The Boys & Girls Club of Fall River runs a summer day and overnight program at Camp Welch in nearby Assonet to provide hundreds of campers with an activity-filled program that includes basketball, soccer, baseball, swings, arts and crafts, swimming, hockey, dance and more. Campers are bussed from the Club in Fall River every day and returned at the end of the day, and parents are also allowed to drop their kids off directly at the Camp. Children from Freetown, Dighton, Somerset and Swansea as well as about 60 overnight campers round out the group each day that runs from about 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. "We make sure to keep kids active," reports Peter McCarty, Executive Director of the Fall River Boys and Girls Club. "We know that at home too many kids spend too much time in front of the television or an electronic game, and we don't allow those things here at the Camp," he states. The camp is the oldest Boys & Girls Club camp in the country and was donated by the Dean family to the Thomas Chew Memorial Boys & Girls Club in 1882. Click here for photos from last year. Click here for a three-minute video of some of the activities. For more information, contact Executive Director Peter McCarthy at 508-672-6340. .

(Top row) Staff member Amber Souza referees a game of four square while others learn some dance moves or play in the swimming pool. (Row two) Campers get lots of active play time through a variety of games throughout the day. (Row three) Dominick Jackson tosses the football to the other players while Victoria Reis dunks the ball in the net. ((Bottom row) While campers play soccer on several fields, Aidon Pina enjoys the swings.