KIDS DAY
By Emilio De Torre

August 5, 2001 marked the beginning of a very significant "new holiday" for the members of Camp Madison and Madison Square Boys & Girls Club. Part of an initiative spearheaded by the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Kid's Day celebrates…you guessed it, KIDS!!

Preparation for this event began weeks in advance, as campers, counselors and staff began painting, practicing and assembling for a daylong gala that included visiting bus trips up to Camp Madison. All in all, over 300 Madisonians were in attendance at Camp Madison, as kids and staff from Carey Gardens, Columbus, Flatbush, Hoe Avenue, Navy Yard, 13th Street and 22nd Street Clubhouses flushed the ranks of the camp's population.

Kid's Day's Kickoff began with an inspired opening address from Camp Director Jack Thomas. Sitting assembled in their variously colored Kid's Day shirts, the smiling children, many of whom had traveled over a hundred miles that morning could scarcely contain their excitement as they awaited the events filling their very own holiday.

During the fun-filled day of events celebrating the uniqueness and significance of kids, the children and counselors competed in a camper-made obstacle course located on the soccer field. Designed and constructed under the supervision and assistance of Buzz Holloway and Daquan Murray, everyone turned out to race through the exciting and harrowing obstacles that lay before them.

Other crowd-pleasing activities included the dunking booth (much to the chagrin of Scottish counselor Ewan Graham - the dunkee), the Karaoke stage, games of skill, Arts & Crafts, Two Ball Spot Shot, Palm Reading and of course Swimming and Boating.

Without a doubt, the day wouldn't have been as much fun if it weren't for the excellent and ample cookout, prepared and served by 13-year camp veteran, Bryant Gillard and his staff of burger-savvy chefs. Campers lined up again and again for hot dogs, veggie burgers, hamburgers, chips, juice and other upstate New York delicacies.

As Kid's Day neared its end, everyone met in the great softball field for the final event - the family circle. Linking hands, kids and staff formed a humongous circle and, with the assistance of counselor Kherry Guy recited the Kid's Day Pledge in unison and sent aloft hundreds of balloons bearing their wishes to the heavens. Symbolically, a hawk was soaring above as the balloons floated upwards.

At the day's close, Program Director Paulette Faison, 5-year veteran of Camp Madison, commented, "What an experience! What a day! After five years of being a part of Camp life, it still brought tears to my eyes to see the children holding hands and celebrating their own lives and childhood."