Through many scavenger hunts, fire station visits and planned visits from law enforcement, youngsters in Odessa College’s Zombie Preparedness Camp have picked up some useful tips on first aid and safety.
The camp concludes with Zombie face painting and a Zombie Walk.
Maigen Pool was the instructor on Wednesday. They went on a scavenger hunt and wound up at the Atmos Energy Pantry Gardens at Odessa College.
Kristi Clemmer, director of student support services, explained how the garden is used to supply produce for the Wrangler Food Pantry.
Clemmer also showed them sunflower seeds and answered questions about the different plants.
Fourteen children were signed up, but not all of them were there. The age range was 7 to 12.
Pool said the youngsters get first aid supplies. “And the fire department and the police department talk to them about emergency situations and being prepared and how to go about that,” Pool said. “On Thursday (Aug. 4), we get to paint their faces and they go all around campus doing the zombie walk and then we’re doing zombie tag, as well,” she added.
Twelve year old Scarlett Hughes has been to the zombie camp many times.
“I enjoy going to the fire station and the police talking to the kids. It’s a lot of fun,” Hughes said.
She added that she learned a lot of “first aid stuff” that she didn’t know.
Like many of the other campers, the fire station was her favorite part.
Charlie Sypolt, 9, said her mother made her go to the camp, but, “It’s pretty fun.”
“We get to do a lot of scavenger hunts and learn at the same time, but I don’t pay attention to the learning,” Sypolt said. “I sometimes do, but when it comes to math and stuff, I don’t.”
The scavenger hunt doesn’t include math, “so I’m good,” she added.
Arianna Lujan, 7, said the camp was very cool and she also liked visiting the fire station. She’s learned that if you’re in trouble, you should call 911.
She was looking forward to being made up as a zombie Thursday.
Clemmer told youngsters that the sunflowers are so tall because that’s the kind they are.
She said they had them in some pots, but those pots are now covered with ivy.
“… Everything that we pick from the garden goes to our food pantry,” Clemmer said. “… Sometimes college students have trouble affording groceries because they’re in college and they’re working, or maybe they’re not working. So we have a pantry where they can come get help with food …”
The produce from the garden goes to the Wrangler Food Pantry.
