By Ally Lanasa, Staff Writer

(March 11, 2021) Like many other organizations, Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services adapted to the age of covid-19 by hosting its first virtual Berlin Youth Club summer camp last year.

PHOTO COURTESY WORCESTER YOUTH AND FAMILY COUNSELING SERVICES
Berlin resident Kendre Collick engages in a project during Berlin Youth Club’s first virtual summer camp, held from July 6 to Aug. 28, 2020.

Dr. Jennifer Leggour, executive director of Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services, told the Berlin Parks Commission on March 2 that each of the eight weeks of camp had a different theme. Children participated in a scavenger hunt, a fitness challenge, a kindness challenge and a no-bake treats week.

“On Mondays, we dropped supplies off and snacks off to all of the kids and families, and Tuesday through Friday, the camp was initiated,” Leggour said. “The children could log onto our YouTube channel and get a tutorial and see what the activity was for the day, whether it was a craft or an exercise, and then every afternoon all of the children and their families met with us on Google Meet for some socialization to share how they did with the activity and the project.”

Although 16 participants registered for the summer camp, Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services was able to serve closer to 60 people because members of each household took part in the activities.

“The other thing we really liked about it is that caregivers were very, very involved and willing to help the children and do the projects with them and get creative,” Leggour added.

The Berlin Youth Club summer camp may be virtual again this summer, depending on what pandemic restrictions remain in place.

In August and September 2020, Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services donated school supplies to camp participants and to hundreds of students at Buckingham Elementary School in Berlin in partnership with the Berlin Police Department.

“Anything extra was donated to Buckingham, and then we had extra backpacks that we also gave to Diakonia,” Leggour said.

Then, the agency participating in Ocean Pines’ Trunk or Treat event for Halloween in October 2020.

“We decked out the van and gave out hundreds and hundreds of pieces of candy,” Leggour said. “I would do that event again. There were a lot of kids, and they had a lot of fun.”

The following month, Worcester Youth and Family Counseling Services gave away hundreds of craft bags and cups of hot chocolate during the Ice Ice Berlin Art Sculptures Stroll and Holiday Shop Night.

“We realized that families were still stuck at home essentially. There were a lot of travel restrictions, so we developed family game night bags for all of our youth club participants and were able to hand those out,” Leggour added.

About 30 participants were given a variety of games in December 2020, such as bingo, checkers, Hedbandz and gingerbread house kits.

Currently, the agency is recruiting seventh and eighth graders to launch the teen groups.

“We’re hoping to start that in a virtual format and then move forward to in-person if we’re ever able to do that,” Leggour said.