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Keeping little hands busy

Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Mar 31/06) - With Bompas elementary school out for spring break, students had a lot of free time on their hands last week.

The Open Doors Society spring break program kept some of those hands very busy.

NNSL Photo/graphic

Twyla Isaiah carefully squeezes some green icing onto her brownie during an activity at the Open Doors Society spring break program. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo


"It's been beyond full," said Val Gendron, the society's co-ordinator, about attendance for the program.

With 28 to 35 participants in each of the three daily activity blocks, an average of 80 kids passed through the program in a day, Gendron said. The program ran in the afternoons from March 20-24.

On the first day the students were a bit rowdy, but they quickly got into the routine, she said. Every day there was a craft, an activity that focused on motor skills and a cooking session.

"Cooking is probably our number 1 thing. Kids love to cook," said Gendron.

Making tacos was Hannah Kotchea's favourite cooking session. The 10-year-old filled hers with tomatoes, lettuce, meat and cheese.

"They tasted good," said Kotchea.

She also enjoyed the running races on Thursday, which included potato sack, three-legged and sled races.

While decorating a brownie with icing, Rebekah Isaiah, 6, said she was having fun at the program because all her friends were there.

"They love to get in the kitchen and get messy and then eat," said Anna Davidge, one of the society's staff members, as she kept an eye on icing levels.

Even though the program keeps things busy and requires a lot of energy, it was worth it, said Davidge.

Plans for a similar summer program are already in the works. Decisions on the date and the length of the program are currently being made, said