Happy campers
Amy R. Spurgeon
ORANGE COAST COLLEGE -- It was a day filled with “duck, duck, goose,”
fruit roll-ups, sunscreen and a 15-foot-high diving board.
Monday was the first day of OCC’s 18th annual summer-long Sports and
Activities Camp. A group of 32 children, ages 5 to 12, ran, jumped, laughed, drew, swam and simply enjoyed being a kid.
Dressed in comfortable cottons, Pokemon sneakers and floral tank tops,
the campers spent a good part of the day just figuring out each others’
temperaments.
“Did you push her?” asked Evonne Durand, one of the three counselors on
staff.
Durand, a first-year rookie, tried to Band-Aid one of the first minor
casualties of the day.
“Can you say ‘I’m sorry?’ ” Durand said to the alleged pusher.
“And can you say, ‘That’s OK, but please don’t do it again?’ ” she said
to the pushee.
“Thank you,” she told the two of them as they left the soccer field at
noon for lunch in the cafeteria.
Later, Durand explained her approach toward conflict resolution.
“This is my first year and I want to make sure the kids are having fun.
But I don’t want hurt feelings,” she said.
Campers have the option of attending the program on a part-time basis or
all day. Activities include swimming, track and field, softball,
volleyball, table tennis, soccer, capture the flag, floor hockey and
basketball.
Inside the air-conditioned cafeteria, groups sat around tables and began
the long but strategic process of unwrapping today’s high-tech,
youth-oriented foods, such as Lunchables, multicolored string cheese and
neatly packaged carrots with ranch dressing.
But the new environment and strange faces meant short-lived isolation for
one 7-year-old.
“I don’t have anyone to talk to,” said one boy, his chin resting on two
folded arms.
It took the courage and big heart of 9-year-old Mike Ferncase of Costa
Mesa to make the difference. He slid over from his table and introduced
himself and some of his friends.
By the end of lunch, the boy had a smile on his face and newfound friends
at his side.
Over by the two large swimming pools, the group had fun in the water. As
the sun beat down, each camper took turns jumping from the 15-foot-high
dive.
All except for one boy.
“My mom didn’t pack me a bathing suit because she didn’t know we were
going swimming,” he said. “Maybe I’ll just put my feet in.”
The day was a maze of camp guidelines, pool rules, extra sunscreen, lost
towels and childhood crushes.
“The first day is so crazy,” said camp leader Eden Oeding. “But it’s a
great summer job.”
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