Kids stay hydrated at Camp Kern during high heat

Kids stay hydrated at Camp Kern during high heat
FOX 19 News
July 19, 2011

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OREGONIA, OH (FOX19) - Camp Kern hosts more than 500 children for both indoor and outdoor activities and despite all the hot temperatures hitting the region the camp says this is one of it's busiest weeks.

"You plan for hot days and so we've done that with our program to prepare for it," says Executive Director Jeff Merhige.

The plan at Camp Kern is more time in the pool and plenty of water.

To stay out of the sun, outdoor activities are being re-scheduled for cooler times during the day.

"In the horse programs, we've changed the schedule so that they are doing most of their riding early morning and late in the evening," says Merhige.

Even outdoor games are taking shelter in the shade and water stations are set up around campus to keep kids hydrated.

"We're constantly telling them to drink water, we're constantly getting everyone to wear hats, sunscreen is really important," says Merhige.

And it sounds like the campers are listening.

"You need to always have a full water bottle," says 9-year-old Shyam Swami.

"A lot of times I stay in the shade or I wear a hat or something," says 13-year-old William Large.

"I'm using SPF 85 actually even though I'm really tan so I'm not getting burnt or anything," says 12-year-old Natalia Stepien.

Some parents have called with concerns about the heat but no children have left with cases of heat exhaustion or severe sunburns.

"We have two nurses on staff 24/7 at Camp Kern and an RN lives here all summer long," say Merhige.