Youth Involvement In Potter

On the first day of YIP camp, five-year old Potter resident, Emeri Reeve declared "This is so much fun." Emeri and 21 other K-6th graders were picking up trash in Potter. YIP is Youth Involved in Potter, the three day camp is in it's fourth year.

YIP is the brainchild of Peg Musil, along with Jennifer Thomas. Peg said she first considered the idea a few years ago and knew she needed help and grabbed Jennifer for the art aspect. Peg said the intent was to "teach them about community involvement. It is good to get kids involved so then they are proud of their town and when they get older and either move away or stay here, they will become community-minded citizens."

Peg Musil and Jennifer Thomas start by obtaining funds from the village Keno funds and then the planning begins.

Peg and Jennifer have lots of help with the camp-two moms, four high school age youth and the support of the town. The camp is conducted out of the Art Loft located by the bowling alley.

This year YIP made a flag mural out of recycled lids. The flag will be displayed next to the Flea Market building. In addition, all the YIP participants are making a patriotic slat for a picket fence which will be displayed throughout the town.

Other activities completed during the camp--trash pickup throughout the entire town, cleaned up the reading garden, re-stained benches and planter boxes, planted flowers, and put up the sand volleyball net and cleaned up the area around the sand volleyball park.

Friday, their final day, the youth will put their displays around town and then celebrate with ice cream.

Third grader, Devani Frerichs said she liked the YIP program because "I like doing the art projects and I don't have to be with my sister all day. I liked doing the picket fence, the best." Davanci continued, "Last year, we did a lady bug and put them around the flower beds in town."