Camp SoulGrow, a non-profit creative camp for children, is preparing for its jam-packed Presidents’ Week programming at the Camp SoulGrow Studio in Montauk.
“It’s great to be able to give the kids productive things to do with their time off. We have some of the most creative, giving, generous teachers come in to teach the workshops that week,” Camp SoulGrow’s founder London Rosiere told Hamptons.com. “We always like to have a well-rounded schedule – incorporating health and fitness is always included as well as creative and do it yourself/use what you got and create something beautiful with your imagination. When we’re planning our workshops we make sure to have them be as well-rounded and diverse as possible.”
Geared towards students 7 to 12-years-old, Camp SoulGrow encourages participants to harness their creative side during the daily workshops, with the hopes that they might find a new passion over winter break.
The schedule will include music with Laura Maruzzella on Monday, recycle art with Kate Nicolai on Tuesday, a field trip to Body Tech for fitness with Merete Cavanaugh on Wednesday, crafting with Eileen Devlin on Thursday, and baking with Karl Stork with Friday.
“We’ll have a party at the end of baking one on Friday,” Rosiere shared. “Wednesday, when it’s fitness, we’re actually taking our SoulGrow bus to BodyTech and back. They have a huge gym there. We’ve done two workshops there in the past and Merete is really wonderful.”
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Its jam-packed Presidents’ Week programming at the Camp SoulGrow Studio in Montauk. (Courtesy Photo) |
Rosiere didn’t want the entrance fee to become a deterrent for families, so admission to each class is a donation to Camp SoulGrow, which is completely reliant on the generosity of the community. “These workshops are priceless. I don’t want it to then become limiting to some kids. Let’s say we charge $10 per kid and a parent had two kids, and they wanted to come to everything, they’d have to come up with $100 and we’re not trying to make it harder for parents,” she explained. “We’re trying to make it easier. We’re here for the kids, regardless of what opportunities parents had. We want to give the kids the power.”
Children can attend all or as many workshops that pique their interest. “We’re completely donation operated. The reason we do that is to take the pressure off of families who can’t afford the child services that are going on, especially out here on the East End – everything’s so expensive. And again, so that all kids can have an equal opportunity to try all different kinds of things,” she said. “The kids are welcome at all workshops. That’s the real reason we’re donation based – so that kids can try everything that they want to try.”
Rosiere founded the organization with the hopes of enriching local children’s lives. “We want to keep them trying new things and remain open minded. It can be that one workshop that their parents couldn’t afford or that they didn’t think they would like and they came to and they found a new passion or friend for life,” she explained. “That’s the whole idea – you never know what’s going to happen; there’s endless possibilities. So we want to keep it at reach for all kids to take everything we offer.”
Registration is required to attend. To reserve a spot, email [email protected]. Classes will be held from 1 to 2:3o p.m.
Camp SoulGrow Studio is located at 7 The Plaza in Montauk. For more information, visit www.campsoulgrow.org.
