The City of Bainbridge will be holding the Oscar Jackson Outdoor Camp this summer, and it promises to be a week to remember!  The week-long, day camp is named for the late Dr. Oscar Jackson, a local dentist and life-long supporter of the community he loved.  Dr. Jackson was involved in numerous community developments including helping with initiatives to bring business, industry, and a new jail to Bainbridge.  Serving on the Governor’s Advisory Committee on water issues, he spent countless hours attending meetings on behalf of protecting South Georgia’s water resources.  The Jackson Family  graciously leases the property, which includes a stocked catfish pond, to the Bainbridge-Decatur County Recreation Authority.  The City of Bainbridge partners with the Recreation Authority for use of the property as a camp.

This year, Kyle Harris will serve as the 2017 Oscar Jackson Outdoor Camp Director.  Harris was born and raised in Bainbridge, and is a 2016 graduate of Berry College in Rome, Georgia.  He was a member of the Berry Vikings Cross Country and Track Teams for four years, serving as Boy’s Captain of both teams his senior year.    Harris brings with him ten years of camp experience from Camp Victory in Samson, Alabama, and as a counselor for the “Winshape Camps for Communities” in 2013.

This year’s camp will feature many new facility upgrades, as well as additional activities and educational opportunities.   Campers will enjoy on-site team-building activities, games, archery, swimming, boating, campsite setup, arts and crafts, and catfish pond fishing.  Community volunteer instructors will also visit the camp each week to teach campers about water safety, boating safety, Native American Artifacts, and fishing.  Special off-site activities include canoe trips on Spring Creek, visits to the Firing Range, and trips to Brentwood Plantation.   There will also be wildlife presentations including live animals from Chehaw Park in Albany.  Each day includes lunch from a local restaurant, and will conclude on Fridaywith an awards ceremony and cookout for family members.

Campers must be between the ages of 7 and 13, and a sibling discount is offered.  There are four weeks to choose from, and participation is limited to thirty campers per week.  Registration forms are available at City Hall at 101 South Broad Street, or from www.bainbridgecity.com