Program provides afterschool enrichment activities for youth

By Tina Ray
Paraglide

	Photo by Tina Ray/Paraglide Carolyn Dailey, 10, bowls at Dragon Lanes June 7. Dailey participated in the Experience, Develop, Grow and Excel! program that focused on bowling fitness during the month of June. Looking on are Carolyn’s brother, Conor, 7, and Ruby Bonapart, Fort Bragg’s chief of bowling.

The Experience, Develop, Grow and Excel program works to enrich the lives of children. EDGE! provides cutting-edge art, fitness, life skills and adventure activities in partnership with Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation and Child, Youth and School Services.

Across the month of June, facilitators will provide activities such as bowling, fishing, ice skating, canoeing and skeet and trap shooting to youth at FMWR facilities.
Prior survey results submitted by children indicated that they were interested in those subjects, said Deanna Lampley, FMWR partnership specialist.

Participating children must be in grades 1 to 12 and have a valid CYSS card to register, Lampley said. Programs hosted for children in grades 5 to 12 are free; cost for grades 1 to 4 depends on the program. The programs are designed not to create financial hardship on parents, she said.

Bowling takes place Mondays 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Dragon Lanes; fishing Tuesdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Smith Lake; ice skating, Wednesdays, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Cleland Ice Rink; canoeing, Thursdays, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Smith Lake; and skeet and trap shooting from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Fridays at the Clay Target Center.

CYSS provides snacks and drinks as well as transportation to and from the activities, Lampley added. All participates are provided with supplies and equipment necessary to participate in the programs.

“The intent is to provide the children with skills,” Lampley said. “It’s a win-win situation for them.”

EDGE! is also intended to give the children a competitive edge over others who would engage in the same activities.

BowlingConor Dailey was looking forward to an afternoon of bowling instruction at Dragon Lanes June 7.

The 7-year-old thought he would need bumpers to keep all the bowling balls from rolling into the gutter.

His 10-year-old sister agreed.

“If we don’t put bumpers up, I’ll have gutter balls,” said Carolyn Dailey.

The two listened to Ruby Bonapart, chief of Fort Bragg bowling programs, give pointers about bowling safety.

Bonapart told them to remain seated when someone else is bowling, never to cross the foul line and to wear appropriate bowling shoes to prevent a slip or fall.

“They have to learn the fundamentals first and safety is one of the biggest things they need to learn,” said Bonapart, who plans to refresh safety rules with the children when they return each Monday.

She also gave them a guided tour of Dragon Lanes, which has recently undergone extensive renovations to include a new themed snack bar and updated furniture and equipment.

Another lesson Bonapart taught the children was how to select the best-weighted ball for bowling.

According to Bonapart, children commonly choose balls that are too heavy, which can cause wrist injuries.

“You guys are still very, very young. Your muscles are still growing,” cautioned Bonapart.
With Conor, the instruction made a difference. Instead of routinely bowling with two hands, he was able to bowl with one by the close of the two-hour session. He switched from a 6- to 4-pound ball.

“I saw a big improvement in him by using the lighter ball,” Bonapart said.

Conor seemed to enjoy the one-on-one instruction.

“I liked to bowl without a whole bunch of kids,” he said.

Both he and his sister look forward to returning to Dragon Lanes each Monday.

“I like this program because I can actually get into these,” Carolyn said. “I can’t get into the fifth grade stuff because I’m not old enough yet.”

For more information about the EDGE! program, call 432-6428 or register at CYSS Parent Central Services on the fourth floor of the Soldier Support Center, Tolson Youth Activities Center or online at https://webtrac.mwr.army.mil/.

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