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Kacie Yearout

ARC’s getting kids off the couch


The television and couch have an enemy this summer: the Activity and

Recreation Center of Columbia.

Swimming, movies, art, games and expeditions are all part of the ARC’s

S.T.A.R.S. program, a summer camp based off the principles of Kwanzaa.

“The intent is to have them outside as much as possible,” said Erika Coffman,

the recreation services manager for the Parks and Recreation Department.

The ARC, which opened in 2001, offers many different programs for youth in

the summer. S.T.A.R.S. runs weekly from June 14 to Aug. 20 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and

costs only $10 per week. Most of the children enrolled come from the lower-income

area of Columbia, said Camren Crawford, head of the Community Recreation

Department.

“Some would just be at home, but S.T.A.R.S. offers a positive environment,”

Crawford said.

For lunch, S.T.A.R.S. takes the children to Lunch in the Park at Douglass Park

on Providence Road. It also offers a substantial snack because it benefits from the

Food Bank of Central and Northeast Missouri. The kids enrolled may not be getting

food otherwise, Coffman said.

Another camp the ARC offers is Camp Adventure.

Located at Stephens Lake Park, the camp offers archery, canoeing and

swimming. The camp has four two-week sessions and one one-week session, as well

as before and after care. Camp includes organized activities, a snack, supervision

and the opportunity for kids to make friends and be active, Coffman said.
Kacie Yearout
ARC’s getting kids off the couch
“We have to keep them engaged, entertained and looking forward to every

day,” Coffman said.

Both camps combine activity, education and fun. “Escapade Week” of Camp

Adventure is a week of field trips, and Coffman said it is known as “the bomb”

among campers because many of the kids don’t normally have those type special

outings.

The camp counselors make sure that kids are always busy and involved in

some sort of activity. Steve Evers, recreation specialist and head of summer staff

hiring, said that they take special care in hiring counselors with positive attitudes

that can be role models.

“We look for people that want to have a good time and can provide a good

environment for the kids,” Evers said.

The need for the kids programming is high and is an essential part of the

community, Coffman said. It provides outdoor experiences and education, and

places an emphasis on being active. In a state where 31 percent of children are

overweight or obese, according to Trust for America’s Health, physical activity like

archery, swimming and canoeing are not only fun, but also are giving children

exercise they would not get sitting at home.

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