Volume 22, Number 13
Thursday, May 28, 2020
www.berlincitizen.com
Painted rocks give neighbors Camps will open in isolation a reason to roam with new guidelines By Jessica Simms Special to the Record-Journal
The magic of summer camp can still be a part of children’s lives this year as many day camps will open, though with strict guidelines for staff and campers.
One morning while out walking her dog, Beckley Farms resident Linda Colomonico noticed a small rock with a frog painted on it in one of the neighborhood’s green spaces. Before long, rocks began popping up in public spaces and on lawns across Beckley Farms, a 55 and older community. “All these rocks are painted with pictures of frogs, lizards, butterflies, hedgehogs, etcetera” said Colomonico. “I received a rock with a black puppy on it since I have a large poodle.”
Beckley Farms resident Patricia Manoni placed painted rocks around her neighborhood over the past few weeks in order to spread some goodwill to neighbors. Rocks include pictures of frogs, flowers, birds, and more. Photos by Everett Bishop, The Citizen
Neighbors started talking and “I was bored one day and I soon the resident craftswom- was looking for a hobby ... I an was discovered. had some big rocks in my back yard and I said ‘Oh, well I’ll paint a rock,’” said Patricia Manoni, a retired school nurse who resides in Beckley Farms. “I put a couple around to the neighbor to my left and the neighbor to my right. From there it just morphed.”
Residents began contacting Manoni to request rocks. She received so many requests she enlisted the help See Rocks, A11
“Summer camp is summer camp. It may look different but the fun that we’re going to have,” said Carolyn Daniels, camp director of Mountain Mist Day Camp, which is run by the Meriden-New Britain-Berlin YMCA. “The laughter that we’re going to have. The experiences, the friendships.”
tanced with one another. Handwashing before and after activities. Things like that. Staff members have to wear masks. Now the challenge is putting a program into place and that’s what we’re working on right now.” At Camp Sloper and Mountain Mist Day Camp, campers do not have to wear face masks, but the counselors are required to wear them while working.
“I joked with my camp staff to say that you’re going to have a mask tan today,” said John Benigni, the CEO of the MeridenNew Britain-Berlin YMCA. “It won’t be just sunMany of the safety guideglasses, you’ll have a tan lines were set by the feder- with a face of a mask.” al Centers for Disease At both day camps at the Control and Prevention, Boys & Girls Club of Merithe Connecticut Office of den, kids are recommendEarly Childhood and the ed, but not required to state of Connecticut. wear masks, according to “We’re still digesting some Executive Director Larue of the guidelines but we Graham. Staff, however, know small are required to wear a groups — groups of 10 kids mask. max per counselor,” said The camps will also not Justin Hubeny, camp diallow these smaller rector of the Southington groups of children to YMCA’s Camp Sloper. “They have to be dis-
See Camps, A9
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By Everett Bishop The Citizen