Crazy hats, swimming, bowling all part of the fun at day camp

Chris Kelly West Long Branch’s Danielle Ciaglia, 7, proudly wears her special Sponge Bob hat for West Long Branch Day Camp’s Crazy Hat Day.

WEST LONG BRANCH — It was "hats off" to the kids Monday morning at the West Long Branch Day Camp’s annual Crazy Hat Day.

Borough children between the ages of 5 and 12 sported their most flamboyant headwear and competed for prizes.

Seven-year-old Alyssa Reed of West Long Branch adorned her hat with bows and drawings, while 10-year-old Danielle Ciaglia of West Long Branch designed her own hat with a replica of cartoon character "Sponge Bob." For their efforts, all participants were rewarded with ribbons.

Camp director Rob Donahoe, who is employed as a math teacher at Red Bank Regional High School, said Crazy Hat Day is just one of the camp’s many diversions.

Donahoe, who has been working at the camp for 17 years, has organized an array of activities for the campers. From 9 a.m. to noon on weekdays, children participate in sports such as soccer and "Frisbee-golf." In addition, the children are taken on field trips to the Oceanport Lions Swim Club and the bowling alley.

The campers are divided into six groups, according to their age.

According to Donahoe, the camp is responsible for approximately 100 children per day, and there is no charge for admission. "This is the only free camp in the area," he said.

The camp, which is located at the Frank Antonides School, Locust Avenue, has served borough children for the past 44 years.

In addition to sports and field trips, the children create arts and crafts projects on a daily basis. One of the 10 camp counselors, Amy Larue, who has been teaching art at the camp for the past five years, said the children color with crayons, work with lanyards, and bead their own jewelry.

Some other special events this summer include a bubble-gum-blowing contest on "Bubble Gum Day," a spelling bee and a kickball contest.

Donahoe said there is no preregistration required. Community residents may show up on any given weekday and be able to participate in the day’s events.