August 5, 2011 The Breezemont campers and staff celebrated surpassing the $400,000 donation mark after 27 years of partnership with the Friends of Karen Foundation. Throughout the partnership thousands of Breezemont campers have helped to make a difference for children with life-threatening illnesses. They took time for a morning ceremonial cheer and group photograph to acknowledge contribution Breezemont campers and staff have made to Friends of Karen, which provides emotional, financial and legal support for severely ill children.
A vast majority of Breezemont's 375 campers participated by walking, running and swimming laps to win pledges from family and friends. As a tradition, the Breezemont Friends of Karen staff kicks off the season with a swim competition, which inspires the campers for the two month fundraiser.
The mother and daughter team of Priscilla and Rachel Tortorella have spent a combined 63 years in the Breezemont community. Rachel was once a camper and both are now assistant directors. Rachel says the event is a great beginning for even three-year-olds to start community service.
John Richard "JR" Tesone has the owner and director of Breezemont Camp for 25 years. He has a degree in secondary education and has taught every grade from nursery to graduate school. He met Sheila Peterson, founder of Friends of Karen, 27 years ago. Her husband, Kenny Peterson, worked at Breezemont for many years. JR says, "Sheila was the most phenomenal person I've ever met. The first time I met her, she was knitting and kept looking at her watch, as if I were interrupting her. I asked her if she had somewhere to go. She said she was meeting a family on I-684 as they passed through Armonk to travel to Boston. She was giving them money for food and lodging because they were dealing with a terminal illness." JR says ever since then, Breezemont has exclusively supported Friends of Karen. He thanks every family that have sent its child to the camp and supported the program through the years.
Set on 16 beautiful acres, complete with a lake and Adirondack-style buildings and cabins, Breezemont Day Camp gives each child a true camp experience. Staff members teach a Red Cross swimming course, sports of all kinds, arts and crafts, and performing arts, science and nature classes, boating, canoeing and fishing, Breezemont allows each child to pursue his or her own particular interests, as well as develop new passions. The camp is in its 76th season!
Breezemont campers and staff worked hard over the years to raise $400,000 for Friends of Karen by swimming, running and walking. They look forward to working with the charity for many summers to come.
Safety is the most important thing, especially in swimming. Ask
how the swimming is monitored. For little kids, ask about the ratios of
instructors to kids. Look at the pool. Is it set up properly to abide
by state laws? Find out who the instructors are. What are their
backgrounds? "When I speak to parents", says Shea, "everybody wants
their kids to learn how to swim. Our main goal is to make sure they
learn how to be safe in and around a pool and to know how to help
themselves if there is a problem. When I do a tour, parents spend about
40% of the time discussing the pool."
"Every child is unique and takes different times to adjust to a camp,"
Shea says, "especially the little guys. We try to place them with other
kids they know. When kids are with strangers they often take a little
longer to get acclimated. The way Future Stars is set up, we have a
staff member available to work one-to-one with a child if he or she is
having a problem adjusting."
Reputation is important. Shea
recommends that you talk to other parents. "We'll give a list of
referrals. Ask, 'did your kids enjoy the camp? Do you feel like the kids
were safe? Did the kids want to go to camp everyday?' You can have the
greatest program with the best facilities, but if the kids don't want to
go there, how good is it?"
Sports-Centered Day Camps continued
Ask what the camper to counselor ratio is. Find out how long the staff
has been working there. Look at the facility; is it a safe environment
for kids? Check to see whether sports choices are flexible. Find out
what experiences the kids are going to have besides the specific sports.
Many Summer Activities By Danielle Corpina
Published: June 7, 2011 With summer just around the corner, it’s easy to wonder what to do to keep the kids entertained while they are out of school. For many, lavish vacations and trips to exciting places are no longer options these days. Instead, many are trying to come up with summer activities for kids that are free, or at least don’t cost a lot of money. If you’re looking for some things to do this summer, here are some great ideas that will cost you hardly anything.
1. Visit your local library! Armonk's local library offers many programs throughout the year, including the summer, for kids as well as for adults. At its website you can find a monthly calendar of events ranging from computer classes and meditation to preschool music and the making of friendship bracelets. Many of these activities are free; all you are required to do is sign up in advance. The library still offers the popular summer reading program for children of all ages, and book clubs for adults. Look for the monthly calendar as it is jam packed with a lot of new classes for all to enjoy!
2. Check out your local movie theater! Many local movie theaters offer discounted rates for people of all ages. Check local websites or call the box office to inquire about which movie showings are discounted on the day you would like to go! Once you are at the movies, the refreshment stands offer lunch boxes of a drink and snack together for a discounted price. Some movie theaters today allow you to bring your own snacks or drinks without hassle.
3. Enjoy the great outdoors! Fly a kite, have water balloon fights, go hiking, fishing, boating, cycling, running. There are so many wonderful trails, parks,and lakes nearby that allow people to enjoy nature and a little adventure! North Castle Community Park at Business Park Drive has an outdoor dirt track, platform tennis, playgrounds, open fields, picnic areas and much more! Westmoreland Sanctuary on Chestnut Ridge Road in Armonk has beautiful trails for hiking and unusually good bird watching.
If you’re interested in boating, Wampus Pond, on Route 128, Armonk has rowboats available on weekends and holidays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Playland Park, in Rye has pedal boats and lake cruises located on Playland Lake. If you are interested in kayaking the Hudson River, group kayaking and canoeing tours are available in season. If running is your pleasure, there are magnificent trails at the Rockefeller estate in Sleepy Hollow.
Westchester County even offers rock climbing to those who want to live a little more dangerously! The Cliffs, located in Valhalla, have great indoor facilities as well as camps for kids! High Xposure Adventures in New Paltz also has a climbing school and offers awesome rock climbing adventures!
4. Day camps for kids of all ages: music camps, art camps, sports camps, etc! We are so fortunate to live in an area that offers so many different opportunities for our children. Our website offers a number of different camps in the area for kids to enjoy.
Musical Munchkins is one special place. One of our readers said, “Musical Munchkins has a winning formula when it comes to educationally entertaining children while maintaining the highest standards of excellence.” The Summer Trails Day Camp is offering a little extra fun after the traditional camp day this summer. Jamie Sirkin, director of the camp, says, “our basketball and lacrosse clinic is offered from 4-6pm, will run in one week cycles, and is a great opportunity for new families to get a taste of Summer Trails fun through the teaching of new skills, progression through drills, mini games and exciting live-action play." For more information about the Summer Trails Day Camp and this new program, visit www.summertrailsdaycamp.com.
5. Check our website for great ideas for people all ages! Our website has all the activities above and more great ideas for fun and exciting camps for kids and teenagers. It also has recipes for great snacks, and instructions for great crafts, and interesting things to do and places to see outdoors!
Summer is a time for fun and being carefree. Explore all of the local possibilities and have a great summer!
Breezemont Day Camp 62 Cox Avenue Armonk, NY (914) 273.3162 www.breezemont .com
