Division of Recreation celebrates another successful summer program season.
By Gabriella Dragone
PATERSON, NJ – Over 1,400 Paterson youth and close to 370 staff filled Eastside Park on Thursday to close out the Summer Day Camp season of the Paterson Division of Recreation. The celebration has been hosted annually for 20 years and provided carnival games, rides, food, refreshments, and music for all program participants.
“We also are investing in our parks,” Sayegh said, offering hope that the 2023 version of the event will be hosted at Hinchliffe Stadium. “That means we are investing in our youth. With the collaboration of the Council, Division of Recreation and the Department of Public Works, Eastside Park is going to get a makeover, Westside Park as well, amongst many other parks.”
Also in attendance were the Girls Scouts, and Boys and Girls Club of Paterson and Passaic, both camp partners as well as the Paterson Fire Department and other organizations.
“This is always a fun event to take part in and it’s so nice seeing all the kids get together after a long couple of weeks of camp,” Frank Lozada President of FMBA Local 2 said as he was whipping up hamburgers for hungry guests. “Today is all about having fun and I think that’s what everyone is doing.”
The Paterson Summer Day Camp went from July 5 to August 19 this year and about 1,700 youth were served each week within 22 camps at various locations throughout Paterson.
“This is actually one of the biggest we’ve had in almost four years due to COVID,” Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly, who also heads up Paterson’s Recreation Department, said. “We thank the City Council for providing us with rides and gifts and food.. The Police Department, Sheriff’s Department, Fire Department and of course the Division of Recreation and DPW have donated their time, but this is what happens when we work together.”