadwell).

Avril and Fiona are the daughters of James and Carol Fraser of Mile Hill Road.

Currently, there are 236 campers enrolled in the first session at Dickinson Park and another 185 at Treadwell Park. There are still openings for the second and third two-week sessions. For more information, call the Parks & Recreation office at 270-4340.