Write a commentOn Friday, Fulton Community Basketball brought in water slides and a bubble machine to celebrate the end of their first of two weeks of free summer camp-style sports programming at the Fulton War Memorial.
The drop-off program, known as the Fulton Youth Sport Showcase Week, ran from 8am to 4pm at the Fulton War Memorial from July 6 to July 10. A second week-long session is planned for the week of August 17 to 21. The showcase week gives Fulton children exposure to a wide range of sports and outdoor activities.
OCO Nutritional Services was able to provide free breakfast and lunch for the children as part of their summer meals program, feeding an estimated 1,500 kids over the course of the week. Participants were able to choose from approximately 20 sports to learn or practice over the course of the week, including: floor hockey, indoor and outdoor basketball, wrestling, “recess game” sessions focusing on kickball and softball, and lacrosse, to name a few. The program also included nature walks and fishing lessons.
This first session included 180 school-aged children and was run by over 50 volunteers. “Volunteers are what makes this program tick,” said Emily Banach, an Art Teacher at Lanigan Elementary in Fulton who helped coordinate much of the volunteer activities as a volunteer herself. “We’re seeing kids as young as eighth grade coming in to volunteer after participating in the program themselves and mentoring younger children. It’s incredible,” Banach told iHeart Oswego.
The free program is an incredible feat in a city with no budget line for youth programming—and it represents the huge potential of collaborative partnerships in getting things done for our community’s children. “The city has $0 in its budget for children’s events like this one, so everything is done through partnerships,” said Parks and Recreation Director Chris Waldron, who was on-site Friday helping coordinate the activities.
“Safe, inclusive and free—that’s our mantra,” said Sean Broderick, board member at Fulton Community Basketball. “But we couldn’t do this without our great partners. The city has great facilities and a great footprint along the lake, and Fulton Community Basketball has the infrastructure and know-how to do these things.” Broderick pointed out that the City of Fulton essentially donates the space at the War Memorial and allows the program to operate under the City’s umbrella. “Neither one could do it without the other. At the end of the day, the kids are benefitting,” said Broderick.
The program has also received $10,000 in funding from the Richard S. Shineman Foundation this year, which supported much of the programming for the week’s showcase. “We would love to see this expanded and offered at a county level,” said Chena Tucker, Director of the Shineman Foundation. “Seeing these kids receive sports training, meals, and mentoring—it’s a fantastic program.”
Other partnerships that helped make the program possible include support on staffing from Oswego County Youth Works and AmeriCorps, Oswego County Youth Bureau for curriculum and programming support, and donations from local eateries. “We’ve had lunches brought in by Muskies Bar, Chubby’s, Emeterio’s Pizza, a sub tray from Walmart… those donations help provide meals for anyone outside of OCO’s guidelines [for free meals],” Broderick told iHeart Oswego.
While not a formal partner, the Fulton City School District was well-represented among volunteers, with coaches, student athletes, and teachers alike providing support throughout the week. Superintendent Doug Lawrence also came to the program on Friday to lend a hand.
“We feel really fortunate… the way things get done in our community has to be through partnership and collaboration, not unilaterally,” Broderick said. He also made a point to talk about the other members of the Fulton Community Basketball Board: Jerry Mirabito, VP and Attorney at Fulton Savings Bank, who handles legal and compliance concerns; and Alissa Viscome, Employee Experience Director at Oswego Health, who acts as their grant writer. “We all have very different skills that complement each other really well,” Broderick said. “As Alissa likes to say, we’re small but we’re mighty.”
For those interested in supporting this incredible program, donations are accepted through Fulton Community Basketball, c/o Jerry Mirabito, Fulton Savings Bank, 75 S. First Street, Fulton, NY 13069.
For families interested in participating, ongoing programming is offered throughout the summer at the War Memorial. Free breakfast and lunch are offered to anyone aged 19 and under Monday through Friday; breakfast hours are from 8:30 to 10am and lunch is served from 12pm to 3pm. Registration for the next sport showcase week will be publicized through the Fulton Community Basketball Facebook page; inquiries can also be made by calling or texting Sean Broderick at (315) 593-5218.
