TORNADOS, HEROES

Summer camp teaches city history

Some youngsters in Lorain are spending their summer learning about the rich history of the International City.

The Lorain Historical Society

Summer Camp at the Carnegie Center at 329 W. 10th St. is in full swing, and the staff made sure all of the necessary novel coronavirus procedures are being followed.

“Today, we are learning about military heroes in Lorain,” said Jenn McManamon, children’s education and curriculum coordinator at Lorain Historical Society, about the July 14 camp session. “Then, we all thought about people we think are heroes in our own lives.”

McManamon said the camp meets three days a week.

“Camp goes Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays through the summer,” she said.

“What is cool about our camp is we offer it to small friend groups.”

— Jenn McManamon, children’s education and curriculum coordinator at Lorain Historical Society

“What is cool about our camp is we offer it to small friend groups,” McManamon said.

“So, we have camp groups with friends and family. What we like about our camp, it gives parents and families the option to know the folks they are coming with and their COVID habits; their quarantine and safety habits they have been practicing.”

McManamon said the COVID-19 procedure the camp is using was approved by Lorain County Public Health.

“We have their temperatures taken as they come in,” she said. “We then have them wash their hands and sing a song.

“Today, it was SpongeBob SquarePants, to make sure they are washing their hands long enough. We then come in and sit on the carpet that is six feet apart.”

McManamon said once all of the COVID protocols are followed, the camp focuses on learning more about Lorain history.

“We learned about the nature of history last time,” she said. “We covered the tornado that came through Lorain (in 1924). All of the camps, they are all rooted with some historical lesson about Lorain. They also involve other subjects.

“We incorporate engineering, math, biology, so we just kind of spread it around while having fun.”

Devyn Krzak, 10, of Lorain, said he has really enjoyed the camp.

“One day, we made these paper clips to catch the magnet that were glued onto paper fish,” Devyn said. “We then stood on the boat (the small-sized replica ship in the Lorain Historical Society’s Children’s Room) and see who could catch the most fish.”

Devyn’s sister, Sophia Krzak, 8, said she liked the section on tornadoes.

“We talked about how the tornado came up and went toward Broadway destroying homes ... and caused lots of damage for Lorain,” Sophie said. “For the tornado, we made (an experiment that had liquid in two two-liter bottles) that we shake to act like a tornado. It was really fun.”

Some open Saturday sessions still are available.

ZACHARY SRNIS — THE MORNING JOURNAL Devyn Krzak, 10, of Lorain, demonstrates his homemade tornado at a summer camp at Lorain Historical Society Carnegie Center at 329W. 10th St. in Lorain.

ZACHARY SRNIS — THE MORNING JOURNAL Jace Jarnigan, 9, left, of Lorain, and Sophia Krzak, 8, of Lorain, make heroes as part of a daily craft at a Lorain Historical Society Summer Camp.