The second annual Arts and Hearts Camp for preschoolers went at the Athabasca United Church July 9-13.
According to Jonathan Hawkey, the owner of Hawkey Studios, it's a camp for children from four to six years old who have an interest in art, and who may also have a learning disability and would normally not have an opportunity to attend a camp otherwise.
"The camp was only $25 for the whole week," Hawkey said. "Each day, it ran from 9 a.m. to about 12 p.m., and we were able to because the Athabasca United Church were able to secure a grant from the United Church of Canada and the Madge Hogarth Foundation. It helped them facilitate the program, and it allowed us to keep the costs at a point where we could reach out to certain folks and give them the opportunity to put their little ones through camp."
Hawkey said every day was full of fun-filled activities, along with some art projects throughout the week.
"On Thursday, the kids even got to build puppets," he said. "The projects the kids got to do some developmental projects, which really allowed them to be hands-on with what they were doing. Overall, the kids just loved it."
Rev. Monica Rosborough, the pastor at the Athabasca United Church, said the grant money allowed them to offer an art enrichment camp to the preschoolers within the community.
"Generally, this year's event went really well," Rosborough said. "The kids made a lot of art, played with a lot of musical instruments, and they learned lots of new songs. I think that life is good. The church is really glad to be a part of the community, and to be able to help preschoolers explore their passions."
She added that the money was only to be used for the first two years, after which the grant money would cease.
"This grant was only meant to be for new programs for the first two years," Rosborough said. "After that, we have no idea how we will raise the money for this event next year."
Hawkey's wife, Dusty, said that they had double the amount of students this year than they did last year.
"We had 16 enrol in the program this year, and we were only expecting about 12," Mrs. Hawkey said. "The kids have been very open to all of the arts and crafts that we have been doing, which include body painting, making flower pots, making musical instruments, as well as some puppets. During that day, we had about 25 different puppets to show the children, which get used all throughout the world."
She said they were happy to get the funding to put this event on for this year.
"The kids really deserve to have this opportunity," Hawkey said.
