Youngsters find fun and friendship at the basketball camp sponsored by Babylon Village.

by Carolyn James

Tracey and Dianna Pesale and Lisa Spaneto sat beneath the shade of a large tree, sipping coffee and catching up on the latest news. Nearby their children bantered a tennis ball back and forth. It was a beautiful summer morning and the women said that the tennis program, one of several offered to youngsters by Babylon Village is and has been an important part of their lives for years.

"I love it, and the kids love it," said Diane Pesale, who has two children in the summer recreational program that also offers basketball, gymnastics and swimming lessons. "It gives them (the children) something to do", said Spaneto.

"Every year the program gets better," said Village Trustee Alice Vanderveldt, the program’s coordinator. "I’ve seen the kids in the program grow up and become instructors so this not only gives them something to do in the summer when they are young but also provides them with an opportunity for a summer job when they get older."

The program, which began July 6 and runs through August 5, has 600 children enrolled this year, some of whom take more than one option.

At the high school gymnasium, youngsters were working up a sweat playing basketball. The program begins at 8 a.m., but most of the participants said they didn’t mind getting up early during the summer to head down to the gym and play hoops.

"I like to come down here and play around and be with my friends," said Jordan Carlock, who has taken part in the summer programs for three years.

Steve Jones, another youngster, said he not only plays basketball in the morning but heads down to the Village pool afterward. "It’s fun and the counselors are cool," he said.

Matthew Harbert too enjoys a double dose of recreation every day playing basketball and then heading down to the beach for swimming lessons.

"I just said basketball and he popped up out of bed," said Nora Savastano who with Peggy Pashen and Donna Steffanetta watched as their children played basketball.

The parents like the program too, because it is centrally located in the Village.

"It’s very convenient because we don’t have to drive around for miles bringing them everywhere," said Savastano."

"These are our future high school basketball stars," added Pashen.

At the tennis courts, Diana Lemanski directs the instructors. She was in the program as a youngster, and is now attending SUNY New Paltz. The college junior also teaches tennis at Phelps Lane during the summer break.

"She’s a real professional and we are fortunate to have her," said Vanderveldt.