Christian day campers visit Proctor Park

Chloe Zielinski, 10, looks on at Noland Phillips on tips to deliver the perfect cast July 12, 2019, at Proctor Park. Zielinski and Phillips are members Camp Spark, a Christian day camp out of Holts Summit.
Chloe Zielinski, 10, looks on at Noland Phillips on tips to deliver the perfect cast July 12, 2019, at Proctor Park. Zielinski and Phillips are members Camp Spark, a Christian day camp out of Holts Summit.

The combination of Proctor Park's natural beauty and a sunny summer afternoon created the perfect setting for a particular set of fishermen July 12.

Just about 30 children from Camp Spark out of Holts Summit lined the western bank of Proctor Park Lake with fishing poles in hand, trying their luck at reeling in a whopper of a fish.

Camp Spark is a Christian day camp set out of Union Hill Baptist Church that gives children in surrounding counties a chance to partake in a variety of activities through the summer.

Three such campers veered down the beaten path for a little more space as they cast their reels. Having never fished before, Parker George, 8; Noland Phillips, 9; and Chloe Zielinski, 10, worked together to untangle their lines and figure out this new adventure.

"We do a lot of special things," Phillips said. "We go to the mall, go to the movies sometimes, we even go to Big Surf. That's the best, really."

While Zielinski wholeheartedly agreed with her fishing friend about this notion, George enjoys another part of camp.

"I really like arts and crafts," she said.

While George, Phillips and Zielinski hail from New Bloomfield, Jefferson City and Holts Summit respectively camp director Missy Simpson said the annual fun is not exclusive to children around Jefferson City.

"We have had kids from all over," Simpson said. "We even had someone come in from Russellville."

"It's really a day-camp, like Y-care," she said. "It's run through the week, Monday through Friday, and we get anywhere form 20-30 kiddos. Sometimes we have more because their siblings can tag along."

Even though the fishing expedition only warranted the capture of one fish, the group enjoyed the change of pace.

"This is a really nice park," Simpson said. "It has all these nice little playgrounds and things to do around the trail. It doesn't hurt that it's a beautiful day out today."