The guest speaker for our Jan 21 Zoom meeting was Cathy Franko, who is the Executive Director of HANDS (Helping Area Needs for Diverse Services) of Wyoming County. Cathy provided an update on the various programs at HANDS to improve the quality and availability of early care and education in Wyoming County.
The Focused Activity Nutrition Success (F.A.N.S.) Camp takes place during the summer. The FANS Camp went virtual this summer (partially funded by the Wyoming County Community Health Foundation and Tunkhannock Rotary).
Google classroom was utilized for the FANS camp and they sent seeds home to the children, so they could start their own gardens. The kids could partake in yoga, healthy snacking and a variety of educational and fun activities. 44 families signed up for the camp, which is more than a typical year. The normal ratio of students to counselors was not as critical this year, since it was online, and they were able to extend it to 8 weeks.
Cathy thanked Rotary for their support and flexibility in supporting the 2020 FANS Camp.
She indicated that they are currently planning for the 2021 FANS Camp, hoping that it can be a blend of in person and online activities, although they will be prepared for a full in-person or a full online Camp depending on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pres. Terri Detrick virtually presented a check to Cathy for $3,500 for the 2021 FANS Camp.
Cathy Franko