Fun, fitness, flutes: Dougherty County students participate in five-week summer camp
By Alan Mauldin
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ALBANY — Nearly 120 Dougherty County students got the chance to get out and see friends and basically just be kids again during a five-week summer camp hosted by local law enforcement agencies.
On Wednesday, participants in the Albany-Dougherty Youth Unit camp were shooting hoops and playing games of dodgeball, while others interested in music were having a session with Roy Eaddy, band director at Westover Comprehensive High School .
On Friday, the last day of the camp, the students — ages 8-16 — have a trip scheduled to visit Wild Adventures Theme Park in Valdosta.
“It’s a positive experience just to give kids an outlet to burn off some of the stress since they’ve been cooped up for so long,” Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Ted Thomas said. “It’s about giving the kids a chance to get out of the house, giving them the chance to get to spend time with their peers.
“For this to be the first camp coming after the pandemic we felt it was a great success.”
The sheriff’s office started holding the summer camps in 1996, and during that time the office operated as part of the life-coaching CHAMPS and GREAT programs.
Earlier this year, the sheriff’s office, Albany Police Department and Dougherty County School System Police Department banded together to form a youth unit, and officers from those three agencies were involved in this year’s camp.
In addition to sports activities, students also had sessions with science, technology, engineering and math instructors.
“They had the Phoebe Network of Trust come in to teach them about healthy lifestyles,” Thomas said. “They had a young man come in to do health and fitness with them.”
Enrollment for the program was 117, and about 113 showed up most days of the program. Thomas said the inactivity due to the COVID-19 pandemic was evident.
“They’re larger this year,” he said.
Students also received lessons on avoiding drug use and gangs. Another part of the program is to familiarize the boys and girls with police officers and give them a positive image of law enforcement.
“We’re building that relationship, closing that gap between law enforcement and youth,” Thomas said. “We have had some great sponsors who have made this camp a success, offering the kids the opportunities to come for free.”
The unit’s future plans include a public safety cadet program geared toward students who are interested in a career in law enforcement.
“When they turn 21, we’ll be hiring at the sheriff’s office, they’ll be hiring at the city police,” Thomas said.
The Dougherty County Jail hires employees as young as 18, so that offers cadet graduates the opportunity to have three experiences in law enforcement before moving into patrol duties.
For Eaddy, the camp was a chance to gear up for the return of band practice. Some of his charges this week were new to musical instruments.
“One of my students asked me, and I said sure,” he said of helping out with the youth camp. “It’s actually been therapeutic for me. I get excited because they get excited.
“We missed a year of band because of COVID. To be able to do this before my own band camp (starts) really helps.”
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