Large grant boosts summer programming for Indian Lake outreach centers
The hot days of summer cry out for fun in the sun and good times with friends. For children in the Indian Lake area, the Chippewa and Russells Point Neighborhood Outreach Centers provide a variety of activities five days a week. And, thanks to a grant they received on April 28 this year, their summer program has moved to another level.
Partnering with Indian Lake Schools, the outreach centers submitted a proposal through the Ohio Department of Education to request $166,000 from the Summer Learning and Afterschool Opportunities Grant. When they learned they had been approved for the full amount, they put the money to work by doubling the hours from 15 to 30 a week, hiring another intern and sending 30 kids to summer camp—15 from each center.
“Some have never been to camp, and they’re really excited about that,” said Drew Shick, director for both outreach centers. In fact, Shick has been doing this since they opened the Chippewa Center in July 2000. Then they collaborated with Galilee Lutheran Church to open the Russells Point location in 2008.
While Shick goes back and forth between the two centers, they have interns assigned to one or the other. These interns do everything from take the children swimming at Hoffman Pool in Bellefontaine on Monday afternoons to bowling at TP Lanes every Friday.
In between, they tutor students in math and reading, lead them in arts and crafts and games, and make them lunch. They also take the children into the neighborhood three times a week to pick up trash.
“It’s a lot harder than it looks,” said Russells Point intern Manuela “Manny” Strong, a senior at Indian Lake High School.
Her co-intern, Dakota Stude, who plans to study language arts education at Ohio Northern University this fall, added, “But it’s definitely worth it to interact with kids and help them stay busy instead of sitting at home doing nothing.”
The grant money will be split between three summers, lasting through 2024. Both centers receive funds from the United Way of Logan County for the summer food program, which allows them to not only provide free nutritious lunches during the week, but to send home food bags with the kids for the weekends.
“I like to see kids become friends and make memories,” Chippewa intern Ethan Fulkerson, a junior at The Ohio State University, said. “It’s fun to hear their stories.”
The summer program will run through Friday, Aug. 12. The Chippewa Center, located at 13976 Ironwood Avenue, Lakeview, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Russells Point Center is hosted by the Galilee Lutheran Church at 301 Lincoln Boulevard. It is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
To find out more, contact Director Shick at (937) 843-9283.