Town's summer day camp marks another successful season

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They had been to such places as Roger Wheeler State Beach in Narragansett and Canobie Lake Park in Salem, N.H.

They also enjoyed educational experiences at such famed places as the Boston Museum of Science and New England Aquarium.

Last Friday, though, they were home, inside War Memorial Park. It is where they started six weeks ago when the Johnston Parks and Recreation Department opened its Summer Day Camp.

They are the 71 children, ages six to 12, who were divided into three different age groups and participated in a myriad of activities during the 2016 edition of the camp, which dates back to when Parks and Recreation Director Dan Mazzulla was in his pre-teen years.

“I guess it’s safe to say there is a lot of history in this day camp,” Mazzulla said. “I was coming here when I was eight. Then in later years I worked it, and now I’m running it.”

In keeping with a tradition back when Mazzulla’s late father, Dan, and one-time director Vin LaFazia held such duties, a fun-filled cookout was held to close out this season’s camp.

“The summer day camp is filled with a number of activities, and none of the programs are paid for with taxpayer dollars,” Mazzulla said. “The parents pay for their children, and we provide the programs and workforce to run them.”

Nicole Carroll, who has been involved with the parks and recreation scene for quite a few years and is a teacher at Johnston’s Early Childhood Center, served as the summer director. She was ably assisted by such full-time employees as Nicole Cournoyer and Mike Bedrosian.

Then there were counselors who performed a number of duties, like setting up an inflatable water slide and arranging various games along with the popular trips.

The summer day camp began on July 6 and concluded last Wednesday with the annual cookout, which this year featured seven staffers from Johnston’s newest business, Citizens Bank.

“Citizens Bank has already made a significant contribution to our town,” said Mazzulla, a Johnston High School Hall of Famer who also coaches several sports on Cherry Hill. “The bank has had people here for cleanups of our historical cemeteries and other important events.”

Last Friday, Citizens Bank employees Dan Dwyer, Michelle St. Pierre, Maggie Blake, Melissa Dumaine, Andree Perkins, Mitch Hawkins, and Dylan Lincoln cooked and served hot dogs and hamburgers to the campers.

“This is a good outreach for the kids,” Mazzulla said. 

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