The majority of Vitebsk region's suburban children's health resorts will welcome their first visitors on June 10

For schoolchildren, summer holidays are primarily a time when they can forget about textbooks and daily homework. However, many parents, as a rule, want to combine business with pleasure: so that their child not only rests but also improves their health and gains strength for the new academic year. Of course, the ideal option is to take a child to the sea for a week or two, but not every family (not to mention if there are two or more children) can afford foreign trips. Nevertheless, a summer spent not on asphalt, among multi-story buildings, but in nature, is best suited for a growing organism. This is especially true for residents of large cities who do not have relatives in the village. In this case, the optimal alternative is a voucher to a suburban children's camp, of which there are currently 29 in the region.

This summer, their number has been replenished with another one – "Druzhnye Rebyata", which last year was transferred by the Vitebsk branch of RUP "Beltelecom" to the education department, on the balance of the regional Palace of Children and Youth.

The camp is located in the Vitebsk region, not far from the regional center. It is designed for the simultaneous stay of about 190 children. As its head Igor Vechersky reported, by the end of May, more than 120 vouchers had been sold for the first shift (which starts on June 10), and the second shift is traditionally the most in-demand, as in any camp. The total cost of a voucher was about 3.9 million rubles.

Here, for young visitors, there are three comfortable buildings equipped with all the necessary furniture. For active recreation, there are sports grounds – football, volleyball, basketball, and you can also play table tennis.

– The base inherited from the previous owner was quite well-equipped, we didn't have to buy beds, nightstands, or wardrobes, – says Igor Mikhailovich.

It is worth noting that the residential premises are heated – in case of cold weather, the boiler room can be turned on. By the way, due to its breakdown, it was not

The camp was opened last year. After extensive renovation and adjustment, it only started operating on January 1, 2016. So, for the new owner of "Druzhnye Rebyata," the current season is the inaugural one.

Another facility that required considerable effort and investment is the iron removal station, which is on the balance sheet of the owner of "Druzhnye Rebyata" and serves two other neighboring camps. In April, the iron removal system failed, and it was necessary to urgently replace the equipment to resolve the issue before the start of the health improvement season.

– 400 million rubles were allocated from the budget for the camp's preparation, with the main part of the expenses going towards current repairs. For example, cosmetic finishing of the dormitories, the canteen, the medical center building, and the hotel was required. Roofing work was carried out on some facilities. The remaining funds were used to purchase bed linen, stationery, lighting fixtures, and tableware, and kitchen equipment was updated, in particular, dryers and a washing sink for boilers were purchased, – says the camp director.

The owner is carrying out cosmetic repairs and landscaping on his own. From April to May, employees of the regional Palace of Children and Youth visit the site daily. Students of the Vitebsk Industrial and Construction College are helping them to tidy up. For the former, this is excellent qualified assistance; for the latter, it is an opportunity to practice their future profession.

The day before the children arrive, teachers, kitchen staff, and other employees (the staff is fully staffed) will arrive here to ensure that the summer for the boys and girls is interesting, active, and, most importantly, beneficial for their health.

By the way, the camp's operation will not cease with the end of the season, at least, that is what the owner hopes. He intends to further develop the territory into a tourist base: to put a bathhouse into operation, restore the billiard room, etc. In general, to prepare "Druzhnye Rebyata" to receive adults in the autumn-winter period so that the existing material and technical base operates all year round. But this is for the future; for now, the team's main concern is to provide all conditions for the children.

We remind you that a total of more than 40,000 young residents of Vitebsk region will rest in the region's children's camps, including school and work camps. Over 11 billion rubles have been allocated for the preparation of the camps, of which 5 billion have been invested by the owners.  

Natalia RYSHKOVA, "Vitebskiye Vesti". Photo by the author.