Summer Camp Kids Stay Cool in the Pool

Child summer camp programs run by the Patchogue Village Department of Parks and Recreation have altered their agendas to account for the heat advisory.

"For camps, if it's over 90 degrees and a heat advisory, kids get more swim time," said Lu Ann Lategano, who works for the department.

Participant R.J. Monte, who is in the 11-to-14-year-old class, said that a day in the camp program typically consists of playing three sports. The hot temperature left them playing only one.

"We only played Dodgeball and had a water break every five minutes," Monte said.

As for the arts and crafts sessions, well, the heat played games with their activities too, which, this time, included painting seashells. Monte's sister, Lauren, teaches art activities and she said "the heat made the paint dry faster." 

The village runs six, six-week programs, a general day camp program called "Fun-In-The-Sun," an outdoor basketball clinic, a soccer program, general sports program, tennis program, and cheerleading camp.

All of the programs except for the basketball and tennis programs include time in the Patchogue Pool at the Patchogue Beach Club.

Parents interested in enrolling their children should contact the Department of Parks and Recreation.