‘We were in the schools all day’: BPRD’s ‘Endless Summer’ program moved plans indoors due to smoky weather

(Update: Adding video, comments from Bend Park and Recreation and Endless Summer staff member)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Outdoor art and activities and field trips are some of the things the Bend Park and Recreation District offered to kids through their “Endless Summer" program.

Unfortunately, those fun outdoor plans had to be reconsidered for much of the program due to the unhealthy air quality brought upon the region by recent wildfire smoke.

One of the site leads for the program, Shauna Resnick, said what the kids get to do during the day depends on the air quality outside.

"The air quality at this point is something that I'm checking, even when I'm out, before I go to bed. Because when the air quality is is bad, our plans change,” Resnick said Wednesday.

If the air quality index is 200 or lower, the kids are allowed 15 minutes every hour to go outside. If it improves to 150 or below, then it's usually okay to go play outside. The staff are constantly monitoring the symptoms of the kids and how the smoke is affecting them.

Fortunately, an improvement in that air quality Wednesday meant the kids were able to be back outside.

The two-week summer program began on August 21 and runs until Thursday. The camps are being held at Bear Creek and R.E. Jewell elementary schools for kids ranging from 5-8 years old.

Recreation Service Manager Sue Boettner says the Bend Park and Recreation District offers hundreds of camps during the summer. Most of these programs ended August 18.

"This year, we worked with the school district to get two schools available to us to run Endless Summer." Boettner said. "We took close to 90 kids."

The majority of the program took place indoors in both elementary schools. Resnick said they had a variety of indoor activities to make things fun, including games, coloring, puzzles, Legos, movies and craft stations.

“Kids are pretty happy doing the big old Creation Station, which is just being able to put crafts together however they want." Resnick said. "We do some guided crafts. I would say the kids are pretty entertained.” 

Boettner added: "Kids are resilient. Obviously, most kids would rather be swimming in the lake or going outside, but they understand it's not healthy for them."

Bend Park and Rec is now looking to hire new staff members for their after-school program KIDS Inc. They encourage those interested in working with kids to give them a call at (541) 389-7275.