Photo Credit: redbankgreen.com
Jun
As it is the custom every year in early July, Abraar School will be welcoming the Muslim Association of Canada's Summer Camp and its young guests. This year, MAC Summer Camp staff are already gearing up for what they hope will be the best camp to date, full of fun activities, lasting memories, and unique and special friendships.
MAC strives to build a lasting bond among Muslim children who will in turn build a stronger community in the future. The association believes that the primary means of achieving its vision is by investing in Muslims and developing Muslim individuals who are spiritually connected, strongly grounded in their own faith, and motivated and enthusiastic through interactive educational activities.
In this vein, the camp accepts children ages 4 to 12 years old. Children are divided into age-specific groups and are provided with programs that are suitable for their ages. Camp activities are permeated with various Islamic themes, including Quranic instruction, prayers, and the basics of Islamic knowledge. Other activities include sports, swimming, hobby clubs, craft projects, science experiments, cooking, baking, interactive shows, workshops, as well as indoor and outdoor field trips. The camp also emphasizes Islamic disciplinary concepts, such as punctuality, humility in dress and behavior, continuous communication, and mutual respect.
“The camp offers Muslim children the opportunity to explore their potential and to deploy their energy in a structured and beneficial manner. The camp helps channel the children's capabilities in a manner that complements and enhances their spiritual development,” Houcine Cherif, MAC Summer Camp Director, says.
The MAC Summer Camp is managed by a number of qualified staff and volunteers. Staff members are selected based on their Islamic integrity in addition to their experience, skills, and ability to interact positively with children. A team of teachers, counselors, assistants, workshop presenters, and guest speakers lead the children through the many educational and Islamic activities.
Parents in the Ottawa Muslim community are grateful for such a good program and opportunity. With the peace of mind that the camp offers through its safe environment, parents also underscore the value that the camp adds by providing fun and educational activities that are not as rigid as school activities but which are still enjoyable and instructional.
In chatting with parents, those who have already registered their children indicated that they mostly value their - and their children's - interaction with the larger Ottawa Muslim community and not only Abraar parents and students. Souheila, a mother of two says:
“The first year sending my kids to MAC Summer Camp was hard. I did not know the people running the program and it was my first time visiting Abraar School. For my two kids, it was new and a bit scary because they knew very few of the kids who were enrolled in the camp. Few days later, I saw how much my kids enjoyed their time and how much they were eager to go everyday and play, swim, and meet their new friends. This year, my kids asked for it and I have already enrolled them. I have faith and confidence that the camp will not only be as much fun as it was last year, but also that they will meet new friends, be part of their Muslim community, and learn many things. I encourage all parents to consider enrolling their kids in the camp.”
This year the camp will run between July 3 and July 27, 2012. Although the camp hours are between 9 am and 5 pm, the camp offers the advantage of a before- and after-hours program which runs from 8 to 9 am and from 5 to 6 pm.
For more information on the camp guidelines and program and to register for the camp, please visit http://macottawa.ca/summercamp/guidelines/
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