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Last updateSun, 06 Oct 2024 1pm

Record numbers for Summer Fun program

summerfunatpool

A summer full of fun. 

That is what the 2015 Summer Fun program was for many children. The camp is a program put on through the Town of Drumheller that takes place at the Badlands Community Facility. 

One of two Summer Fun program coordinators, Lucy Deitzer, said this summer they changed up the program a bit.

“We just brought in some new fresh ideas and threw in some field trips we have never done before, and some themes that we hadn’t tried before and it turned out really well,” she said. 

“The kids seemed to love it and they just kept coming. Parents would talk to other parents, new faces in town that just moved here got their kids in it to really start helping them make new friends and it was really great,” she told inSide Drumheller.

Deitzer said it wouldn’t have gone as well if it wasn’t for parent and community support. 

She mentioned that the average numbers for children attending Summer Fun were about 30-35 per week with the majority falling in the high 20s to low 30’s. 

“The beginning of the summer we even hit 48, close to 50. It is a program that needs to grow I think and really utilize the wonderful facility we do have for children’s programming,” she explained. 

Deitzer explained that she and Brandon Schneider are the Summer Fun coordinators and along with them were three Summer Fun activity specialists, Georgia Page, Miranda Margus and Mitchell Toffan.

     “Mitchell, Miranda and Georgia - we couldn’t have done it without them,” she said.

     This year, Deitzer said the program tried to step outside of the usual field trips on Thursdays throughout the summer and ventured outside of the Drumheller area. 

     She explained the staff took the children to Calaway Park in Calgary, the Calgary wave pool, the Telus Spark Science Centre, the Royal Tyrrell Museum, the Atlas Coal Mine and Rosebud Theatre for the production of The Wizard of Oz.

     “We got all the kids tickets to The Wizard of Oz. They got to experience a play, some of them for the first time ever,” she said. 

She also mentioned that the staff had a few fun BBQ’s for the kids as well as planted trees with the seniors.

Now that the summer is over, Deitzer said the coordinators are getting ready for flex days during the school year. 

“We are planning for flex days now so anytime the kids don’t have school on Friday’s, Brandon and I will do programming with them, take them for a full day of fun crafts, the fieldhouse, and swimming,” she said. 

Still time to register for weekend fun run

marathon2014

Even in a downturn in the economy, the Dinosaur Valley Marathon continues to be a strong destination-running event, with registration pushing the 400 mark.

The road race, which features a marathon, half marathon, a 10k and a 5k family fun run, is set to go this Sunday, September 13. Registration is open until an hour before start time on the day of the race. So if you are still sitting on the fence on whether to challenge your mettle for a medal, it’s not too late.

“We are all ready to roll. Everyone who is local who wants to run, walk or jog the 5k, the 10k, or even the half marathon, get on it. They can register up until an hour before the race,” said member of the racing committee Colin Kloot.

The marathon and early start time for the half marathon are 7 a.m. The start time for the regular half marathon is 8 a.m., the 10k starts at 8:15 a.m. and the 5k starts at 8:30 a.m.

Last year the event, on its fifth anniversary, added a full marathon and had 17 runners taking on the course. The marathon is back and has seen a modest increase in numbers. Registration has picked up for the other events and as of Wednesday there were 374 registered.  

“It’s usually the locals that kick into gear and the 5k numbers are picking up, we are expecting a few more in the 10k, and the 21k, to pick up some more,” said Kloot.

What sets this event apart from races throughout the province is the incredible landscape and terrain that runners are exposed to. This includes the Badlands, the Red Deer River valley and the sweeping prairie vistas.

“We are a destination run,” he said, adding on the day of the event, Rush Sports Message will be there giving massages for participants. The McDonald’s coffee truck and face painting will also be onsite, as well as other exhibitors.

He says when registering the event, they were advised to expect a drop in participation because of the economy.

“All the races are down all over the place,” said Kloot. “Some races are down 50 per cent, so we are holding our own.”

The event could always use more volunteers to help to make the day run smoothly. For more information contact Jens Madsen at 403-823-0173 or Becky Kowalchuck 403-823-0433.

Still time to register for weekend fun run

marathon2014

Even in a downturn in the economy, the Dinosaur Valley Marathon continues to be a strong destination-running event, with registration pushing the 400 mark.

The road race, which features a marathon, half marathon, a 10k and a 5k family fun run, is set to go this Sunday, September 13. Registration is open until an hour before start time on the day of the race. So if you are still sitting on the fence on whether to challenge your mettle for a medal, it’s not too late.

“We are all ready to roll. Everyone who is local who wants to run, walk or jog the 5k, the 10k, or even the half marathon, get on it. They can register up until an hour before the race,” said member of the racing committee Colin Kloot.

The marathon and early start time for the half marathon are 7 a.m. The start time for the regular half marathon is 8 a.m., the 10k starts at 8:15 a.m. and the 5k starts at 8:30 a.m.

Last year the event, on its fifth anniversary, added a full marathon and had 17 runners taking on the course. The marathon is back and has seen a modest increase in numbers. Registration has picked up for the other events and as of Wednesday there were 374 registered.  

“It’s usually the locals that kick into gear and the 5k numbers are picking up, we are expecting a few more in the 10k, and the 21k, to pick up some more,” said Kloot.

What sets this event apart from races throughout the province is the incredible landscape and terrain that runners are exposed to. This includes the Badlands, the Red Deer River valley and the sweeping prairie vistas.

“We are a destination run,” he said, adding on the day of the event, Rush Sports Message will be there giving massages for participants. The McDonald’s coffee truck and face painting will also be onsite, as well as other exhibitors.

He says when registering the event, they were advised to expect a drop in participation because of the economy.

“All the races are down all over the place,” said Kloot. “Some races are down 50 per cent, so we are holding our own.”

The event could always use more volunteers to help to make the day run smoothly. For more information contact Jens Madsen at 403-823-0173 or Becky Kowalchuck 403-823-0433.

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