Oscar Jackson Outdoor Camp begins this summer
Published 9:26 am Wednesday, June 14, 2023
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With school out and summer in full swing, Monday saw the beginning of this year’s Oscar Jackson Outdoor Camp. Things got off to a rainy start Monday morning, but as the sky cleared, kids soon began playing whiffle ball, as well as fishing for catfish. The students went kayaking later in the afternoon. As the camp progresses, the campers will go on field trips to Seminole State Park, Wakulla Springs, the Taurus gun range and the Bainbridge Public Safety training facility, and participate in sports and activities like volleyball, four-square and archery.
Prior to the start of camp, city special event coordinator Randee Eubanks spoke with the Post-Searchlight about the program. This year’s camp registration filled up well in advance, with 140 campers registered. This was more than last year, with the city also bringing in several new counselors to help. Eubanks discussed how the city has extended the program’s length from three to four weeks over the years, each week seeing a new group of roughly 35-40 kids at camp. This year, the city has added a water day and cookout on Fridays to end the week. Eubanks concluded by saying, “We’re just looking forward to a great summer at Oscar Jackson.”
Now, with camp underway, she was positive about the camp’s size, saying, “This is a big turnout. We sold out every week this year.”
Several local businesses sponsored the camp this year, including Scoops, Metro Power, Bainbridge Pharmacy, Stone’s, Flint River Outfitters, and Southern Harvest Equipment. “We’re just thankful for the sponsors, and the city of Bainbridge for putting this camp together every year, our counselors that come out and work it, and all the parents that sign their kids up,” Eubanks said, and repeated her optimistic sentiments: “We’re just looking forward to a great summer of Outdoor Camp!”