Club for kids brings out the smiles

Suzie Harrison

Anna Adams, 8, and Maddie Nelson, 7, both enjoyed their role as

mythical sea creatures on Tuesday at the beach during an excursion

for Laguna Club for Kids members. It was the second day of the first

week of summer activities with many options children ages 5 to 12 can

participate in.

“I was a mermaid, it was kind of hard because I couldn’t laugh or

take deep breaths -- I had never been a mermaid before, “ Maddie

said. “But it was fun because I would try and stick my feet up and

they didn’t want me to.”

Anna and Maddie said the whole process took about a half an hour

and was an effort everyone seemed to find pleasant.

“I helped build the mermaid,” Katie Nally, 9, said. “We first

covered her with sand, drew a tail, patted the sand down flat and

smooth and did the details.”

Katie said she found it difficult to climb over the work she had

already done to perfect the creation without squishing any part. But

she liked that she got to be creative and do so with sand as her

medium.

Laguna Club for Kids is a nonprofit, United Way partner that has

offered recreational programs for children for 32 years.

Executive director Shelley Cox Jones said the children participate

in many activities, including going to either the beach or pool once

a week, nature activities and science, arts and crafts, safety

programs, drama, leadership and more.

“It originally was the Laguna Girls’ Club and the boys had their

club -- until the Boys’ Club incorporated it,” Cox Jones said. “So

this became Laguna Club for Kids. In ’72 I was a member of the Laguna

Girls’ Club so it came full circle for me.”

She never dreamed this would happen, though education is her

background and she has had experience in many arenas including

medicine.

“At TLC, we try to provide a home like atmosphere, a very hands-on

type of program,” Cox Jones said. “And that’s what we really look

toward providing -- it’s very community oriented.”

During the academic year, the after-school program is exclusively

for Laguna residents. But the summer is open, with families coming

from surrounding areas, as well as New York, Sweden, Florida, Las

Vegas and others.

“They can come for the entire summer, by the week, take a couple

of weeks off for vacation and come back,” Cox Jones said.

The only stipulation is that they come at least twice in a week,

so the staff gets to know the child and there is a comfortable and

familiar rapport.

Bohdi Martin, 10, said he and his brother Dogan have been coming

for about five years.

“It’s fun to go on the field trips, my favorite is Knott’s Berry

Farm, we go on the rides and stuff,” Bohdi said. “Today at the beach

I’ve been swimming, the waves are about 3 to 5 feet and it’s fun in

the big waves.”

A lot of the children said they really liked the counselors, as

well as the fun factor.

“The staff is always really nice,” Michael Wilson, 10, said. “We

get to play in the new Bluebird Park -- TLC is one of the highlights

of the summer,” Michaels said.

Arts and crafts are favored as well. Michael said he likes

painting, while Maddie liked stenciling.

For information about Laguna Club for Kids or pricing, call (949)

494-7630. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The club

is at 1470 Temple Terrace.