New YMCA camps coming to Sussex County

Rehoboth Beach, Del. – Sussex Family YMCA is launching two new camps to provide childcare to residents this summer, one at Millsboro Middle School and another at Lewes Elementary School.

“In Sussex County, it is definitely considered a child care desert. There’s one spot for every three children,” Sussex Family YMCA Director LoriKay Paden said. “And so that is just something that the YMCA of Delaware is on the forefront of.”

In January, Millsboro Mayor Robert McKee reached out to The Y about having a program and, in just a matter of months, the Y partnered with towns, school districts and local communities to bring about a program that would keep kids engaged during the summer.

“This is all part of the community helping out the community and helping out our children,” McKee said. “And that’s what it’s all about.”

The YMCA Camp Millsboro will offer “traditional camp,” which is offered for children who have completed Kindergarten through fifth grade from June 15 to August 21, Mondays through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. as well as “teen camp,” which is for those who have completed sixth grade through eighth grade from June 29 through August 20, Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

McKee said a local community is allowing children to swim in the pool in the mornings, with lifeguards provided by the Y, before residents and the usual lifeguards come in at around 10 a.m.

“This allows kids to learn how to swim, which is kind of essential here in Delaware, where we’re close to the water,” he said.

At the YMCA Camp Lewes, Sussex Family YMCA will offer a full-day option from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and a half-day option from noon to 4 p.m., Mondays through Fridays, for children who have completed Kindergarten through fifth grade, beginning on June 22 and running until August 14.

Nicole Freedman, YMCA Executive Director of Government Relations, says as a working mother herself, these kinds of programs are invaluable to parents who need the extra help during the summer months.

“We are now, you know, and reinforcing the workforce here and in rural areas of Delaware. But then it’s also a way for young people to grow socially and emotionally,” she said. “We don’t just prevent summer loss, we actually improve learning during our summer time. So, whenever our young people show up to school in the fall, they show up ready to learn and they aren’t left behind.”

Paden said there are also scholarship opportunities for families who need financial assistance to attend the camps.