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Recreation Division offers art, sports, camp programs
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Mini Picassos student Ethel Thompson glues paper mache for an art project. - photo by JONATHAN MCCORKELL / The Journal

Unlike many neighboring cities and communities, summer recreational opportunities remain plentiful through the City of Turlock’s Recreation Division.

“We’ve been able to offer summer recreation because we’ve always maintained a fee-based program so we can recoup the majority of the cost for the classes and camps,” said Recreation Senior Supervisor Karen Packwood. 

This summer there are more than 30 recreation activities including aquatics, dance classes, adult classes, summer camps for children and sports classes.

Recreation scholarships are available up to $75 to help families struggling in these tough economic times. 

“As a staff we understand the importance of recreation scholarships. In April we held a fundraiser at Neto’s and the money raised goes to those scholarships,” explained Packwood.

For children kindergarten through second grade there are daily summer camps offered through the Recreation Division. The Little Gigglers Summer Camp will be held at Turlock High School. Fees range from $71 a week for half-days to $100 a week for a punch card which allows children to be dropped off at anytime for five days per punch card. Full days are $93. Hours of operation are from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. for a full day. Enrollment in Little Gigglers is limited.

At Pitman High School enrollment is open for up to 1,000 children in grades K-6. Hours and fees are the same as Little Gigglers. Children enrolled at Pitman and Turlock can also take swim lessons at their designated campus and staff will take them to and from their swim classes. 

The income-based Marty Yerby Summer Camp is available for July but June is currently closed. The camp is $50 a month with hours from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Children must attend Wakefield, Brown or Cunningham elementary schools to enroll in the camp.

For children looking to expand their artistic skills there are several classes available. The Mini Picassos class is for children 4 1/2 years old to 7. Class sessions run Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon for four days a session. The fee is $60 per week.

“This class is all about the kids having fun and exploring their artistic skills. The curriculum is flexible to what the kids show interest in,” said art instructor Christine Machado.

Due to popular demand another art class, Preschool Mania Art Camp, has expanded to include classes in July. Mania Art Camp is for children 2- 5 years old and children under 3 must have a caregiver in attendance. 

Swim lessons and open pool sessions are on-going throughout the summer. Turlock and Pitman pools open June 20 and Columbia pool opens for full-week operation starting June 18. Aquatic playgrounds at Broadway and Columbia parks have opened and will be open through Sept. 1. 

Swim lessons range from infants six months to stroke refinement for older children and teens. 

Youth sports such as soccer, golf, baseball and self defense continue this summer. Kidz Love Soccer takes place on Saturdays for children ages 2-10 years old and costs $99 for the season, which starts July 9 through Aug. 27. Sticks for Kids, a golf class for children 5-10 years old will begin July 6 and run through July 27 on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The fee is $30. 

T-ball and Fantasy Baseball Camp provide children the opportunity to learn the basics of baseball. Fantasy Baseball Camp for ages 3-4 years old will begin July 9. The camp will be held at the Turlock Regional Sports Complex and Pitman High. T-Ball will begin July 9 and run through Aug. 13, with games on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. The fee is $55. Signups are from June 9 to 15.

A youth soccer camp with CSU Stanislaus coaches will be held July 25-28. The cost is $100 for children ages 4-12. 

Girl’s summer volleyball open gym — which began Tuesday — will be held at Pitman on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A junior high girl’s class will begin at Pitman on June 27 and the fee is $50.

Turlock Youth Self Defense classes are also available for ages 5-15. The current session started on Monday. Dance and ballet classes have already started and are closed to enrollment.

For more information on summer recreation programs visit www.cityofturlock.org or call 668-5594.

To contact Jonathan McCorkell, e-mail jmccorkell@turlockjournal.com or call 634-9141.