By JESSICA NICOSIA

For the C-S-E

FORT PLAIN — Fort Plain’s Summer Recreation Program has returned to the Harry Hoag Elementary School this summer after operating out of the high school for three years. The program was moved due to construction at the elementary school, but co-directors Brenna Bar and Megan Kane are glad the program is back in its original home.

“The set up here is just a little bit better for us, because the gym’s close, the layout is a little different,” said Bar, who attended the recreation program herself from kindergarten to ninth grade. “We do a lot of games in the gym, from soccer to kickball,” she said.

The two directors bring a host of experience to enrich the students’ summer. Kane— who just graduated with her a teaching degree — was a counselor with the program from 2007 until 2010, and started working as a director last summer. Bar is a teacher in Herkimer, worked as a counselor from 2004 until 2006, and was the program’s director in 2007, 2010, and 2011.

From the end of June until August 10, children from first through ninth grade come together each day to play sports and games, make crafts, socialize, and go on trips. The trips, the directors said, is the major draw for most kids.

“This year we’re going on five trips,” said Bar. “We went to the movies, we’re going bowling, we’re going to Fort Rickey, and then we do Enchanted Forest later on in the year.”  They are also going on walking trips to the local library, weather permitting.

Luke Staples and Lexi Veitch were excited to talk about the different trips as they played a board game on Monday.

“We saw Ice Age Continental Drift,” said Veitch, 13. “We’re going to the zoo and we’re going bowling tomorrow, added Veitch, who has attended the program since she was in kindergarten.

“We love playing on the playground,” said Jacob Sweet, 7, who attends every day with his 6-year-old brother, Hayden.

Michaela Stockwell, a ten-year-old who is going into fifth grade next year, said that her favorite part of the program is socializing with friends.

“I don’t have much to do at home and here I have lots to do,” she said, noting that she has attended the program since she was in kindergarten and plans to continue until she goes to high school. Stockwell commented, “It’s gonna be really fun.”

Only students from Fort Plain School District are allowed to enter the seven-week program this year. It was not always limited, and students from other districts who were coming in the past have been allowed to finish out their time in the program.

But that isn’t the only change Bar and Kane have noticed over the years. Despite being such a mainstay in the Fort Plain community, the summer recreation program has had to adapt to funding cuts and decreased membership.

Close to 100 students signed up this year, but only 40 to 50 show up every day.

“I was doing it in 2004 — when we started we had 120 kids here every day,” said Bar. “At least 100 kids every day. And now, it went down quite a bit.”

“The numbers have gone down,” reiterated Kane. “They used to have a free lunch program, and I think that drew a lot of kids in, in the summer. They used to provide [bus] transportation. And obviously with budget cuts it’s not feasible for them to do that anymore. It really is mostly kids that live close to the school.”

In years past, the program was funded by the village of Fort Plain. But they were forced to cut it from the budget this year, according to Kane.

“Let us just express how grateful we really are for the donations that different organizations have given to the program,” she said. “Because the only reason we’re able to take trips and fund the transportation for part of the program is because we have donations from various local organizations. This is the first year we really had to go around and say, ‘if we don’t get some money coming in we can’t afford the transportation costs.’”

The Fort Plain Fire Department, the local PTA, and Family Dollar all donated to this year’s program.

But, despite the hardships and changes, the program is still essentially the same affordable, safe outlet for kids to socialize and have fun that it has always been, according to Kane and Bar.

“[The program] is $30 for one child, and a family of two or more is $50 ... for the full seven weeks,” said Kane.

“Some of these kids don’t get a chance to do anything,” said Bar. “So going to the movies and bowling and to the zoo is something that we provide to them.”

Six counselors help Kane and Bar provide those services to the kids.

Jennette Webb, who is working as a counselor for the first time this year, is going to school for elementary education.

“It’s a lot of fun,” she said of the program. “And they like to have fun with it, too.”

Another first year counselor, Eliza Stanley, agreed.

“I just love it,” she said. “It just brightens my day. I like coming to work, it’s crazy. And I get paid to play all day. I think [what the kids like] is getting out of the house and seeing their friends all summer. We make up all kinds of fun games and they just love it.”