HANGING OUT WITH ALL OUR FRIENDS: Members of the JRBGC enjoy the wave pool at Water World during their recent trip.

CAIRO- The Jackie Robinson Boys and Girls Club of Cairo had an exciting weekend, leading up to the conclusion of their summer program. The Club took 80 kids ranging from ages 6-16 to Water World in Dothan.

According to Club Director Stephen Francis, this was most of the participants’ first time experiencing a water park.

“We had a group that went to Water World before COVID-19, but only five of those kids came back for a second time,” Francis said. “I had never been myself, so for me and 75 kids, the experience was brand new.”

Francis said the field trip was among one of the best the JRBGC has ever taken.

“I was blown away something that nice was so close to us,” he said. “The Water World staff was awesome and our staff did a great job of patrolling the kids.”

The kids’ favorite part of the water park was the wave pool.

“Everyone went to the wave pool,” Francis said. “Every 10 minutes a horn would blare and waves would start back up, and that’s all they waited on.”

With the waves and depth starting out small, and gradually growing larger and deeper, knowing how to swim was a requirement for the trip.

“They had to know how to swim,” explained Francis. “Every Tuesday and Thursday, we swim here, so we knew who can really swim and who can’t.”

To avoid any possible dangers, all of the smaller kids were required to wear a life jacket.

“We gave them no choice,” Francis said.

Water World gave compliments to Francis and his staff for doing such a great job with the kids and instilling in them the importance of water safety.

They get a lot of camps who just sort of let the kids run free, but that’s not what we’re about,” Francis said. “We like to keep a close eye on them and make sure they’re having a fun, but safe time.”

Francis said some of the older kids did check out the water slides, but still returned to the wave pool, enjoying the time with the other kids.

“It just really went great,” Francis lauded. “I’m still exhausted though.”

Francis will need to regain his energy as the JRBGC takes one last field trip on July 26 to Recoil Trampoline Park in Valdosta.

Francis said he was recommended the trip by a parent.

The park boasts itself as the area’s only “indoor trampoline park for families and children.”

With the end of summer looming, the JRBGC will return from their trip for one last cookout on July 28, concluding a near-perfect summer for the kids and staff.