Summer Programming 2008 - week 1
tom.mcpheeters — Tue, 08/05/2008
Our first week of summer programming is over, and three sets of staff are taking a deep breath, assessing their week and making plans for Monday. All three have reason to be well satisfied. Youth Organics is in the garden at Third and Hawk and also at 59 Elizabeth Street, Youth FX is at the Free School, and Grand Street Kids Club is hanging out mostly at St. Anthony’s, with some time at the “People’s Park” on Wilbur Street at Grand.
The two new programs, Youth FX and Kids Club, are new this year, so the staff are learning as they go. But all summer programs start at the same point -- let’s get to know each other well enough to do some neat things together. Youth Organics spent a day at Equinox this week to do some community building on their indoor rock wall. Youth FX has already started on their team building in preparation for making a movie next month.
For Kids Club, the challenges are also about space and facilities. The doors went back on St. Anthony’s the day before we opened. They are gorgeous, but that’s a close one. We are still setting up the Wilbur Street park so it can be a useful outdoor venue for play and for making art. We have two donated picnic tables and another table in the garden.
Two great additions this year: Pay a visit to the YO garden on Thursday afternoons from 5:30 to 7 p.m., when the new Farm Stand will be open. Neighbors get discounts, and there are already many wonderful items to choose from, plus some recipes to try.
We are also happy to host a site for the summer meals program run by the Albany Housing Authority. Every day at around 1 p.m., this old ambulance shows up on Grand Street and starts handing out meals. The program is specifically for Grand Street Kids Club, but any kid under 16 can get a meal just by asking.
All of this activity takes a huge amount of effort, and more money than we have ever spent before. We are very close to the bone this summer, and will need to developing our fund base for next year right away.
Please consider supporting our programs.
