For ten weeks each summer getting heart-healthy exercise is no problem for the 500 young people, 70 percent of who are from Fall River, who attend Camp Welch run by Boys & Girls Club of Fall River. The camp, situated just off of Route 24 in Assonet and  the oldest Boys & Girls Club cam in the country, was donated by the Dean family to the Thomas Chew Memorial Boys & Girls Club in 1882. Busses transport most of the kids aged 5-15 from Fall River daily for activities that range from sports to crafts for children. Children from Freetown, Dighton, Somerset and Swansea and about 60 overnight campers round out the group each day from about 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. A smaller camp of about 50 kids runs each day at the Bedford Street location for children who prefer not to leave the city. Click here for the Herald News article about the camp .or contact Executive Director Peter McCarthy at 508-672-6340.
 

(Top row, left) Camp Welch staffer Scott Douley pitches to Gene Ouellette. (Top row, center) Staffer Deborah Orlando and campers Cassie McIntyre and Jared Williams enjoy the crafts table. (Top row, right) Campers Jade Souza. Sheena Butler and Saffa Tengbeh get a good work-out in a soccer game. (Middle row, left) Noah Quental, Austin St. Pierre and Matt Hermenau play basketball on one of the outdoor courts. (Middle row, center) Jared Williams, Luke and Noah Cavallaro, and Jacob Bosse toss the ball in one of the two swimming pools at the camp. (Middle row, right) Dominick Rocha (center, left) of Fall River takes the ball down the hockey court. (Bottom row, left) Aston Souza, Kyle Oliver, and Aaron Morrell play a game of 4-square while staffer Kylie Pasternak, in the black top, referees. (Bottom row, center) McKenzie Devoll, Lily Dewsnap, Alison Medeiros, Ariana Souza and Autumn Johnson gather at the sidelines of the touch football game. (Bottom row, right) Fall River camper Austin Crownonshield carries the ball as Jeremy Folger follows in hot pursuit while staffers Josh Rogers and Matt Deroshers referee from the rear.