Camp Mather Takes Community Service Global

Campers at Camp Mather are learning the importance of community service at a young age, making books and donating food for the needy.

Camp Mather is for kids who are entering grades four, five, and six. Apart from early experience in community service, campers are busy with field trips, sports, and art activities.

Community service work was not originally on the camp schedule, but camp co-directors Jamie Mazzucco and Brooke Barrington thought it would be good for campers to learn to appreciate what they have by helping others.

"I think it's important for these kids to understand how blessed they are," said Mazzucco.

Campers worked in groups to create 30 books for children in Uganda. Mazzucco is a student teacher at Read School in Bridgeport, and did bookmaking with her students there, too.

Some of the books are designed to help kids in Uganda develop fundamental reading and arithmetic skills. These books featured the alphabet or counting. Books targeted for more advanced readers were stories.

"I thought it was a great opportunity to help the kids in Uganda learn," said Danielle Durkovic, who worked on the project.

In addition to the bookmaking, the camp held a food drive to benefit low-income families in Bridgeport. The box of received canned goods was overflowing by the end of the collection period.

Not only did Camp Mather teach many area kids how to lend a hand to local and foreign communities, it taught them that community service is rewarding and enjoyable.

"I really liked it, I thought it was a lot of fun," said camper Niko Witkowski, describing the bookmaking.

Although the campers are young, they already seem to realize they are in a position to help the less fortunate. "Many of the kids told me later that they feel good about what we've been doing," said Mazzucco.

The Darien Youth Commission sponsors Camp Mather. Alicia Sillars, youth director of the DYC, estimates Camp Mather has been in town for over thirty years. This is Camp Mather's first year doing community service, thanks to Mazzucco and Barrington's initiatives.

"It was very refreshing for the campers to be able to have fun while helping others. It was a great lesson for them," said Sillars.

Camp Mather runs from 8:00-3:00 at the town hall. Its first session was June 21 – July 9. Session two started July 12 and ends July 29. Camps Hindley and Royle are available to younger elementary school kids, and Camp Menace is available to older middle school kids.