The start of summer camp for local children in the Newtown Parks & Recreation day camps at Dickinson Memorial Park and Treadwell Park was on June 22, the day after summer officially began.

Sara Edgerton and Trevor Ferraro are the site directors at Treadwell Park and Leah Pizighelli is the site director at Dickinson Park. All three site directors agreed that the first week of camp went well, saying that the highlight of the week was the combined field trip to Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury.

“It’s been great, it’s been awesome,” said Jacob Clark, the assistant site director at Dickinson. “We went to Quassy yesterday [Thursday, June 18] and it was a blast.”

Both camps have many activities planned for the summer. Ms Edgerton said that the camps have events planned for every week, including one or two more field trips and special guests coming to the camps.

One visit occurred on Friday, June 19, when St Michael, the Newtown Police Department’s German Shepard, visited with campers along with his handler, Officer Felicia Figol.

“The success at both camps has been fabulous,” said RoseAnn Reggiano, the assistant director for Newtown Parks & Recreation, who oversees all of the summer camps. “Jacob and Leah, the pair is good, and Sara and Trevor, the pair over at Treadwell, is good. I love it.”

Campers shared some of their favorite activities so far this summer.

“My favorite activity is going to the pool, making friendship bracelets and hanging out with friends,” said Keeley Green, an 8-year-old camper at Dickinson.

Some of the campers at Dickinson said that they loved being able to come to the skate park, such as Chris Leone, 10, who said, “It’s the most fun thing to do here.”

Annika Bozentko, 9, agreed the skate park is “awesome.”

 “It’s really fun,” said one of the skateboarding instructors at Dickinson, Thomas Capozziello. “I really like that the kids are excited about skateboarding and I like being able to explain skateboarding in a way that makes sense to them.”

Overall, the campers at both camps reported having an activity-packed first week.