It's Fun to be a kid in Brunswick and The Golden Isles of Georgia

Summer time is kid time, with long lazy days of sun-drenched fun and quiet evenings perfect for chasing lightning bugs, seeking sea turtles or just hanging out. With a treasure of kids summer camps, summer is even more fun in Brunswick and The Golden Isles of Georgia. Camps cover a variety of topics ranging from theatre to soccer, gymnastics to golf, art to invention.

Here's a rundown on what's hot for kids this summer in Brunswick The Golden Isles of Georgia:

Brunswick Country Club Junior Golf Camp. June 16-18, July 14-16, Aug. 11-13. Three-day sessions include morning golf lesson and lunch, for kids age 6 and up. Information: (912) 264-4377 or (912) 262-6068. Fee.

Hampton Club 2010 Junior Golf Clinic. June 21-23, July 19-21, Aug. 2-4. Morning sessions at the King and Prince Golf Course at the Hampton Club on St. Simons Island. Open to all golfers ages 8-15, regardless of experience. Equipment will be provided for those who need it. Information: (912) 634-0255. Fee.

Kids Tennis Camps. Learn fundamental tennis skills from tennis instructor Pride Evans. Racquets available. July 26-29 at Ballard Park in Brunswick; June 7-10 and July 26-29 at Mallery Park on St. Simons Island. Sessions 9:30 to 10:00 am for ages 4-6; 10:00 to 11:00 am for ages 7-10; 11:00 am to noon for ages 11-13. Information: (912) 279-2836 or (912) 554-7780 or visit www.glynncounty.org. Fee.

Golden Isles Gymnastics Summer Camp. May 27-Aug. 17, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Open to children ages 4 and older, this camp features gymnastics, tumbling, dance, games, rock climbing, arts and crafts, movies, sports and more. No gymnastics experience is necessary. Campers may sign up by the day or the week. Information: (912) 280-0444 or visit www.goldenislesgym.com. Fee.

Big Horse Stable Summer Camp. Dates to be determined. Monday - Friday 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. Activities promote wellness, teamwork and responsibility. Classes include horseback riding, horse care and special activities including canoeing, tennis, karate and more. Information: (912) 778-7433 or visit www.bighorsestable.com. Fee.

Dance Intensive with Glenn Douglas Packard. June 22 and 23 at Studio South on St. Simons Island. Glenn Douglas Packard has worked with a variety of A-list entertainers including Pink, Nelly Furtado, Usher and Missy Elliott, and was nominated for an Emmy for his artistic direction on Michael Jackson's 30th Anniversary Celebration at Madison Square Garden. He will host a two-day dance intensive for intermediate to advance dance students ages 8 and older. Information: (912) 264-6611. Fee.

Build Your Own Boot Camp. Kids of all ages can design their own camp where they choose the classes. Activities and lessons in dance, tumbling, stretch and tone, aqua aerobic, Roomba, modeling, acting, nutrition, cooking and more. Christina's Dance World, St. Simons Island. Information: (912) 399-1417. Fee.

Summer Theatre Camps at the Ritz Theatre Kids of all ages can learn the ins and outs of play production, from basic improvisation to presentation of a play. Discounts available for children attending two or more sessions.

• On the Spot with Improv - June 7-8, 9:00 am to noon. Kids learn to "jump in and let go" using improvisation games. Open to all levels of experience. For ages 13-18.
  
• Acting on the Stage - June 21 to July 2, 9:00 am to noon. Exploring the world of acting, participants will create and perform their own play. For ages 7-12.
• On the Spot with Improv - Same as above, for younger participants ages 7-12.
• The Play's the Thing - Students focus on developing acting skills including creating character, vocal techniques, etc. Open only to students with previous experience performing on stage, this session requires an audition and prior participation in summer theater camps or production experience. For students ages 10-18.

Information: (912) 262-6934 or visit www.goldenislesarts.org. Fee.

Clay and Collage. - June 21-25; July 19-23; July 26-30. 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at Glynn Art Association, St. Simons Island. Children ages 7 and older will learn to create their own works of art using a variety of media. Information: (912) 638-8770 or visit www.glynnart.org. Fee.

