When the calendar flips from May to June in Central New York, attention normally turns to outdoor recreation and activities for adults and children alike.
The spring and summer of 2020 are far from normal, though, and this reality has forced the Town of Manlius Recreation Department to abandon or alter most of its summer programs.
Among the cancellations made were the town’s “Learn to Swim” program, along with summer playground activities at Enders Road and Pine Grove Elementary School and all summer sports camps set to take place at East Syracuse Minoa schools.
Recreation department director Peggy Kenyon said that ESM has decided not to let outside organizations use their facilities during the summer months, but added that Fayetteville-Manlius schools are still weighing its option
In the meantime, said Kenyon, “we needed to make the decision and move forward so that we have time to plan and order supplies for a new initiative”.
That would be “Stay and Play”, a virtual program designed for families to stay at home while still taking part in the kinds of recreational activities normally done in public during the summer months.
It consists of six one-week programs. Those who sign up for it will receive themed packets containing supplies for a week’s work of activity, including links to videos. Then, at the end of each of those weeks, participants can take part in an interactive activity where they share experiences on a virtual platform.
Kenyon said that there’s no “schedule” in the packets, allowing families taking part to set their own timetables during the week and, eventually, have a chance to go outdoors.
“We want to give guidance and resources for kids to get outside, get creative, and get moving away from the screen,” she said.
For now, anyone can access short videos already posted on the Recreation Department’s Facebook page to get up and moving and see some activity ideas
Registration for the program begins June 5 at the department’s web site, manliustown.recdesk.com. Meanwhile, the department continues to take phone calls each Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 637-5188 or can be e-mailed at any time at [email protected].
