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Appleby
Drowning Case Settles
By Chris Barrett, Publisher/Managing Editor
Update 05/02 |
Nearly three years to the day of
Bennington resident Kiana Appleby’s drowning at the Westchase
Swim and Tennis Center, a court official knowledgeable about the
resulting civil case arising have informed WOW that the
parties have settled the civil lawsuit. [Story
continues.]
Summer Camps: How to Pick the
Winners
By Chris Barrett, Publisher/Managing
Editor
So you’ve procrastinated and delayed.
Now the end of school looms and you need to make plans fast. But
if you’re new to the world of summer camps, how can you tell the
great ones from the mediocre ones? And how do you go about
winnowing your list?
When to Start?
If you’re just beginning your search for summer camps now, you
are likely in for some disappointment. Many parents begin making
their summer camp schedules and reservations as early as March
and many of the most popular camps filled up in early April. If
you’ve started late this year, mark your 2009 calendar with a
reminder to get your summer camp plans in order beginning in
March.
Patchwork or Predictable?
The first major distinction among camps is timeframe. Some camps
run all summer long – from the end of one school year to the
beginning of the next – with only occasional short breaks, such
as for Independence Day holiday. If your budget is an issue,
your best bet may be to check with a YMCA or local recreational
center run by your city or county for their summer-long program.
Another great opportunity that is available all summer long (and
even for shorter time periods) is the Westchase Community
Association’s summer camp packages. Located at the Westchase
Swim and Tennis Center, the camp features full or half-day
opportunities that combine swimming, tennis and even field
trips.
If your child craves regular change, a patchwork approach of
summer camp opportunities will allow kids a different experience
every few weeks. This approach, however, requires greater
research, careful planning and an eye toward budgeting. The
summer camp bill can rise very quickly.
Narrowing the Scope
While a camp’s schedule and proximity to a parent’s commute
might make it seem more attractive than another, it’s wiser to
include your child when picking the summer camps in which he’ll
pass a good day of his waking hours. If you select a camp your
child ultimately despises, the potential disruption will soon
outweigh the initial advantages of the chosen camp’s schedule
and proximity. Remember, it’s your child’s summer; be sure to
let him in on the fun.
In selecting camps, first make a list of your child’s passions
or interests. Odds are good that there are local camps that
cater to all of them, whether they’re horseback riding, science,
jewelry making, computers, art or a particular sport. Acquire
brochures of flyers from possible camps, set a budget limit and
ask your camper to help you set the schedule.
Be sure to speak with their friends’ parents as well. Not only
will your children appreciate a friend in camp with them, having
another working parent willing to share carpool duties may make
the summer camp commute work better for everyone.
Schedules
Summer camp has to work around a number of schedules. If both
parents’ work schedules provide for little flexibility, they’ll
need a camp with aftercare. Check to see whether the camps that
have caught your eye allow for early drop-off or late pick-up
and what the additional fees will be.
The second person a camp’s schedule needs to work around is the
camper. Be sure you understand a camp’s daily and weekly
schedule before you sign up. Will it provide a good fit for your
child? Does the camp provide a good balance of shade and rest to
offset taxing activities in the Florida sun? [Story
continues.]
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Garage Sale Big Ticket Item List
Released
By Chris Barrett,
Publisher/Managing Editor
Update 05/02The Westchase Community Association’s management
office has released the May 3 garage sale’s big ticket list.
Click here to
open a viewable, printable copy of that list. The garage sale
runs from 8 a.m. through 1 p.m.
Spring
Garage Sale Is May 3
By Chris Barrett,
Publisher/Managing Editor
The Westchase Spring Garage Sale
will be held Saturday, May 3.
The sale is one of two such
events held annually, with the
Westchase Fall Garage Sale
scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4.
Mark your calendars with these
dates today.
Garage sale hours run from 8
a.m. to 1 p.m. The deadline for
placing items on the Big Ticket
List for the sale was April 30.
To view and print out a copy of
the Big Ticket List, see the
related article on this page.
Hardcopies of the list are also
available at the Westchase Swim
and Tennis Center.
All unsold items may be donated
to Goodwill that same day.
Goodwill trucks will be in
Westchase to accept donations at
the Primrose School, 12051
Whitmarsh Lane, and at St.
Joseph’s Diagnostic Center on
Linebaugh Avenue.
Please call the Westchase
property manager at 926-6404 if
you have questions. |
When Camp Won’t Do: A Summer
Survival Guide
By Jolean
McPherson
Well, it’s already
May. You know what that means: the kids
will be out of school before you have a
chance to figure out what you’re going
to do with them.
What can you do to keep your sanity and
keep them busy? And how can you make it
a memorable summer if summer camp won’t
work for you?
All it takes is a little bit of
planning. Here’s what you’ll need to get
started:
A
calendar:
Choose one big
enough to hold your plans for the whole
summer.
A pencil:
Penciled-in entries can be erased and
rewritten until everyone in the family
is happy with them.
Creative
minds:
Hold a family meeting to brainstorm the
kids’ greatest hopes and wildest dreams.
Has your daughter always wanted to go
horseback riding? Does your son want to
be an astronaut? Then think of steps you
can take toward fulfilling your kids’
dreams. Are there also things they need
to work on academically? Try making
summer learning fun by incorporating
math problems into a beach trip,
baseball game or cooking experiment.
[Story
continues.]
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