The Annapolis Police Department is hoping to reach a record number of Annapolis kids through summer camps due to a new community services van made possible by a donation from the Annapolis Rotary Club.
The summer break from school is almost over and the Annapolis Police Department’s Community Services Unit was involved in eleven camps and a kickball tournament. The summer programming started June 21st with the Second Annual Kickball Classic, a tournament featuring 5 teams of kids who play each other to reach a final showdown against a team of police officers.
The next week of June saw two camps held back-to-back. The APD Fish Camp was held Monday through Wednesday and featured a trip to Annapolis’ Water Works Park to fish in their stocked pond, a trip on the Chesapeake Bay with skippers from the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishing Association, who volunteered their time and boats, and a final day at Truxtun Park, for more fishing and a picnic. The kids who attended each took home a fishing rod at the end of camp. On Thursday and Friday we held a Sailing Camp with the partnership of Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating (CRAB). Officers went out with kids on the Chesapeake Bay to learn how to sail.
The first week in July we held a two day Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Camp with our Forensic Services Unit. Kids learned how to find clues and the science behind processing a crime scene. The next week saw rising 5th and 6th graders attend a four day Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Camp held with the help of Annapolis Middle School. D.A.R.E. is focused on teaching students decision making for safe and healthy living.
To finish out July we continued our partnership with the Annapolis Start the Adventure in Reading (STAIR) Summer Reader’s Theater Program. Officers and police employees assisted during the two weeks of camps, the first one at the Robinwood Community Center and the second at the Eastport Community Center. These camps feature music, reading and plays staged by the kids in the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis summer camps.
Next we held two camps focused on the Latino community in Annapolis. Joven Noble is a program focused on Latino boys and Xinachitl is the equivalent program for Latinas. These programs focus on cultural awareness and important decisions kids will face as they move through middle school and high school. We held these camps in an ongoing partnership between the department’s Latino Liaison, Joe Hudson, and AnneArundel County Public Schools. Mr. Hudson was also instrumental in the June opening of the Maria de la Paz Youth Outreach Center at the Annapolis Walk Community Center.
The week held the Xinachitli camp we also held our second annual Super Hero Camp. This camp gives kids an opportunity to discover their inner awesome. Kids discover they can be their own super hero then they can go on to accomplish anything. We held this camp in partnership with Adventures to Awesome.
Our summer programs end next week the best possible way with another APD Fish Camp. Besides these camps the police department also visited the City of Annapolis Recreation and Parks summer camps at the StantonCenter and Georgetown East, Eastport and Mills-ParoleElementary Schools to talk to kids about safety topics. Other one time summer events included two Baltimore Orioles game, tickets provided through Anne Arundel County Police Department and the OriolesREACH program, a Bowie Baysox game, tickets provided through Eye on Annapolis, Badges for Baseball clinic at the Boys and Girls Club of Annapolis, a cookout at the community of 1000 Madison Street and a movie night in Harbour House, with another planned for Newtowne Drive on Wednesday, August 15 at 6:30 p.m.
These camps would not be possible without the support of many community members. The Annapolis Rotary Club gave the department a generous donation that almost fully funded the purchase of a used 15 passenger van. By reaching out to Creating Communities, a local non-profit focused on developing arts programs in Annapolis, we received a beautiful design created by local middle school art students. Shannon-Baum Signs in Sykesville did an amazing job of wrapping this design on our van. Annapolis Police Department camps are free and we offer pick up and drop off in the City of Annapolis and provide all meals. Without this van we would not be able to offer these camps to as many kids. To see a full listing of all our donors and sponsors visit https://www.annapolis.gov/1219/Donations-and-Sponsorships.
