The Gardiner Summer Camp has been in operation for at least 50 years in one form or another. For the last five, it has been run by Frank LaRonca. Two years ago, Frank’s wife, Amanda Paul, joined the crew as co-director.
Frank and Amanda are both teachers during the school year. For the summer camp, they are the administrators, planners, head counselors and cleanup crew. This year the camp runs for six weeks, from July 1st to August 9th, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm.
The camp services approximately 250 campers, ages 5 to 13 years old, from kindergarten to 8th grade. It is open to all, but Gardiner residents are the priority. Returning camp families were invited to register first, by mail in late April. In fact 80% of the campers are returning campers, and often their parents went to Gardiner Summer Camp when they were children.
The Camp’s home base is Majestic Park, where each day is started and ended. The activities are varied and take advantage of the local opportunities. On Mondays and Wednesdays, the campers are at Majestic Park all day for arts & crafts, sports, performing arts, group games, library program, nature walks, etc. Tuesdays and Thursdays are spent at the Ulster County Pool on Libertyville Road.
Fridays are field trips which include bowling, roller skating, movies, gymnastics, Ulster County Fair, and Splashdown Beach.
The Gardiner Summer Camp is an amazing fun-filled time for a very small fee. It is definitely on the short list of resources that make a Gardinerite proud to be from Gardiner!
Registration Forms are available at www.townofgardiner.org.
For more information, call Co-Directors Frank LaRonca and Amanda Paul at 750-3902.