Floris UMC and Hutchison Elementary Partner for Camp Hutchison

Hutchison Elementary School was filled with students for four weeks from July 18 through Aug. 12.

A special new program, brought to the school by Floris United Methodist Church, helped make sure a portion of the school’s students kept learning through the summer and had nutritious meals. After a successful four weeks, organizers would like to bring the program back next year.

Jake McGlothin, director of serve ministries for FUMC, said the camp began as a conversation between the senior pastor, Hutchison Principal Judy Baldwin and himself. FUMC was looking for ways to help the school and asked Baldwin what she needed. Her response was that she would like a summer camp.

Baldwin was concerned that students lose some of what they learned during the school year over the summer, and wanted to offer subjects such as math, science, reading and other enrichment programs to students selected by the school.

They also wanted to make sure it had a camp feel, so Fridays were field days, where they would do fun activities, such as a visit from Rocknoceros. Other visitors included animals from the Reston Zoo and members of local fire departments, who talked about fire safety.

McGlothin said from the minute FUMC proposed the idea to members of the church they had no issue finding the many volunteers needed to hold the camp. “It’s been an absolute joy,” he said.

The camp had between 75 and 100 children attend each day and about 150 volunteers worked anywhere between one day to 12 weeks to help make sure the camp would run smoothly. Volunteers included members of Floris, friends of friends and community members that are not part of the church, McGlothin said.

Much of the funding for the program came from Floris United Methodist Church’s Christmas Eve offering, McGlothin said. He said they found community partnerships as well, such as Fairfax County, which helped provide the meals through the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program.

McGlothin said FUMC is always looking for volunteers and people who want to make a difference in the community, and they don’t have to be a part of Floris. The church and the school began their partnership more than a decade ago and programs have included coat and book drives, fundraisers and ESOL classes.