Super Summer Fun Camp for kids opens Monday - ABC 12 – WJRT – Flint, MI

(07/23/12) - A Flint church and the UAW are teaming up to offer kids a SAFE place to hang out this summer.

Monday marked the start of the 5-week long camp.

By 10 Monday morning, more than 50 kids had already arrived at the 'Super Summer Fun Camp'.

"Just want to show them that there are definitely good role models," said Cameron Martin, Youth Ministries Director.

Many of those role models are volunteers with the Cathedral of Faith Ministries - the church that teamed up with UAW Region 1-C to offer the camp. You'll find them inside the old Gundry Elementary on Dupont.

For Retinea Dye, signing her two kids up was an easy choice.

"Keep them constructively busy. Because if you don't keep them busy, they're going to keep you busy," Dye said.

Retinea doesn't want her 8-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter to become statistics.

"It's sad to see a generation just a, disposing of one another," Dye said.

The camp runs through Aug. 24.

Breakfast and lunch are provided, and there are constant activities including a field trip every Friday. And best of all, there's peace of mind.

"Right now there's not a whole lot of summer camps going on. I think the church offers a safe atmosphere," said parent J. Doans.

Doans' son's first activity was basketball. His daughter made new friends during arts and crafts.

Martin aims to make a difference, one kid at a time.

"One of the life-long lessons is that every young male is not running around and shooting and killing other people. But there are people who are interested in them, as children," Martin said.

The camp runs from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. weekdays.

You can register at any time. It costs $7 a week.

They're hoping to give as many kids as possible, a safe place to play and build their self-esteem.