With soaring temperatures still oppressively hanging across the region, more than 140 campers filled New Canaan's Kiwanis Park as part of the first day of the YMCA's second session for some fun in the sun and keeping cool in the pond.
New Canaan YMCA Youth and Family Director and Camp Director Davie Cedela said 143 campers got to take part in activities ranging from creative arts & crafts, sports, archery, swimming and the popular Gaga Ball, a dodgeball derivative beloved by campers and counselors alike.
"Someone hits the ball with their hand towards your feet and if you hit them you're out," said 11-year-old Matthew, who has been coming down from Stratford to join the camp since he was only 5 years old. "Swimming," is his favorite part of camp, he said.
Campers and counselors were undergoing swim-testing Monday to make sure they're swimming in the appropriate sections of the divided pond based on their capabilities, giving them a welcome break from the heat.
Campers, typically aged 5 to 13 years old, are broken up into units based on grade level, said Cedela, in her fifth year as a counselor. The staff is made up in the majority by college-aged counselors, though there are some high school students and counselors-in-training (CIT) who are 14 and 15 years old.
"We have a great staff this year," Cedela said. "They're really what make the camp. We have a lot of campers who return all summer through all four sessions, many year-after-year. It's great and gives us a chance to get to know the campers. We watch them grow up every year, it's so much fun."
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