Alicia Mancini
Special collaboration
For generations, the youth of Verdun and neighbouring boroughs have been attending BGC Dawson day camp. This year was the first time for my two boys. Like most parents, we weren’t sure what summer would look like this year. We only knew that we wanted our children to have what we did as kids; a summer filled with adventure, discovery, and fun. I’m happy to report we found all that and more at BGC Dawson day camp.
When the first day rolled around, I’m not sure who was more excited, the kids or me. Sunscreen and lunch in hand; off they went! When I picked them up at the end of the day, I had two exhausted smiling children. Just what I hoped for.
Every week parents received a schedule of activities, outings, and theme days for the week. I was blown away by the level of planning and creativity. There was a summer Halloween where everyone got dressed up. You could see how much effort the animators put into their costumes. They were having fun, and the kids could see that. There was an un-birthday day where all the kids received a gift. Other hits included a massive nerf war, pyjama day, and cooking classes. The outings, of which there were plenty, were the highlight of the summer for some of the kids. After a year of bubbles and quarantine, going on big adventures like Parc Safari and La Ronde brought a sense of joy and excitement in both the kids and animators. We were all remembering what summer feels like.
It’s the little things that make the difference between good and great. It wasn’t just that the kids got to go swimming a lot; it’s that they knew the walk was long and would take the bus on the way so the kids wouldn’t be too tired. That’s something I do as a parent. Between the gym, game room, computer room and art room, the kids were never bored and had the chance to do not only the things they loved but to try new things too. They couldn’t wait to get there in the morning, and in the afternoon, they were upset if I picked them up early. The building became our second home, and the staff like family. We reconnected not only with our community centre but with those in our community as well. This camp far exceeded our expectations, or as my youngest so eloquently put it, « Mama, that was so fun! »
