Summer Activities
Nights Out at a Seawolves game … the annual picnic at Waldameer for HACE seniors … the Dino Jump and other activities for our kids … the “Learn to Golf” youth program … the National Night Out Program … HACE summers are filled with activities for everyone — young, old and in between.
Erie Housing Authority-sponsored summer activities draw more than 5,000 participants, including residents and volunteers — a number that shows, as the Authority’s credo holds, “It’s about people.”
Activities include:
Learn to Golf
Youths from the Garden Apartments YMCA, the Erie Heights/Pineview YMCA and the John F. Kennedy Center Youth Program participate in twice weekly golf lessons, as well as pitch, putt, and drive contests at Millcreek Golf and Recreation.
Waldameer Family Picnic
Our annual picnics draw about 2,000 residents and 125 volunteers.
Learn to Sail
Youths from the YMCA Kids Clubs learn the fundamentals of sailing from instructors at the Bayfront Center for Maritime Studies.
Victorian Princess Cruises
Residents from Schmid Towers, Friendship, Curry Schell, and Ostrow Apartments participate in annual summer luncheon cruises on the Victorian Princess.
Mentor Youth Fishing Clinic (Learn to Fish)
Youths, mentors, and parents representing the John E. Horan Garden Apartments and Erie Heights/Pineview YMCA Kids Clubs participate in Annual Housing Authority’s Learn to Fish Program.
YMCA Kids Clubs
More than 160 youths participate daily in activities at the YMCA Kids Club and Playground programs, including Girl Scouts, Junior Achievement, and those involved in art, golf, chorus, fishing, gym, board games, Olympic Day, Spoon’s League basketball, 4-H, outdoor activities, Olympics and much more. Field trips include Panama Rocks, Carnegie Science Center, Presque Isle, Whitford Park, Evans Skateland, Erie Seawolves games, bowling, Pioneer Water Park in Ohio and Kennywood Amusement Park in Pittsburgh.
Meet Your Neighbor Day
More than 250 residents annually attend Meet Your Neighbor Day at the John E. Horan Garden Apartments. Activities include a photography exhibit, a bike rodeo, health screenings, a raffle sponsored by the Erie Tenant Council, Earth Force activities and tours of the Early Connection Childcare Center.
Earth Action
Youths participate in Earth Action, a program that engages young people as active citizens who improve the environment and their communities.
United Way National Night Out
More than 350 residents annually attend National Night Out events at the John F. Kennedy Center and Erie Heights. Residents from Harbor Homes, Harbor Homes Annex, and adjacent scattered sites participate in the JFK Center National Night out. Residents from Erie Heights, Pineview, and Curry Schell participate in the Erie Heights National Night out. The event brings residents out to enjoy their neighborhoods and meet their neighbors.
Port-A-Pools
More than 50 children daily attend the Authority’s port-A-pools each summer at Erie Heights/Pinview, the John E. Horan Garden Apartments and at the Agnes R. Priscaro Apartments.
Mentor Youth Baseball Games
More than 50 volunteers and youth annually attend a night at the Jerry Uht Ballpark in July.
Senior Picnic
More than 200 residents from the Authority’s four high-rise senior buildings annually attend the Seniors’ Picnic at Waldameer Park.
In addition, daily summer recreation activities for Youth sponsored by the Housing Authority draw more than 200 youths ages 6 to 14. This does not include the 75-plus children, 6 weeks to 5 years of age, who are involved in childcare and Headstart programs. Summer Recreation Activities at the John F. Kennedy Center draw as many as 50 youth every day. Activities include music, the JFK Kids Café, the 4-H bowling program, performing arts classes, computer, Girl Scouts, education classes and indoor and outdoor recreation activities. JFK is involved with the Mentor/Youth Golf Program, 4-H, the Mentor/Youth Baseball Game and The “A Night Out with the Fellows” program. Young Housing Authority residents , ages 18 to 22, who are enrolled in college full-time, participate in the Housing Authority sponsored Summer Internship Program. They are employed full-time in the summer as YMCA and JFK youth counselors and in the Authority’s offices and maintenance department.
