Group goes to Six Flags, baseball games, etc.
By: Lea Kahn
Registration for the Junior Travel Camp and the Teen Travel Camp has been set for 2 p.m. Sunday at the Lawrence Township Recreation Department, said Steven Groeger, township superintendent of recreation.
In the past, registration for the popular program was held weekdays during office hours, Mr. Groeger said. But to accommodate working parents, it was decided to begin registration on Sunday, he said. Registrations will continue to be accepted during the week.
The Junior Travel Camp, for students entering grades 5-7 in the fall, is limited to 43 children, Mr. Groeger said. Teen Travel Camp is geared toward students in grades 8-12, and is limited to 44 participants. The program runs for five weeks, from July 5 through Aug. 6.
"The travel camps are one of the more sought-after programs," he said. "We take the children to different sites daily Six Flags Great Adventure, Dorney Park, Hershey Park and Mountain Creek Park. These are places children want to go to."
The children also visit the beach Seaside Heights and Point Pleasant Beach, for example, he said. The schedule also includes watching the Lakewood Blue Claws minor-league baseball team, plus a Major League Baseball game that pits the Philadelphia Phillies against the Florida Marlins.
Mr. Groeger said the program has grown in popularity since its inception in 1997. The program initially was limited to teenagers, but in 2000 it was decided to create a second camp for younger children.
"Parents are looking for some place where their children will be supervised," he said. "They want their children to have something to do. The children have a lot of fun (in the travel camps)."
Many children want to sign up so they can attend the same session with their friends, Mr. Groeger said. It is important for children to sign up early because of the limited number of spaces, he said. For those who sign up too late and find that the preferred week is filled, there is a waiting list, he added.
For more information, contact the Lawrence Township Recreation Department at (609) 844-7067. The office is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.