Color Me Happy Summer Camps. During each session, kids ages 6 and older will create their own 16" X 20" acrylic painting on canvas, create objects with clay, sand art, pottery painting and glass fusing, and make their own tye-died t-shirt. Fee includes snacks and all materials. Sign up for two sessions and receive a discount on the third. Color Me Happy, downtown Brunswick.

• Peace, Love and Happiness - June 8-11 or July 5-9, 10:00 am to noon.
• Seeing Spots - June 15-18 or July 12-16, 10:00 am to noon.
• All About Me - June 22-25 or July 19-22, 10:00 am to noon.

Information: (912) 554-1900 or visit www.colormehappypottery.com.

Camp Invention. June 14-18, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at Frederica Academy, St. Simons Island. In this fun and educational science camp for children entering grades 1-6, students build gadgets and learn physics through experiments and special projects. Information: (800) 968-4332 or visit www.campinvention.org.

Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeast Georgia Summer Camp 2010. May 27 - Aug. 18, Monday-Friday 7:30 am to 5:30 pm. Fee includes morning and afternoon snacks and lunch. Separate fees for field trips and most field trip not mandatory. Daily field trips will include Summer Waves water park, Savannah Sand Gnats baseball game, Jacksonville Zoo, Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum, movies, swimming, bowling, picnics and more. Open to children ages 5 and older. Information: (912) 638-6639 or visit www.apositiveplace.net.

Y Kids Kampus 2010. June 1 - Aug. 6, Mon.-Fri. 7:30 am to 6:00 pm, YWCA of Brunswick. Weekly themes include Sports of All Sorts, Junior Crime Scene Investigators, Animals A-Z, Ocean Odyssey and more. Field trips will include Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jacksonville Zoo, DNR Earth Day Nature Trail. Fee includes breakfast, lunch and snacks; separate fee for field trips. Open to children enrolled in pre-K through grade 5. Information: (912) 265-4100 or visit www.ywcabrunswickga.org.

College of Coastal Georgia Kids in College 2010. Weekly programs June 7 - July 20, Mon. - Fri. 7:45 am to 3:00 pm at Risley Early College Academy, Brunswick. Weekly sessions open to children ages 6-12. Fee includes all supplies, t-shirt, lunch and a snack.

• June 7-11: Pirates
• June 14-18: Digital Photography (student must bring a digital camera)
• June 21-25: Kids in College Idol
• June 28-July 2: Crime Scene Investigators
• July 5-9: Aviation and Weather
• July 12-16: Arts and Crafts
• July 19-23: Kids in College Play Sports
• July 26-30: Mysteries of the Deep

Information: (912) 279-5777 or visit www.summerkidsincollege.com.

Frederica Academy Summer Programs 2010. Weekly sessions Mon. - Fri., June 7 - Aug. 13. Morning sessions 9:00 am to noon; afternoon sessions 1:00 to 4:00 pm. Age-appropriate sessions cover a wide range of topics from American Girls to The Messy Class. Many physical education classes as well as art, drama and more. Fee. Information: (912) 638-9981, ext. 601 until June 4; (912) 638-9982 after June 4 or visit www.fredericaacademy.org.

To the Top Sports and Leadership Camp. July 12-16, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Mon.-Thurs., 8:30 am to 7:00 pm Friday, at Oglethorpe Elementary School on St. Simons Island. Physical and spiritual challenges for students who have completed kindergarten through grade 5. Activities include basketball, flag football, soccer, volleyball, extreme frisbee, capture the flag, obstacle course and more. Fee includes daily lunch, snacks, t-shirt, water bottle and journal. Information: (912) 571-1651 or visit www.tothetopministries.com.

Christian Montessori School Summer Camps 2010. Weekly sessions from June 1 - July 30. Mon.-Fri. 9:00 am to 1:00 pm (no program July 5-9). Open to primary students ages 3-5, and elementary students in rising first through fifth grades. Age-appropriate programs and activities include reading fun, exercise, body care, cooking, languages, arts and crafts, sports, digital photography, scrapbooking and more. Fee includes snacks; students must bring their own lunch. Information: (912) 638-1692.

Note: Programs and information are subject to change. Please contact the individual providers to confirm dates and times.

