New funding creates summer scholarships for kids in parks and recreation

The Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation Department has been awarded a one-time Community Development Block Grant to assist low income families in participating in specific 2010 summer recreation programs, the department announced today.

The grant is limited to households located within the city limits of Vancouver. The summer program catalog will be released Friday.

“This part of an effort by Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation to provide more free and affordable recreation opportunities to families in Vancouver and Clark County,” Parks and Recreation Director Pete Mayer said in a release.

For families eligible for scholarships, each child in the household may be fully funded to participate in: one week of youth or teen summer day camp at either Firstenburg or Marshall Center, or three swim lesson sessions at Firstenburg or Marshall Pool or one youth summer sports league or two weeks of youth tennis camps at Vancouver Tennis Center.

Families are required to fill out a special scholarship application, found at Firstenburg, Marshall and the Vancouver Tennis Center and provide proof of income and residency. Space is limited for camps and swim lessons, so the city asks that you turn in your application early. Scholarship applications will be processed beginning April 20, on a first-come, first-served basis and may take up to a week for full processing.

The Everybody Plays! Scholarship fund will still be available for adults, as well as for children who do not wish to participate in any of the four programs covered by this one-time summer program. Children cannot receive two separate awards.

Bring your paperwork in to any of these locations: Marshall Community Center, 1009 E. McLoughlin Blvd.;

Firstenburg Community Center, 700 NE 136 Ave.; or Vancouver Tennis Center, E. 18th and Stapleton Rd.