(BIVN) – The County of Hawaiʻi will be going ahead with a 2020 Summer Fun Program, although things will be a little different this year.

The Hawai‘i County Department of Parks and Recreation says the program will begin Monday, June 15 and will go for a minimum of five weeks, tentatively ending on Friday, July 17. The County provided this news release:

The program will run from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Monday to Friday and include a snack and take home-lunch. Enrollment is open to children who have completed 3rd, 4th, 5th or 6th grade this past school year. The program will be hosted at 13 park facilities around the Island. There is NO CHARGE for this program.

Enrollment will begin on Wednesday, June 3 at 7:45 a.m. and close on Thursday, June 4 at 4:30 p.m. Enrollment will be accepted from parents/guardians via electronic submission at hawaiicounty.gov/summer-fun or by calling the Recreation Division at 961-8740 (During business hours only: 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Note: information left on voicemail will not be accepted.)

Online enrollment is strongly encouraged as staff availability to take phone calls and process enrollments is limited. No walk-in enrollment applications will be accepted, participants are limited to enrolling at one site and each enrollment application allows for up to 4 children from the same household.

Participants at each site will be chosen via a random selection method as space is limited. Selected participants will be contacted by Recreation staff by Wednesday, June 10, at which time an appointment for submitting completed registration forms will be arranged. All other enrollees will be placed on a waitlist should a program site determine it is able to expand or if prior selected participants exit the program.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Summer Fun program will be significantly modified to address the health and safety of program participants and staff. The program will adhere to all federal, state and county level rules and standard for safe operation, as appropriate. along with various applicable industries and organizations.

This includes screening each morning prior to entry, a mandatory face mask/cover policy, physical distancing during program activities and enhanced sanitization procedures. The State of Hawai‘i Department of Health’s “Guidelines for Child Care Facilities to Reopen or Continue Care” will be incorporated, as appropriate.

The Summer Fun program may be extended up to an additional 2 weeks, through July 31, at some or all the sites should resources become available. Participants will be notified when a determination is made for their specific program site.

The following is a list of this year’s proposed Summer Fun program sites:

• Andrews Gym / Waiākea Waena Park
• Pana‘ewa Covered Courts / Pana‘ewa Park
• Kawananakoa Center / Hualani Park
• Pi‘ihonua Gym / Gilbert Carvalho Park
• Pāpa‘ikou Gym / Frank M. Santos Park
• Honoka‘a Gym / Honoka‘a Park
• Waimea District Park
• Ikuo Hisaoka Gym / Kamehameha Park
• Kekuaokalani Gym / Kailua Park
• Nā‘ālehu Community Center / Nā‘ālehu Park
• Rep. Robert N. Herkes Gymnasium & Shelter (Ka‘ū District Gym)
• Pāhoa Neighborhood Facility / Pāhoa District Park
• Herbert Shipman Park / Kea‘au Armory

For more information contact the Recreation Division at 961-8740 or via email at recreation@hawaiicounty.gov.