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By NATHAN MARCHAND
The Bluffton Parks Department only offered summer activities and open gym when Pam Vanderkolk became superintendent in 1998. Since then, the department has expanded and now holds events year-round. It has also received 16 state and national awards.
Right now, the parks department is offering many clubs and camps for children who have completed kindergarten, though there are a few for preschoolers. These began June 9 and go to July 25.
One is the swimming program. This is for grades K-12 at the Wells Community Pool. The first three-week session began June 9 and runs through June 27, and another session will be held July 7-25. Students will be taking American Red Cross Progressive Swim Courses. There are eight levels of courses. Swimmers will advance according to their ability.
Half-day summer camps are also held by the department. These are for grades K-3. The camp is available June 9-27 and July 7-25 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon. Children will enjoy gymnastics, tennis, games and swim lessons.
Gymnastics lessons are being held Monday through Friday at Bluffton Elementary School Gym. Camp kids meet Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Grades K-2 meet 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. every weekday. Grades 3-6 meet every weekday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Toddlers meet from 8 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Free tennis lessons are held Monday through Friday at Washington Park. Camp kids meet Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Grades 3-5 meet everyday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Grades 6-7 meet every weekday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Girls in grades 8-11 meet every weekday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Boys in grades 8-11 meet from 1 p.m. to 2;30 p.m.
The annual tennis tournament will be July 11-13.
Other summer activities offered by the parks department include story hours, dance camps, cheer camps, and drawing club, among others.
The department also has several post-summer activities planned, including the return of several popular events from last year.
Sept. 14 will be National Neighborhood Day from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Done in conjunction with the Wells County United Way, the event will be held at Kehoe Park and feature performances from local community organizations. Refreshments will be served by the police and fire departments. Admission is free.
The Great Pumpkin Hunt and Hayride will return on Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. at Lancaster Park. Last year, 250 attended the event, where 2,000 black eggs and orange eggs with candy inside were hidden throughout the park and the attenders had to find them in the dark with flashlights. S’mores were served compliments of the Goodwin Memorial Chapel. Three wagons provided hay rides.
The biggest event of 2007, the Autumn Adventure, will be held again on Halloween night, Oct. 31. Last year, 2,083 people attended the event.
The Pumpkin Launch, a surprise hit last year, will return on Nov. 1 at Lancaster Park from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Participants will build catapults and launch pumpkins with them.
Pet owners will again be able to bring their pets to visit Santa and take a picture with him at Paws and Claus on Dec. 15 at the city gym.
The Winter Wonderland will held the next night, Dec. 16.
On April 9, members of the northern district of the Indiana Parks and Recreation Association (IPRA) met in the chamber room at City Hall and later took a tour of Picket’s Run and Angel of Hope Parks.
Vanderkolk said approximately 50 of the 62 registered persons attended the meeting. She added that this is the second time an IPRA meeting has been held in Bluffton. The first time was “eight or nine years ago” when 45 people attended the meeting in Kehoe Park.
Many corporate sponsors along with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and several cities were represented at the meeting. Vanderkolk said the largest group attending was the City of Fort Wayne, which sent four representatives to the meeting.
Mayor Ted Ellis presented a brief history of Pickett’s Run before they took the tours.
Several IPRA Awards were given to the parks department. They won “Most Outstanding Program” in 2006 for Bluffton Boot Camp, “Outstanding Park Facility” for Angel of Hope Park, and “Essential Community Service” for V.F.W. Post 2809. The Fire and Ice program held during 2007’s Senior Exploration was awarded “Most Outstanding Program” that year.
The Pumpkin Launch was named “Best Adult Program” at the Programming Our World (POW) Conference in Kalamazoo.
Kathy Gehrent was named “Volunteer of the Year” by the parks department.
Senior Exploration was named “Best Senior Program” in 2007 at the POW Conference.