OWASCO - Alyssa Zmarthie's first memory from the Owasco Summer Recreation program was sitting on a parade float decorated in mermaid and pirate-themed objects when she was just 5 years old.
Sam Tenney / The Citizen
Cole Symonds, 5, Brian Driscoll, 8, and Zach Nickerson, 7, play at the Michael J. O'Leary Community Playground.
Cole Symonds, 5, Brian Driscoll, 8, and Zach Nickerson, 7, play at the Michael J. O'Leary Community Playground.
Eight years later, Zmarthie, 13, of Owasco, is still with the program, playing sports like four square and kickball and going on field trips with her friends every summer.
If there was one thing that brought her back each year, she said it was the program's directors who are “very nice and energetic.” She's liked being around them so much that, when she gets old enough, she'd like to run the program herself.
“I really want to be a director really badly,” she said. “Ever since I was little, I wanted to become one.”
Michaela Granato had the same thought when she attended the program as a child. Now 19 years old and an aspiring speech pathologist, Granato leads the Owasco Summer Recreation program as one of three playground directors.
Playground directors Granato, Steve Simmons and Nick Leader spent six weeks this summer - from late June until last Friday - organizing sporting events and board games, field trips and camp-outs at two playgrounds - one in the Hamlet of Owasco and the other in the town - for some 25 to 30 children between the ages of 7 to 16.
The program is open to all ages and free of charge.
“It's a place for them to hang out instead of sitting at home,” Leader, 20, said. He said it may be difficult for children to organize activities, “but if we get a game a kickball organized, all they have to do is play.”
At the Michael J. O'Leary Community Playground in the town of Owasco, a shed was fully stocked with board games and sporting equipment open to all children. They could endeavor to build hotels on Park Place and Boardwalk or use a bat to launch a baseball high into the air.
Aaron Messina, 12, couldn't see himself spending his summer doing anything else but playing kickball and four square with his friends at the program.
“It's so much fun and all my friends are here,” he said as he slapped a red ball across the four square court.
Messina's favorite part of his summer was participating in the recreation program's trip to Taughannock Falls in Trumansburg. The waterfalls and nature at the state park amazed him, he said.
“It was so beautiful and I had a lot of fun there,” he said. “We went on a walk there, and it was just amazing.”
Field trips were also taken to Fair Haven, Fillmore Glen State Park and Darien Lake.
Parents too see the benefits of the Owasco Summer Recreation program. Angelo Messina, Aaron's father, said the program and its leaders give children the opportunity to participate in numerous activities.
“I think it's excellent,” he said. “It's clearly diverse. It's not just about sports and some other things. They run around to different areas in terms of getting glimpses of the culture in Auburn.
“I honestly think it's been an excellent thing for (Aaron).”
Looking back over the six-week program, Simmons said everything worked exactly as planned. On Tuesday, the directors and the participants sat down and discussed this year's program, and Simmons said there were no complaints.
“I thought it was perfect, actually,” he said. “Everything we ran this summer went extremely smoothly. There were no flaws in the program that I could see. All of the kids enjoyed themselves.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
If there was one thing that brought her back each year, she said it was the program's directors who are “very nice and energetic.” She's liked being around them so much that, when she gets old enough, she'd like to run the program herself.
“I really want to be a director really badly,” she said. “Ever since I was little, I wanted to become one.”
Michaela Granato had the same thought when she attended the program as a child. Now 19 years old and an aspiring speech pathologist, Granato leads the Owasco Summer Recreation program as one of three playground directors.
Playground directors Granato, Steve Simmons and Nick Leader spent six weeks this summer - from late June until last Friday - organizing sporting events and board games, field trips and camp-outs at two playgrounds - one in the Hamlet of Owasco and the other in the town - for some 25 to 30 children between the ages of 7 to 16.
The program is open to all ages and free of charge.
“It's a place for them to hang out instead of sitting at home,” Leader, 20, said. He said it may be difficult for children to organize activities, “but if we get a game a kickball organized, all they have to do is play.”
At the Michael J. O'Leary Community Playground in the town of Owasco, a shed was fully stocked with board games and sporting equipment open to all children. They could endeavor to build hotels on Park Place and Boardwalk or use a bat to launch a baseball high into the air.
Aaron Messina, 12, couldn't see himself spending his summer doing anything else but playing kickball and four square with his friends at the program.
“It's so much fun and all my friends are here,” he said as he slapped a red ball across the four square court.
Messina's favorite part of his summer was participating in the recreation program's trip to Taughannock Falls in Trumansburg. The waterfalls and nature at the state park amazed him, he said.
“It was so beautiful and I had a lot of fun there,” he said. “We went on a walk there, and it was just amazing.”
Field trips were also taken to Fair Haven, Fillmore Glen State Park and Darien Lake.
Parents too see the benefits of the Owasco Summer Recreation program. Angelo Messina, Aaron's father, said the program and its leaders give children the opportunity to participate in numerous activities.
“I think it's excellent,” he said. “It's clearly diverse. It's not just about sports and some other things. They run around to different areas in terms of getting glimpses of the culture in Auburn.
“I honestly think it's been an excellent thing for (Aaron).”
Looking back over the six-week program, Simmons said everything worked exactly as planned. On Tuesday, the directors and the participants sat down and discussed this year's program, and Simmons said there were no complaints.
“I thought it was perfect, actually,” he said. “Everything we ran this summer went extremely smoothly. There were no flaws in the program that I could see. All of the kids enjoyed themselves.”
Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 239 or alyssa.sunkin@lee.net
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