Get Out: Live Well Community Fair and Summer Opportunities for Kids

The Ingersoll Community Center is sponsoring the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development Live Well community fair this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be rides, arts and crafts, music, storytelling, healthy food demonstrations and the ubiquitous bouncy house for kids. In keeping with all Ingersoll programs, the fair is free and open to the entire community.

The fair, which will be held in front of the center's Myrtle Avenue and Prince Street location, launches what promises to be a hectic second summer for Lige Davis, Ingersoll's site director, and his staff. It's a task made more challenging due to steep budget cuts proposed in New York City summer programming, Mr. Davis said.

"Despite these challenging fiscal times, University Settlement/Ingersoll Community Center remains committed to providing essential and quality programming to the community at large," Mr. Davis said.

Thanks to the Department of Youth and Community Development, the community center will host a full-day summer camp program for children ages 5 to 12, from July 5 through Aug. 26. With summer break a week away, Ingersoll's camp is already oversubscribed, Mr. Davis said. Luckily, the center offers other free options to keep children, teens and others active, healthy and engaged all summer, he said.

For starters, there's the Helping Encourage Leadership Potential program or H.E.L.P., a summer boot camp for 12- to 17-year-olds. Run in partnership with the 88th Precinct, H.E.L.P. is held at the center every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from July 5 through Aug. 26.

Police are also offering the Law Enforcement Explorers to 14- to 20-year-olds. In the program, young men and women learn about police work and are encouraged to consider careers in law enforcement. For more information about this program, contact 88th Precinct Officer Nicholas Santos at (718) 636-6569.

Looking for focused athletic activities for your daughter? The community center will host the Rising Stars summer program, a middle school sports program that teaches girls life skills, self-confidence, self-esteem, healthy living and effective study habits. The program, held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, between July 11 and Aug. 18, is run by one of Ingersoll's affiliate organizations Power Play NYC.

Ingersoll will also offer three healthy living programs open to the community. One is the the Myrtle Avenue Farm Stand, sponsored by the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership, The stand provides access to fresh produce and will be open every Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. throughout the summer.

Ingersoll's fitness center is also available to all Fort Greene community members who are 16 years old and above on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Thursday evenings from 6 to 7:30 p.m. An emphasis on fitness continues with the center's Senior Stretch program for mature adults. The program focuses on toning, muscle conditioning and increasing flexibility, while balancing and reducing stress. Each session is enhanced through the inclusion of yoga and live music. Senior Stretch will be held every Wednesday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. this summer.

Finally, Ingersoll just concluded its first Invitational Basketball Tournament for local children who are 13 years old and under. Eric Manson, a coach and parent at P.S. 67 The Charles Dorsey School, successfully steered his team, Future Ones, to a 38-30 victory over Team Geo, a community-based group coached by the one and only Howard "Geo" Miller.

Starting this Saturday, make sure to keep up with all the center's programs by calling (718) 522-5051.