MONTICELLO – Over a dozen kids from Sullivan County left for the New York State Sheriffs Institute summer camp on Sunday. Situated in the Finger Lakes region near Penn Yan on Keuka Lake, the facility offers a free weekly program where local youths aged 9 to 12 enjoy swimming, sailing, and sports, alongside mentorship from deputy sheriffs.
Sullivan County Sheriff Mike Schiff said the camp is essential for a lot of the kids chosen to go.
“These are kids that maybe wouldn’t be able to go to camp,” he said. “So, we always feel good about it. It’s just a feel-good program, and everybody’s a winner.”
As a mother, Emily Davies is glad that there’s a place that kids can go and disconnect.
“This is really just kind of, like, shuts them out from all devices and gives them an opportunity to get back to being a kid.”
Anthony Margano was at the camp when he was 11, and now he has two of his kids going. He reflected on his time at the camp.
“I just remember it being a really great experience. It was a beautiful lake, a beautiful camping area,” he remembered. “There was a whole bunch of stuff to do, a lot of different options, and it’s just, just a great time overall.”
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