Orcas Island Community Church is offering a summer calendar of free kids activities, including a sports camp and workshops where kids and their families can learn about art, music, science, nature, crafts and more. Scheduled events run from June 28 through August 28.

“I want the island to come partake,” said Pastor Scott Harris. “If parents want to come and do the activities with their kids, we want to encourage that. This is us, excited about serving the island; we want to bring a lot of fun and excitement to the community this summer. The program’s stated purpose of ‘encouraging and enjoying the children and families of Orcas Island through activity and play’… is the heart of what we’re doing, why we’re doing it.”

Harris said the workshops were inspired by Orcas Rec Program’s summer offerings, trimmed down this year due to budget cuts.

“It got me thinking, we have a lot of skills in our church community that could lead a lot of these, and that kind of sparked it,” said Harris. The classes are being led and supervised by people from the church who have special expertise in each subject.

The workshops, for kids in grades 1 – 6, are from 10 a.m. to noon, and begin with “a time of encouragement from the Bible” taught by Pastor Scott Harris or a Summer Youth Intern (recent Orcas grads Sidney Harris or Anika Thomas).

The IMPACT multi-sport camp is for kids in grades 2 – 6, and will run from August 16 to 19, from 4:30 – 6 p.m.

“I’m bringing a collection of the best coaches our island has to offer to put on a high-quality camp for kids,” said Harris, who also coaches football and softball at the varsity level. “There will be a main theme of being an athlete with character and great sportsmanship taught through encouragement from the Bible.”

For the musically inclined, music teacher Pamela Wright will be putting together a pep band during the camp.

Thus far, Harris said, the workshops have been a hit.

“The kids have really enjoyed themselves. We’ve got kids begging their parents to change vacation plans just to be in the classes,” he said.

For more information and registration forms, see www.orcaschurch.org.

Calendar:

June 28 – Pipe Cleaner Flower Rings

July 1 – Paper Mache Puppets Day 1 • 3rd – 6th Grades

July 5 – Water Color Painting

July 6 – Begining Guitar

July 7 – Nature Walk

July 12 – Paper Mache Puppets Day 2 • 3rd – 6th Grades

July 13 – Begining Guitar

July 19 – Science in Action • 3rd – 6th Grades

July 20 – Begining Guitar

July 21 – Creative Cooking

July 22 – Shaw Bike Ride • 3rd – 6th Grades

July 26 – Card Making

July 27 – Begining Guitar

July 29 – Camping Techniques • 2nd – 6th Grades

August 2 – Creative Cooking

August 5 – Tide Pooling

August 9 – Painting

August 11 – Science in Action • 3rd – 6th Grades

August 12 – Sea Art

August 16 – 19 IMPACT Sports Camp 4:30-6:30 p.m.

August 16 – Cartooning • 3rd – 6th Grades

August 19 – Orienteering Hike

August 23 – Sewing • 2nd – 6th Grade

August 26 – Kites & Rockets

August 28 – Island Family BBQ