BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

MASSENA -- The Massena Joint Recreation Department is in full swing with the recent summer weather as numerous summer programs begin, including adult softball leagues and children's soccer.

At a recent village board meeting, Trustee Christine Winston told fellow board members the Joint Recreation Department was hard at work supporting the Massena adult softball leagues.

"Softball is up and going and things have been going well. They're working on getting the fields lined and looking good. They had a tournament this past Saturday as well," she said.

The town beach also opened during Memorial Day weekend, she said.

Normal beach hours with lifeguards on during the summer will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., she said.

Soccer registration also recently closed,  with over 300 kids signing up.

"It's a lot of kids, it's very popular," she said.

Summer recreation at the three elementary schools also runs from June 26 to Aug. 9, she said.

Playground programs and beach bussing are offered free of charge to the youth of Massena. Participants must be five years of age to attend the morning program and  to ride the bus to Massena Town Beach.

Parents or guardians can register their children ahead of time by contacting the Massena Recreation Department, signing up online with Massena Recreation Commission website or Facebook, or on the first day their child attends the program.  Supervised/organized programs will be located this year at Alcoa Field, Nightingale Elementary, Madison Elementary, and Jefferson Elementary.  Participants can be dropped off at any of the four locations to start the day, or may join at any other location if they check in with a playground leader.

Pick-up at these locations will start at 9 a.m., but if a pick-up is occurring that day at a location, it will only be once a day.  

Games and activities will be offered Monday through Friday from 9-11:30 a.m.  An arts and crafts instructor will be on hand at the locations to offer a variety of arts and crafts projects for children of all ages.

Participants will receive a free lunch at the high school courtesy of the Massena Summer Lunch Program, except for “All Day Beach Day.”  After lunch, the children will be bussed to the Massena Town Beach. On Wednesdays and other days that the school lunch program is not offered, a free lunch will be provided to all children participating in the morning program.  Wednesday lunch sponsors include Stewarts, An Italian Affair, Subway, and Sea-Comm Federal Credit Union.  All drinks are provided by Pepsi Cola.

This is a “drop-in” program which allows adults to drop off and pick-up children at any time they wish at the playgrounds and Massena Town Beach.  If the children become unruly, they will be sent home at any time during the program.