Library Film Series offers a maritime flavor

Since the beginning of time, the sea has fascinated us. The Arts are filled with stories, paintings, music and other works inspired by the world's oceans, their majesty, mystery, energy and sheer size. During June, the Three Rivers Regional Library in downtown Brunswick presents a series of films that highlights man's interaction with the sea and its inhabitants, real and imagined.

Three Rivers Regional Library Film Series - June

JUNE 1 - Whale Rider (2002). On the east coast of New Zealand, the Whangara people believe their presence there dates back a thousand years or more to a single ancestor, Paikea, who escaped death when his canoe capsized by riding to shore on the back of a whale. From then on, Whangara chiefs have always been the first-born and male. Many generations later, the contemporary tale revolves around a young mother whose male newborn twin dies in childbirth. Her young husband flees New Zealand in grief, leaving grandparents Koro and Nanny Flowers to raise the sole survivor, a feisty little girl named Pai, who radiates with life and energy. It's no wonder that her grandmother and the entire community love her, but alas, the grandfather she worships is too busy mourning the loss of the baby boy he expected would lead the tribe to better days. Screenings at 2:00 and 6:30 pm.


JUNE 8 - 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954). This Disney version of Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea represented the studio's costliest and most elaborate American-filmed effort to date. Kirk Douglas plays a trouble-shooting 19th century seaman, trying to discover why so many whaling ships have been disappearing of late. Teaming with scientist Paul Lukas and diver Peter Lorre, Douglas sets sail to investigate--and is promptly captured by the megalomaniac Captain Nemo (James Mason), who skippers a lavish, scientifically advanced submarine. The film's special effects, including a giant squid, were impressive enough in 1954 to win an Academy Award.~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide. Screenings at 2:00 and 6:30 pm.


JUNE 15 - Lifeboat (1944). In this psychological drama by director Alfred Hitchcock, a chic writer, a stoker and others drift with the U-boat captain who has sunk their ship. Starring Tallulah Bankhead, William Bendix, Walter Slezak, Mary Anderson, John Hodiak, Canada Lee, Heather Angel, Henry Hull, Hume Cronyn, John Steinbeck, and William Yetter Jr. Screenings at 2:00 and 6:30 pm.




JUNE 16 - The Little Mermaid (1989). In Disney's animated version of Hans Christian Anderson's classic tale, a mermaid named Ariel falls in love with an earthly prince. Featuring the voices of Jodi Benson, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Samuel E. Wright, Pat Carroll, Buddy Hackett, Jason Marin, Kenneth Mars, Rene Auberjonois, Paddi Edwards, Edie McClurg and Ben Wright. Screening at 2:00 pm.





JUNE 22 - Moby Dick (1956). The sole survivor of a lost whaling ship relates the tale of his captain's self-destructive obsession to hunt the white whale, Moby Dick. Cast includes Bernard Miles, Friedrich von Ledebur, Gregory Peck, Harry Andrews, James Robertson Justice, Leo Genn, Mervyn Johns, Orson Welles and Richard Basehart. Screenings at 2:00 and 6:30 pm.


JUNE 23 - Free Willy (1993). Fishermen separate a young orca whale (Willy) from his parents and he ends up in a fish bowl at a marina. Meanwhile, a street kid runs afoul of the law and gets caught vandalizing the marina, but his social worker gets him off the hook (so to speak) provided he cleans up his mess at the marina. While there, he befriends the whale and teaches him tricks, something the trainer hasn't been able to do. But when Willy is a dud in front of the audience, the marina owner plans some bad things, and the boy and his friends must try to free Willy. Screening at 2:00 pm. Groups of 10 or more must preregister.

JUNE 24 - Mutiny on the Bounty (1935). Charles Laughton delivers an award-winning performance as the evil Captain Bligh, challenged by first mate Fletcher Christian, portrayed by Clark Gable. Mutiny on the Bounty won the 1935 Academy Award for Best Picture and picked up a Leading Actor nomination for each of its male leads. Other cast members include Franchot Tone, Herbert Mundin, Eddie Quillan and Dudley Digges. Screenings at 2:00 and 6:30 pm.




