Trent Summer Sports Camp Creates Summer Magic for More Than 8,500 Youth

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, August 20, 2008, Peterborough

More than 8,500 campers have enjoyed one of the best summer camp experiences in Ontario since Trent Summer Sports Camp (TSSC) opened its doors at Trent University in 1993.

“We are very proud of our track record, but the real success comes from seeing how much the kids grow and learn during camp,” said Bruce Emmerton, Director of Trent Summer Sports Camp. “Much of the credit for this goes to our amazing team of counsellors who truly care about our campers and know how to create a meaningful and safe programming environment.” Mr. Emmerton noted that with 94 percent of campers coming from the Peterborough area, the cumulative positive impact on families through the community has been significant.

In early 2008, Mr. Emmerton received the Dorothy Walter Award of Excellence, the most prestigious recognition offered by the Ontario Camping Association (OCA), for his outstanding service over a period of time that has significantly enhanced the work of the association. A long-time volunteer with the OCA, Mr. Emmerton chairs the OCA standards committee, is a past chair and volunteer of the annual conference, a regular speaker for the annual Directors and Counsellors conferences, and has served on the Board of Directors.

Since 1997, TSSC has been an accredited member of the OCA, and is the only summer day camp in Peterborough to earn this status. Being an OCA member takes two years to achieve and reflects TSSC’s ability to meet or exceed the highest standards of the camping movement in almost every aspect of its operation. With more than 400 items on its standards to uphold, OCA membership entails that camps provide rigorous training for their staff, follow strong leadership practices, diligently maintain facilities and equipment, and a host of other requirements covering health care, food services, transportation and administration.

TSSC offers a rich variety of sports-related, creative and outdoor activities for campers aged five to sixteen years. Each session runs for two weeks and is designed to build athletic, social and leadership skills through program staff who specialize in teaching particular activities. Campers enjoy everything from soccer, mountain biking and golf, to canoeing, drama and body surfing. Each day is designed to offer campers something different, with theme-days, small- and large-group activities, field trips, overnight programs, and multi-day excursions. TSSC makes summer memories last by holding a slide show at the end of every session featuring the kids having fun and sending out photo scrapbooks over the winter to stay in touch with their campers.

Local families vie each year when TSSC registration packages are sent out in late January to ensure their children get a spot in this very popular camp. “A high percentage of our campers are repeats from the year before,” said Mr. Emmerton. In 2008, 198 campers returned for their fifth season, 35 campers came back for their eighth year, and three campers celebrated ten consecutive years attending TSSC. The record for most camp seasons in a row is 11, achieved by a camper in 2005 and by another in 2008.

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For further information, please contact Bruce Emmerton, Director of Trent Summer Sports Camp at (705) 748-1011, ext. 7631