Kids gear up for Camp Metacomet
A camp counselor helps a young camper gear up for the rock climbing wall located at the Dartmouth YMCA. BY SETH THOMAS
A group of 7-year-olds look on as a young girl makes her way up the wall. BY SETH THOMAS
A young girl makes her way up the climbing wall at the YMCA. BY SETH THOMAS
Nashwan Habboosh, Jacob Yackanicz and Michael Wilkie practice archery in the fields that run alongside the YMCA farm. BY SETH THOMAS
Michael Wilkie lets his arrow fly. BY SETH THOMAS
Kids at Camp Metacomet play Ga-ga Dodgeball. BY SETH THOMAS
In Ga-ga Dodgeball, players try to hit the legs of the other participants. The ball stays on the ground in the game. BY SETH THOMAS
Kids leap out of the way of an incoming ball. BY SETH THOMAS
A camp counselor helps a young camper gear up for the rock climbing wall located at the Dartmouth YMCA. BY SETH THOMAS
A group of 7-year-olds look on as a young girl makes her way up the wall. BY SETH THOMAS
A young girl makes her way up the climbing wall at the YMCA. BY SETH THOMAS
Nashwan Habboosh, Jacob Yackanicz and Michael Wilkie practice archery in the fields that run alongside the YMCA farm. BY SETH THOMAS
Michael Wilkie lets his arrow fly. BY SETH THOMAS
Kids at Camp Metacomet play Ga-ga Dodgeball. BY SETH THOMAS
In Ga-ga Dodgeball, players try to hit the legs of the other participants. The ball stays on the ground in the game. BY SETH THOMAS
Kids leap out of the way of an incoming ball. BY SETH THOMAS
With the school year complete, kids have made their way to Dartmouth’s YMCA to explore the great outdoors.
Camp Metacomet, the Y’s 10-week summer program, draws about 250 to 350 kids throughout the summer. Campers spend the 7-hour day participating in a variety of activities dotted around the 58-acre property.
“Anything that’s on this property, we’ll utilize for the camp,” said Jeremy McDonald, the camp director. “And that includes the farm. We talk a lot about giving back to the community.”
The Sharing the Harvest Farm Community Farm is Dartmouth’s own 5-acre garden space run by volunteers. Everything grown on-site will be donated to food pantries throughout the region.
When they’re not gardening, kids have access to a rock wall, archery targets and basketball courts. There are swimming lessons held most days, and there’s an outdoor ropes course set into the woods.
Weeks are often themed — like International Week — and some end with a special activity like musical theater or working with LEGOs.
“That’s what we try to do every year — keep things new, keep things different. We’re doing a little bit of orienteering, or letterboxing, this year. We’re going to set one of those up in a different spot every week in camp,” said McDonald.
There are about 40 staffers between specialists and counselors, and every week the staffers hold an award ceremony for campers.
“A lot of time the specialists gets creative with their awards. Some of them will go to groups, some will go to individual campers. They’ll create them as the summer goes on,” said McDonald.
Camp Metacomet is currently in its second week, but registration is always open. Kids ages four through 14 are welcome to attend. Regular hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but extended hours are also available.
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