Summer Camps Offer Fun in the Sun for Palm Harbor Kids

is featuring some new offerings in its summer camps lineup and a popular summer camp is returning this year.

The organization is offering a wide range of camps covering activities as diverse as fishing and pottery, to archery and lacrosse, giving kids a lot to choose from.

This summer sees the return of a popular basketball camp that was cancelled in previous years due to the cost of renting a gymnasium. The parks and recreation team worked out a swap with , and now the basketball camp is back for 2011.

West Lake Christian School made the basketball courts at Palm Harbor Methodist Church available for the summer camp. In exchange, Palm Harbor Parks and Recreation is allowing the school to use some of its facilities.

New camps on the schedule this summer including pottery and softball. Other popular camps include soccer, volleyball and the All Sports Camp, which gives kids a chance to try a variety of different sports. 

Kids will learn how to fish from a boat during the 1st Annual Free Fishing Series. The Katz Foundation donated funding allowing Palm Harbor Parks and Recreation to hold the outdoor camp for at least five years.

Only part of the funding for summer camps is from tax revenue. Palm Harbor Parks and Recreation comes up with the rest through donations and money earned from camp fees. Recreation Leader Cathy Koutsoumbaris says a lot of the money generated from summer camps goes toward paying the instructors. 

Koutsoumbaris says she finds her work with the summer camps very fulfulling, “It’s worth it. I love doing this and seeing how much the kids get out of it,” she said.

Erica Lynford is the Interim Director for Palm Harbor Parks and Recreation and being a mother herself, she understands the value of these summer camps. 

She says the camps are fully licensed and insured and are run by experienced professionals. Lynford says it's reassuring for parents to know their kids are having fun in a safe and friendly environment. “It’s exciting to see kids enjoying activities during time that would otherwise be spent playing Xbox,” said Lynford. 

Camps aren't just about the physical activity, either. For kids wanting to get a learning boost over the summer, there are several academic classes including the Reading and Math camp and the Mad Science camp. “It’s a great opportunity to improve abilities towards FCAT,” said Lynford.

The team at Palm Harbor Parks and Recreation is already taking bookings for summer camps and they say some of the more popular ones tend to fill up very quickly. 

The summer camp season kicks off June 13 beginning with the All Sports Camp and Cheerleading Camp. Camp season runs through August 19. Camps vary in time and number of days. 

Costs start at $30 for the Conditioning Camp and go up to $200 for the Boat Fishing Camp. Discounts are offered to those who sign up to become members of Palm Harbor Parks and Recreation.  

Applications and a list of available camps can be found at the Palm Harbor Parks and Recreation website .