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article is taken from our August 2006 newsletter. To subscribe
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Stepping
Out for Summertime With Project KIDS Day Camps
 This
summer, students in the Operation Shoestring Project KIDS
program received a wonderful opportunity to learn more about
different sports and activities—three opportunities, in
fact. Shoestring held day camps to teach kids more about
tennis (the Racquetstrings camp), basketball (HoopStrings),
and horses (HorseShoes).
The
concept was first put into motion last summer with the first
HoopStrings basketball camp, which was managed by volunteer
Ellen Gabardi. This year, Walterine Odom took over coordinator
duties for the HoopStrings camp, which met at Broadmoor
Baptist Church. Rahim Lockhart, a former Piney Woods hoops
standout and an all-SEC pick at Ole Miss, was the camp director.
"He's a big and imposing guy who imposes a bit of discipline
but still keeps things fun and educational for the kids,"
said Odom.
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"These
camps provide a way to involve as many kids as possible in a wide
range of fun summer activities," said Odom. "We recruited 8th-graders
from St. Andrew's to work as counselors at the three camps. They
each paid $300 for the privilege of being a counselor, and that
money financed the camps entirely. There was actually a little
money left over, and that will go to support other Shoestring
programs."
St.
Andrew's kids also helped out at the RacquetStrings camp (held
at St. Andrew's Upper School campus under the guidance of the
school's coach, Paul Buckley) and HorseShoes, which took place
at Providence Hill Farm, just outside of Pocahontas. At Horseshoes,
the kids were taught basic horsemanship skills by camp director
Beth Foose and trainer Robin Brightwell. By the end of the week,
each of the twelve campers knew how to care for and feed a horse
and could also guide their horse independently on a trail ride.
The kids also got to do fun outdoor activities like archery, fishing,
journaling, nature walks, song time, and crafts.
Jamie
Martin, who owns the farm with her husband E.B., was excited about
the opportunity to bring together kids who might not otherwise
get the chance to know each other.
"I've
long known what a fantastic organization Shoestring is," said
Martin. "My son [E.B. Martin III] was a counselor last year at
HoopStrings, and had such a great time. I remember thinking how
great it would be if could do that kind of a thing in a traditional,
outdoors day camp environment. We're hoping to do this every year
and maybe have one night at the end of the week where the kids
can stay overnight. We're also hoping to have a reunion weekend
this fall."
Martin
saw the camp as a way of putting Shoestring's mission into motion.
"The
campers get the experience of learning how to do these activities,
and they find out that they can do anything that anyone else can
do," she says. "It's a great confidence booster.
"But
the very best part was that, even though the counselors are a
little bit older than the campers, and even though they come from
perhaps a different social environment, they all are children
together. It's amazing and wonderful how fast they get to be friends.
The gap between them closes."
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