Excitement and great expectation filled the air as some 50 young people (aged seven to late teens) from across the island came together in Blowing Point on the morning of Monday, July 20th for the launch of a highly charged week-long Joint Summer Camp, dubbed “Summer Adventures”.
The participating youth are members of four Youth Developmental Centres on the island – the East End’s HOPE Center, Island Harbour’s Community Development Centre, the Herchel Gumbs Community Support Centre in The Valley, and the Blowing Point Community Centre.
Prayer for the camp’s opening was offered by young camper, Adaiah Linton, as she asked God for His protection and blessings upon them all as campers for the duration of the week’s activities.
In addressing the enthused youth, Blowing Point’s Community Development Officer Mrs. Jemima Romney, acknowledged how delighted she was to welcome them: “It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this Joint Summer Camp 2026 under the theme Summer Adventures,” she said. This Joint Summer Camp is a cherished tradition that began in 2009 through a mutual partnership between the Island Harbour Care Centre and the Blowing Point Youth Development Center.
“As more Community Development Centres became established,” she reflected, “this wonderful initiative continued to grow. Its purpose has always been simple, yet meaningful – to bring young people from communities together to build lasting friendships, learn from each other, and create memories that will last a lifetime.”
The Hon. Minister of Social Development, Mrs. Shellya Rogers Webster, also welcomed the campers.
“It is my pleasure to be here with you this morning,” she said, “as I welcome you to the official opening of Joint Summer Camp 2026. I am happy to see your smiling faces and I am delighted to meet some of you for the first time.
“All of you are here to begin a week filled with fun, learning and new experiences. My advice to you is simple: get involved, try something new, be kind to each other, make new friends, help someone who needs your help and, most of all, do your best to have lots of fun.”
She noted that it is the Government’s intent for all the Community Development Centres to be places where children and families can feel welcomed in places where new skills are leant and where confidence is developed to face the future challenges of life.
“I want to extend special thanks to our Community Development Officers, the Community Services Planning Unit under the leadership of Mrs. Hyacinth Bradley, and thanks to all the volunteers, sponsors, parents and all the partners who have played a part in making this a reality,” the Minister concluded.
In delivering her remarks, Mrs. Hyacinth Bradley spoke of the cooperation between the Community Services Planning Unit and the various Community Development Centres across the island, and she mentioned the excitement that she had noticed among the younger campers.
Planning Unit
“We are really happy to work hand in hand with our Community Development Centres across the island,” Mrs. Bradley said. “This camp brings our young people together and enables them to interact with each other again this year. Through camps like these, our youth can build strong interpersonal relationships while having fun, and I can see on their faces that they are super-excited about the week ahead.”
The camp week in Blowing Point closes on Friday, July 24th.
There is also an official Community Development Centre for the district of West End, and according to Mrs. Bradley the youth there will be engaged in camp activities during the month of August.
By: James R. Harrigan