JUNE 29 - Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003). During the Napoleonic Wars, a brash British captain pushes his ship and crew to their limits in pursuit of a formidable French war vessel around South America. Starring Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, James D'Arcy, Edward Woodall, Chris Larkin and Max Pirkis. Screenings at 2:00 and 6:30 pm.








JUNE 30 - Finding Nemo (2003). In this animated Disney film, Marlin the clown fish teams up with Dory the forgetful blue tang, on an impossible mission to find and save his son, Nemo. Featuring the voices of Erica Beck, Albert Brooks, Willem Dafoe, Ellen DeGeneres and Brad Garrett. Screening at 2:00 pm. Groups of 10 or more must preregister.





Three Rivers Regional Library is located at 208 Gloucester Street in downtown Brunswick. For information, please call 912-267-1212 or visit them online.

Information and images: Flixter.com

Neptune Park Fun Zone Open for Family Fun

St. Simons Island's newest family attraction -- the Neptune Park Fun Zone -- is open for summertime family fun.

The new recreational complex features a walk-in, multi-purpose pool; children's water park area; miniature golf course, and a brand new playground area as well as a bath house and concession stand.


The new, "multi-purpose" pool is designed to encourage use by swimmers of all ages and abilities. The southern end of the L-shaped pool, closest to the bath house, features a walk-in "beach" entry which slopes gently from 12" at the edges to 18" in the center. The northernmost section of the pool is divided into lanes for lap swimming and limited competition. Between these two sections is a smaller, 3-foot deep section for water aerobics and swimming instruction.

The pool, like the rest of the Fun Zone, is accessible to those in wheelchairs.

The children's water park area is situated between the two legs of the larger pool. It features a "water playground" complete with slides, a tipping bucket, fountains and a variety of showers, squirt guns and other water play toys. It is surrounded by a fence and landscaping to ensure limited access for young children and their caregivers.

The bath house features large restrooms with showers and changing areas, ticket offices for the pool and miniature golf course, and a concession stand called "Cap's Place."

Located on the south side of the bath house between the entrances to the pool and miniature golf course, Cap's Place is open to the public. It offers a variety of menu items including barbecue, pizza, hot dogs and boiled shrimp as well as "walk and talk" items, healthy treats, sno-cones and ice cream, cold drinks and more. Cap's Place will be open year 'round, from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm from Labor Day to Memorial Day. For information call 912-638-3333.


The miniature golf course features 18 holes with a "conservative" design. The mini-golf course has its own entrance, located on the west side of the bath house. Nearby is a new playground area, located at the southeast corner of the Fun Zone, next to the Neptune Park picnic area.

The new landscaping artfully incorporates the right whale sculpture which was created by sculptor Keith Jennings in 1995, and encourages close interaction.

The Neptune Park Fun Zone is located along the St. Simons Island waterfront between the lighthouse and the Casino building. Its opening marks the completion of the first phase of a two-phase master plan for the St. Simons Island waterfront.

The master plan project was designed to provide a more cohesive look for waterfront and Neptune Park. Architectural features of the new bath house complement those of the nearby A.W. Jones Heritage Center, which anchors the waterfront's north end, and the Casino building to the south.

In addition to the pool and mini-golf complex, Phase I included new landscaping and lighting, new beach crossovers, brick pavers and new benches. Phase II, which will be completed later this year, will incorporate new landscaping and other improvements that are designed to visually unify the entire Neptune Park / St. Simons Island waterfront area.

The Neptune Park Fun Zone will be open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Public swim hours will be daily from 1:00 to 8:00 pm. The miniature golf course will be open daily from 1:00 to 9:00 pm.

The Glynn County Parks and Recreation Department will offer a variety of services and activities including American Red Cross swimming lessons and water safety courses, private swimming lessons by certified instructors, water aerobics and a novice swim team. These activities will take place primarily during mornings prior to public swimming.

All-day admission to the pool is $7.00 per person. Miniature golf is $7.00 per person per game. Season passes are available for the pool, and multi-game passes are available for miniature golf. Special group rates are available, and the complex may be rented for private functions. For information about the pool, call 912-279-3720. For information about miniature golf, call 912-279-3721.

# # #