Local swimming camp in Pécs
“Water and its use has accompanied all humanity from the cradle to the grave. It is the best friend of those who know how to use it, but it will always remain a formidable enemy to those who have not learned to swim.” (Ovid)
“Today (15 August) the local swimming camp of the Pécs 3 group started. The mornings are spent in the Hullámfürdő, where the children learn the technical skills related to the different swimming techniques with the help of swimming instructor András Patacsi. On Monday and Tuesday afternoons we’ll focus on 3D printing, on Wednesday we’ll visit the slide park at Harkány beach, on Thursday we’ll visit Orfű and on Friday we’ll face the challenges of the Mecsextrém park. The groups will be assisted by instructors, students from the Pécs 3 group and volunteers. In addition to exciting programmes, team building is a priority.” Andrea Bálint- Orsós, mentor Pécs Group 3
Photos of the camp can be seen in the Gallery.
This is how we saw it…
“The swimming camp of the Pecs 3 group was organised between 15-19 August 2022, where we could participate as a small group. As we are members of this group, the meeting was not surprising, unlike the programmes organised by our mentor.
At the beginning of the week, after the swimming lessons, the programme continued at the Community House in Pécs, where the children were introduced to the mysteries of 3D printing. The second half of the week was all about water and movement.
On Wednesday, we visited the beach in Harkány, where we could go sliding and enjoy the other facilities offered by the premises. Wednesday’s experience dumping didn’t end after Harkány, as we spent the evening together in the Community House in Pécs. Here, the children had the opportunity to watch a film and talk together, which also added to the strength of the audience, which is a great asset.
On Thursday, everyone was able to live out their extreme desires as we spent time in the Mecsextrém park. Before lunch it was bobsledding and after lunch it was mainly ropes courses. The children were excellent at the obstacles, demonstrating their agility and skill.
Friday was the last day of the camp, but the programme was still going strong, as our organiser was not tired for the weekend. Orfű was our last destination, where the children were able to experience the water in a natural environment at Kisto in Orfű. The children were not deterred by the harshness of nature, and despite the light rain and wind, they were happy to swim (and in water).
We closed the camp at the Community House. It was a pleasure to see how our small group of tiny tots had grown into a tight-knit community in just one year. It makes us feel good to be able to set an example for the younger ones through our small mentoring work and to give back a small piece of the good we have received over the years to the Foundation.” Ákos Tarnay and Tihamér Szereceán mentors Pécs group 3
“I joined the local swimming camp programme on Wednesday when we went to the beach in Harkány. Besides the bombs coming from the starting line into the swimming pool and touching the bottom of the 2.8 m deep pool with their feet or hands, the children of course also tried out the facilities offered by the slide park. We were able to stay until closing time, as a sleepover at the Community Centre was on the agenda for the day. The experience took the energy out of all of us, and some of us fell asleep within the first minutes of the film. On Thursday, after breakfast together, we went to the Wave Baths and from there to the Mecsextrém Park, where we went bobsleighing and tried out the alpine rope course. On the junior course, as well as testing their sense of balance and dexterity, the children also tackled their fear of heights, for example, with words of encouragement from the others. The last day was spent on the beach of Kistó in Orfű, hoping that the rain would not arrive until late afternoon as forecast. We passed the time in the water with a game of ball and mud wrap. Thanks to the good organisation and the mentors, the week went smoothly and we all had a lot of laughs and experiences. Thank you for the opportunity to be there with the P3 group.” Csilla Czimondor volunteer
“I spent this week in the P3 small group swimming camp as a volunteer. It was a new area for me to try myself. In addition to swimming lessons in the mornings, there were a variety of activities for the children in the afternoons. In the extreme heat, as well as enjoying the beach, they were introduced to the mysteries of 3D printing, tried bobsleighing in the Mecsextrém Park and tackled the obstacles of the alpine rope course. They also looked forward to their first sleepover and movie night in the Community Centre. It was good to see the children enjoying the activities and each other’s company, slowly but surely forming a close-knit little team, which this camp helped to create. They look out for each other, and during the week we saw and heard lots of children laughing and joking around, jumping up and down, encouraging each other when they needed it, and being happy for each other’s success. They were indefatigable, real little energy bombs, going through each day with full energy. We all had a great week, thanks to their mentor who organised this fantastic camp for them and the help of the little mentors. I think that for us adults, too, it was a week to remember, with all the experiences we shared. Thank you and I am glad that I could spend this week with them, it will be a memorable one!” Luca Borsy, mentor Pécs Group 1