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kids

Kids, crafts and tents at Codman Campout

October 31, 2012

(This article was originally published in the Lincoln Journal on June 21, 2012.)

By Alice Waugh

The Codman Community Farms entrance area was a colorful and congenial place to be on the night of June 16, as dozens of families pitched tents, ate dinner and enjoyed some campfire camaraderie during the annual Codman Campout.

For the past five years each June, members of Codman Community Farms have been invited to camp at the farm overnight after an evening of children’s crafts activities, s’mores and campfire songs. This year there were 30 tents with 86 people participating, most of them families with young children.

“We’re so happy to see that. For this event to keep going, we need these younger campers,” said Codman Community Farm board member Erica Darnall.

Like many of the other parents in attendance, Matt and DJ Mitchell of Lincoln had done some camping before they had children, and the Codman event was a chance to introduce their younger child to the experience.

“This is a test run,” said Matt, sitting in the barn before dinner with DJ and their daughters Montana, 2, and Cadence, 4, who have visited the farm frequently (Cadence is especially fond of Opal the donkey). “We’re excited about the evening, and we’re hoping for a happy and tear-free time.”

The children checked off activities on a quiz sheet to qualify for s’mores after dinner. Inside the barn before dinner, they sniffed plants in jars at the “Guess What Herb I Am” table, made paper puppets and clothespin dragonflies, found earthworms on a tray of soil, and even made “I Love Ewe” sheep out of popsicle sticks and cotton balls to give their dads the next morning for Father’s Day.

Lincoln fourth-grader Sydney Kanzer and her father Bill were at the campout for the second time. Asked what was her favorite part of the event, Sydney replied enthusiastically, “Everything’s awesome!” She later echoed many of the kids in citing the marshmallows and guitar sing-along around the campfire as being especially fun.

“The food is one of the best parts,” said Linn Elmes as she helped herself to dinner along with her husband David and their daughters Natalie, 9, and Sophie, 6. The hot buffet catered by Rebecca Leonardi of Lincoln included pulled chicken, a strawberry and goat cheese salad, and a side dish of rice, sausage and dried cranberries for the parents alongside hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, and watermelon for the school-age diners.

It was a cool and crisp evening, not too warm for snuggling into sleeping bags, and everyone slept well, including the first-time campers. “Nobody cried and woke anyone up,” said Darnall, adding that the turkeys didn’t start gobbling too early, either. Shortly after 6 a.m., the roosters crowed and the campers emerged from their tents for bagels and coffee.

“It was a really beautiful evening, and everyone had a great time,” Darnall said.

(Editor’s note, July 2019: I took these photos in 2012, but generations of software have left behind the original captions. If anyone knows the names of these folks, please email lincolnsquirelnews@gmail.com.)

Category: agriculture and flora, features, kids, nature

Kids compete by paddling, pedaling and putting feet to the ground

October 30, 2012

(This article originally appeared in the Lincoln Journal on June 29, 2012.)

By Alice Waugh

Despite a few no-shows due to early-morning rain, 182 kids finished Lincoln’s ninth annual “Splash, Mash and Dash” kids’ triathlon last Saturday, with Lincoln residents finishing near the top in almost every age group.

Participants came from all over eastern Massachusetts and beyond, with one from as far away as Grosse Point, Mich. Forty-three of the finishers (about 24 percent) were Lincoln residents.

Before the start, kids checked in at the Codman Pool to have race numbers and ages written on their arms and legs in black marker and waterproof transponder chips attached to their ankles. Participants age 7 and up had to swim, bike and run different distances depending on their age group (although the 5- and 6-year-olds did only an “aquathon” without the biking portion).

After a stirring a capella rendition of the national anthem by Georgia and Brittany Baltay of Lincoln, the youngest kids did one length in the water (parents swimming alongside) and then dashed from the pool amid applause from the crowd to the running course marked with flags on the adjacent grassy field. Older kids instead ran to the parking lot, which was marked off in squares with spray paint for each child’s towel, bike, helmet, shoes, shirt and race bib. More than 40 volunteers plus a cohort of lifeguards helped guide the kids along the course and keep things running smoothly.

As racers neared the finish line, family members shouted encouragement, and proud parents posed their damp, tired and happy kids for photos after each was presented with a medal. Event co-organizer Karen Smyers of Lincoln acted as emcee. Using a wireless microphone, she congratulated kids as they finished with calls of “Nice finish! You got it! You did so well!”

“It was nice having a different bike route this year,” said 14-year-old Sam Hoenig of Lincoln, who finished in first place among 13- and 14-year-old boys. He noted that last year, the triathletes couldn’t bike or run on Lincoln Road (which was in the midst of a repaving project) and instead had to do laps around the ball field.

First to finish the boys’ aquathon was 6-year-old Peter Tompkins of Reading, Mass. He was so eager to run after his swim that he dashed our of the pool onto the course without bothering to don his shoes or shirt. But he comes by his triathlon enthusiasm honestly — he was one of nine cousins who took part. Three Tompkins siblings, four Smiths from Hingham and two Croteaus from Arlington entered, no doubt inspired by their grandmother, 70-year-old Pat Ryan of Medford, who started doing triathlons 27 years ago and is now a world-class triathlete in her age group.

Another top Lincoln finisher in her group was Olivia Pistorio, who came in sixth overall among the 9- and 10-year-old girls. “I think I like the biking part best, because you can glide and rest a bit and not have to use your arms,” she said. The event was more enjoyable for her this time because recent weather made for more comfortable swimming in the unheated Codman Pool. “Last year the water was freezing,” she said.

All morning, parents and kids clustered around a TV monitor showing everyone’s times, which were recorded by the transponder chips and transmitted to computers in All Sports Events van near the finish line. Complete results are available on the All Sports website (click on “Results”).

Everyone got a chance to finish the course, even if they didn’t do it strictly by the book. Smyers reported that one girl missed the route on the bike course, but organizers accommodated her request to repeat the entire triathlon without being timed. A child in the youngest age group was scared to start the swim along with her peers, “but when the race was about two-thirds over, she decided she was ready,” so organizers let her unofficially complete the aquathon, Smyers said.

Another happy athlete was 7-year-old Henry Fenollosa of Arlington, who crossed the finish line together with his twin brother Leo despite wearing a brace on his lower leg. Their mother, Catherine Fenollosa, explained that Henry was diagnosed with cancer of the spine while she was still pregnant with him. He started chemotherapy when he was one day old and is now cancer-free, though he was left with partial paralysis in one leg. When registering for the triathlon (his first), Henry insisted on competing with his age group rather than the younger kids. Successfully completing all three segments was “huge,” his mother said.

Top finishers received prizes including Timex “Ironman” watches, Saucony jackets and sweatshirts, and gift cards from Marathon Sports. There were also raffle prizes from donors including Something Special.

The first Lincoln residents to finish in each group (and their overall results for their group) were

  • Ages 5-6: Ginger Perry (3rd), Dylan Russell (3rd)
  • Ages 7-8: Sophie Herant (1st), Callum Stein (1st)
  • Ages 9-10: Olivia Pistorio (6th), Simon Perry (1st)
  • Ages 11-12: Larsen Henken (5th), Danny Hoenig (3rd)
  • Ages 13-14: Charlotte Sykes (1st), Sam Hoenig (1st)

 

Category: kids

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