CZECH REPUBLIC: Senior citizens take a trip down memory lane as they attend a summer camp for pensioners

Record ID: 346618

  • Title: CZECH REPUBLIC: Senior citizens take a trip down memory lane as they attend a summer camp for pensioners
  • Date: 26th June 2012
  • Summary: SOBESIN (SO-BIE-SHEEN), CZECH REPUBLIC (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CAMP PARTICIPANTS DOING MORNING EXERCISES SENIORS ARRIVING FOR MORNING GAMES VARIOUS OF SENIORS PLAYING GAMES SENIORS TAKING REFRESHMENTS AFTER GAMES (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) CAMP LEADER JAROSLAV KRACMERA (RIKKI) (74) SAYING: "This is a return to childhood. Here in this beautiful environment you forget you are in your 70s or 80s and imagine you are 15, 7 or 8 years old and fully enjoy it." SENIORS PLAYING GAMES (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) BLAZENA ZARUBOVA (84), SENIOR AT CAMP, SAYING: "I like these games where we were able to return to our childhood." (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) MARIE NEDVEDOVA (65), SENIOR AT CAMP, SAYING: "Yesterday we made boomerangs and today we will learn how to throw them. We are doing a lot of interesting things - Rikki has a number of ideas. We also tried to work with a lasso and learn how to crack a whip - marvelous." (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) KAREL SRBECKY (77), SENIOR AT CAMP, SAYING: "I am satisfied - being here among such a number of women. My wife pushed me to be here so that at least one man is here." VARIOUS OF THE GROUP LEARNING HOW TO THROW BOOMERANGS (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) CAMP ORGANISER HELENA CELISOVA SAYING: "We had an idea to prepare a summer camp for seniors. Camp as it has to be - with all the games, competitions and also a little bit uncomfortable. We couldn't imagine what kind of people would meet here and how they would react and enjoy it. Anyway a great group of people met here and they are all having a good time, laughing. They are also very competitive, playful but also argumentative, when arguing about the points in the game." SENIORS EATING TOGETHER VARIOUS OF SENIORS BLOWING SOAP BUBBLES WHIP CRACKING SESSION
  • Embargoed: 11th July 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Czech Republic
  • Country: Czech Republic
  • Topics: Quirky,People,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA65C2F5OH2MXSYGQBL4Y9E1O5A
  • Story Text: Summer camp, a staple of youth culture and coming of age dramas, is now also providing a stage for people already far from teen angst and looking for a way back to their youth.
    A Czech inituative has set up a seniors summer camp for the over 65s where pensioners can throw homemade boomerangs, learn how to crack a whip and generally play hooky from being 'grown-up.' The YMCA Masaryk Summer Camp at Sobesin near Sazava river, about 60 kilometers south of Prague, hosts the camp under the motto, 'through the gate of childhood' in an idyllic wooded setting.
    "This is a return to childhood. Here in this beautiful environment you forget you are in your 70s or 80s and imagine you are 15, 7 or 8 years old and fully enjoy it," camp leader, the 74 year-old Jaroslav Kracmera told Reuters TV.
    "Yesterday we made boomerangs and today we will learn how to throw them. We are doing a lot of interesting things - Rikki has a number of ideas. We also tried to work with a lasso and learn how to crack a whip - marvelous," said 65 year-old Marie Nedvedova.
    There is a much higher ratio of women to men this year, but not all the men have been allowed to stay at home
    "I am satisfied - being here among such a number of women. My wife pushed me to be here so that at least one man is here," said Karel Srbecky.
    The idea for the seniors camp comes from Centre of Social Services in Prague, who wanted to give the elderly something to look forward to in the summer months when their families may be away, and the cities are less active than usual.
    "We had an idea to prepare a summer camp for seniors. Camp as it has to be - with all the games, competitions and also a little bit uncomfortable. We couldn't imagine what kind of people would meet here and how they would react and enjoy it. Anyway a great group of people met here and they are all having a good time, laughing. They are also very competitive, playful but also argumentative, when arguing about the points in the game," camp organiser, Helena Celisova said.
    And whether senior or teen the dayas every summer camp day should, with a singalong around the campfire.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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