Camp quandary School's out in less than a month. Do you have a plan for your kids?
	[Times photo: Mike Pease] Emily Dever, 3, of Carrollwood works with her gymnastics instructor Marisa O'Brien on Tuesday at Bob Sierra YMCA.

By LOGAN D. MABE

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 5, 2000

NORTHDALE -- Raising children is one long series of gut checks. From pregnancy test to the first day of kindergarten, it's one "What are we going to do?" after another.

But the one that never changes is the panic that sets in when school lets out: What to do about summer camp?

More than a few families are experiencing meltdown this month as they realize the last day of school is less than three weeks away. And the race is on to find that perfect summer place for the kids.

Not that there aren't plenty of choices: The county recreation department and School Board offer subsidized camps. Private preschools crank up their own programs, and there's no end to specialty camps focusing on sports or music or computers.

But how to pick the right one?

"It's nerve-wracking," said Patti Balchon, a working mom from Northdale. "Because you want to put them in a really good spot, and you're interviewing people and talking to people and trying to do your job, too."

Balchon will likely juggle a number of options for her 9-year-old daughter, Krys. She'll spend part of the summer with grandparents, part in a private program like the Bob Sierra YMCA's summer camp, and part with a neighborhood teenager experienced in babysitting. Balchon said she started formulating her plan about two months ago, but it still isn't 100 percent solid.

That's the case with many parents who realized too late that school's out earlier this year than last.

"This would be a poor time to start looking now," said Margaret Cox, director of school-age child care at Hunter's Green Elementary. "We are booked up."

Public schools that offer after school care for students extend the service to full-day care during summer months. But the low-cost camps, $43 a week for kids already in the program, usually have waiting lists.

If an opening does occur, the price is $78 a week.

Madison Traina, 3, jumps to her swimming instructor Liz Hansbury on Tuesday during a class at Bob Sierra YMCA in Northdale. The Y offers a variety of classes and camps for children during the summer.

Probably the best deal out there is the Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Department's summer camp program (975-2160). But at $50 for the full 10-week camp, the centers fill up fast, said senior recreation specialist John Brill.

In years past, parents would begin lining up at the rec centers well before dawn to make sure their kids got a spot. But this year, for the first time, recreation officials decided to use a lottery system.

"It seems the majority of people who've called are fairly positive," Brill said. "People understand that something had to be done. It's like buying concert tickets; it got old camping out and standing in line."

Monday was the big day for parents who got their names into the lottery before the April 28 deadline. That's when recreation officials selected the winning letters (the lottery used A-B-Cs instead of numbers.)

Monday evening, North Lakes Park camp director Paula Jory collected the list of 243 children in the running for the 175 available spots.

"I'm not happy that it's 243," said Jory, mindful of the disappointment and desperation many families will face. "It (the camp) gets better every year, but there are more kids every year. We have 40 programs (throughout the county) and it's still not enough."

Those who missed out will be put on a waiting list, as their parents renew their search with a newfound sense of urgency.

"Oh yeah, now what I'm hearing is, "Is this one full? Do you have spots available?' " said Marie Massara, assistant camp director at the Independent Day School (961-3087) in Carrollwood. "It's getting to that point."

IDS will begin offering four, one-week camp sessions beginning in July. At $135 a week for full-day camps, IDS has a wider range of activities than those usually found in publicly funded camps.

Children at IDS can pick from archery, band, cheerleading, cooking, drama, model rocketry, photography and a variety of sports. "And they can mix and match almost any combination of morning and afternoon camps," Massara said.

The Jewish Community Center (264-9000) in Citrus Park has a similar array of activities, from canoeing and computers to horseback riding and water skiing. Camp director Bill Suskauer said there are still openings but the camp will max out at just over 500 children.

At $200 a week, the camp is open to everyone and gets most of its business by word of mouth.

"The word's been out on us pretty much the last two summers," Suskauer said. "We're fortunate in that we get a lot of families that register early."

For those parents who wait until the very last minute, there is almost always room at the Bob Sierra YMCA (962-3220) or some of the private preschools in the area such as Childtime Children's Center (264-7464), Children's Nest Day School (968-4235), La Petite Academy (962-4922) and Kindercare Learning Centers (972-0907).

"There are a lot of summer programs developing right now for kids," said Cox of Hunter's Green. "But parents on their own have to investigate the different camps around town."

Many churches also offer programs for children, as do businesses that specialize in sports instruction. La Fleur's Gymnastics (264-5000) has been a favorite for years with its gymnastics and swimming camps for girls and boys.

The University of Tampa (253-6240) has a variety of soccer and volleyball camps. Avalon Riding Academy (962-2292) runs a horsemanship camp for children ages 6 an older.

Busch Gardens, Lowry Park Zoo and the Museum of Science and Industry also have camps and classes that combine education with fun.

-- To reach Logan D. Mabe, call 226-3464 or e-mail him at mabe@sptimes.com.

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