Some of the creative activities at Summer Camp included a day of painting and also learning to sew. By far, the favorite activity for the campers was getting sprayed with water by the Walls Fire Department.
The Dehon Village has been the epicenter of activity in the community this year.
Hungry anyone? The Learning Center is host to the Senior Feeding Program, a year round lunch and learn opportunity for Mississippi seniors who are 60 and older. The weekday program is open from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Lunches are diabetic friendly, and not only provide seniors a healthy meal but also the opportunity to socialize and participate in a variety of entertaining activities.
In addition to feeding seniors, infants and children to age 18 are able to receive a free nutritious lunch from noon until 1 p.m. as well as a healthy snack mid-afternoon at the Learning Center. The Summer Feeding Program operates weekdays and will run through August 5.
The annual Dehon Village Summer Camp ran from June 6 through the 17. Once again a capacity crowd attended the two-week event. Participants were entertained and educated with a host of fun activities. Children enjoyed all of the typical outdoor games such as volleyball, relay races, kickball and playground activities, but there was also more structured activities to challenge the young minds. Creative Hands day invited the kids to learn to sew, build models and create a Lego universe. Master Chef Jr. day empowered the children to make their own breakfast and afternoon dessert. Mini Picasso day gave the young people creative license to make their own masterpieces, which were judged later in the week.
One of the highlights of summer camp each year is the visit from the Walls Fire Department. On Fun-day Monday, our campers were able to inspect the fire truck and chat with the first responders; but the best part, so I was told, was getting sprayed by the fire hose.
As with any good summer camp, field trips were also a part of the schedule. Children visited the local skating rink, enjoyed a matinee movie and made the annual pilgrimage to the Tunica Aquatic Center for a day of swimming.
Yet another great educational program at Dehon Village is the Summer Reading Camp, which is still underway. Children in kindergarten through fifth grade are able to catch up on their vocabulary, reading and story telling skills, in preparation for the upcoming school year. This camp will continue weekdays through July 22.
Adult Continuing Education classes have been ramped up and participation has skyrocketed with the advent of new, more diverse offerings. The course schedules include a monthly budgeting class, as well as monthly homebuyer education classes. However, new topics, such as anger management, bullying, creative problem solving, credit restoration, parenting, interventions, self-esteem and computer education have pushed attendance to an alltime high. Classes are free and schedules are posted in the community and our Facebook page monthly. Watch for more new classes soon!
Women in Transformation classes will also begin soon. The wildly successful sixweek self-esteem course has produced amazing results for the attendees. In addition to helping these women see themselves in a better light, it has also had a nearly perfect job-attainment rate. Partnering with Dress for Success Memphis, we are able to offer participants career-ready clothing, interviewing tips, resume help and more.
As school starts, we will once again offer tutoring sessions three days a week at the Learning Center. Open to all grade levels, students who need assistance with homework and study techniques will be able to get the help they need.
As autumn peeks around the corner and the holidays approach, the residents of Dehon Village can look forward to even more fun. Costume contests, candy, games and prizes will all be in the mix! Who will be crowned the next donut-eating king (or queen)?
As you can see, there is no shortage of fun and educational activities at the learning center. Even better, there are more opportunities planned for the near future.
