Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (June 26/02) - The squeals of laughter from a summer day camp are once again echoing around Rankin Inlet.

The community's drop-in centre is now in its sixth year delivering the summer day camp program for kids six years of age and older.

It began operating this past week and the first day of enrolment saw more than 40 kids sign up.

Jacintha Howard, who runs the drop-in centre, says more than 140 kids registered during the summer of 2001, with 70 to 90 participating on a daily basis.

The camp has a three full-time staffers and five students working part-time. It runs Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. until noon and then from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

When field trips are scheduled, the kids spend the whole day out on the land.

Howard says the kids are divided into three groups. One stays at the Drop-in Centre for the morning, one goes to the baseball diamond and the third to the arena.

"Once the swimming pool opens, we'll have a group at the pool, arena and baseball diamond at the same time," says Howard. "Any kids who don't want to take part in those activities stay at the drop-in centre with an extra worker."

There are two supervisors for each group, which is also given a colour designation. Blue group is comprised of kids aged six and seven, while eight to 11 is yellow and 12 and older is red.

Howard says camp staff see many of the same kids year after year.

"It's a nice feeling to be able to watch them grow up like that. Every year a number of the kids come up to me and say, 'I'm eight this year, or I'm 10 now,' and they're just so proud."

Howard says her staff keeps the kids busy all summer with constructive activities that are fun and help them develop social skills at the same time.

The camp runs until the day before school starts.

A special day is held at the end of the camp during which names are drawn for prizes, including brand-new bikes.

"Parents have told me many times that the day camp is a good program for their children," Howard says. "It's especially valuable for working parents."