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Andromeda Daley swam to the middle of Snyder's Lake in Wynantskill last summer and pulled herself onto a water trampoline. Her counselor jumped up and landed on it with force, propelling Andromeda into the air.

"I went so high, my arms were wiggling everywhere," she recalled, excitement tingeing her voice.

The 13-year-old is a four-year veteran of Camp Scully, a program of Catholic Charities of the Albany Diocese that brings children ages seven to 14 out to North Greenbush for a week of summer fun. Most campers attend through scholarships from Catholic Charities.

Water activities are some of the many things Andromeda is excited about for the upcoming season, which starts the last weekend in June. She has been a "Big Dipper" for two years, meaning that she gets to swim in the deep end of the lake.

She's also itching to get into Cabin 7, the sleeping spot for girls age 13 and older. "I get tired of being the oldest in the cabin," she explained.

Cultured kids
Andromeda's mother, Charlotte, favors Camp Scully for its multiculturalism: Staff travel from as far as Australia and England to serve as counselors.

Wendy Lewitinn's four children have returned home recounting stories of staff who experienced mission trips and passport woes. The Lewitinns, who live in Schuylerville, are Puerto Rican, so Mrs. Lewitinn appreciates the cultural diversity.

She also likes that Camp Scully is close to home, in case of an emergency, and that it's more affordable than even some day camps in the area. It costs $300 for one week at the overnight camp.

A day camp for five- to seven-year-olds will be added this summer for $150 for one week. Parents can also camp out with their kids over Memorial Day weekend. Colin Stewart, camp director, hopes this will generate revenue; the camp lost about $2,500 last year.

Registration ends June 7, but the roster is usually full by the end of April.

Camp Scully offers something for everyone. Andromeda's sister, Aphrodite, will attend the camp for the first time this summer; she already plans to sing "Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga in the talent show. A 20-by-10-foot stage is under construction.

Aphrodite also looks forward to archery class and the ropes course. Although the 12-year-old has spina bifida and is paralyzed from the knees down, that doesn't stop her. She's a little concerned about things like showering at camp, but excited to give it a try.

"I mostly like to be independent," she told The Evangelist. "I like to do what everybody else does."

Parents and campers alike gave the counselors good reviews.

"They make it personal. They really do care," said Amanda Finamore, 13, of Long Island. "The week flies by."

Her sister, Leanne, 16, will be a leader-in-training for the second year, learning group management and teamwork. Communication skills help Leanne tutor other students in school and babysit effectively.

"I think I've learned about myself," she said.

Theme weeks
Leanne is excited about another new feature at the camp this summer: weeks with themes like "Around the World," "Wild, Wild West" and "Tropical Paradise."

"I've got to be honest: The Weird Science week is really exciting me," Leanne admitted. Leaders for that week will plan kid-friendly experiments.

Mr. Stewart favors "Blast from the Past" week so he can play the part of musician Buddy Holly. Natalia Lewitinn, 13, is also excited for this week because she "likes hippies."

Others like the idea of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" week. Mr. Stewart recently acquired a 15-foot boat he plans on painting black and turning into a "pirate ship." The younger children can't paddle easily in the dozen or so kayaks on the lake, so he envisions them riding in the ship, "raiding" the big kids in the kayaks.

To Jasmine Lewitinn, who will be 11 at the end of April, this sounds "awesome."

Going ga-ga
An activity that debuted last season is becoming a permanent fixture: Named "ga-ga court," it's a less-aggressive version of dodgeball that requires players to hit the ball with a hand, rather than catching and throwing it.

The new game is more appealing to kids who are less athletic. Amanda loves it: "It's my new favorite sport," she enthused. "I wish I had a court in my town."

Megan Vankempen of Cohoes, who's 12, said she likes everything about Camp Scully. If she were home all summer, she would sleep all day. Her mother, Christine Badger, appreciates that the camp bans computers and texting.

Megan said she wants to work at Camp Scully when she's older: "Everything there is, like, so fun."

(04/15/10) [[In-content Ad]]

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