FORT HOOD, Texas — As school lets out and summer is ushered in, one question lingers — what now?
Fort Hood answers that habitual seasonal query with a variety of events, activities and programs offered through the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation and USO Fort Hood.
“Kids are out for the summer and it’s important that we maintain that sense of community, while having fun,” Alex Lubin, DFMWR marketing assistant, expressed. “Everybody likes to have fun, and that’s what MWR does.”
Summer camps are a tradition, and Child and Youth Services offers camps for youth of all ages.
“It’s really important to offer a variety of programs to get our kids engaged,” Melanie Mahoney, CYS school liaison officer, said.
Camp for children kindergarten through fifth grade is 5:30 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays through Aug. 14 at two locations: Walker School Age Care in Bldg. 85006 on Warrior Way and Muskogee School Age Care in Bldg. 52943 on Muskogee Road.
Teen summer camps for youth in sixth through 12th grade run 7 a.m.-1 p.m. weekdays through Aug. 14 at Comanche Youth Center in Bldg. 52019 on Tank Destroyer Boulevard.
Registration is open week to week. Visit http://militarychildcare.com/ to reserve a spot for summer camp or visit Parent Central Services in Room 101 on the first floor of the Shoemaker Center, Bldg. 36000 on Shoemaker Lane at Fort Hood or call 254-287-8029 for more information.
Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area offers plenty of fun in the sun for Soldiers and families, to include swimming, boating, camping, fishing and more.
All vehicle occupants 18 and older must possess a valid Department of War ID card or an Installation Access Pass, or IAP, to enter.
Non-ID cardholders must register for an IAP at the Marvin Leath Visitor Welcome Center in Bldg. 69012 on T.J. Mills Boulevard, adjacent to the Bernie Beck Main Gate. Visitors must present the paper copy to gain entry.
Minors must be accompanied by a DOW ID cardholder or an IAP holder. Minors are subject to ID checks for age verification if needed.
The entry fee is $2.50 per disabled veteran vehicle, $5 per authorized DOW patron per vehicle and $10 for all other civilians per vehicle. Learn more at http://hood.armymwr.com/programs/belton-lake-outdoor-recreation-area1.
Last entry is at 9 p.m. and all day-pass guests must vacate the park by closing at 10 p.m.
For complete gate access instructions, please visit: http://home.army.mil/hood/my-fort/visitor-information.
Water enthusiasts can also choose from indoor or outdoor pools on post open to DOW ID cardholders through Aug. 15.
For more information on the installation’s outdoor pools, visit http://hood.armymwr.com/programs/outdoor-pools.
For more information on indoor pools, visit http://hood.armymwr.com/programs/indoor-pool.
Swim lessons are also available for participants aged 6 months to adults through the DFMWR Learn to Swim Program. Visit http://hood.armymwr.com/ for more information.
For those who enjoy reading poolside, Casey Memorial Library features a vast array of authors and more, to include a dedicated space stocked with books just for children.
Reading enthusiasts can turn pages into prizes in the Summer Reading Program through Aug. 3. Participants log reading time online or in person to earn prizes. Register at http://forthood.beanstack.com/reader365.
The library is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, with extended hours until 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday and is located in Bldg. 3202 on 72nd Street and 761st Tank Battalion Avenue.
Visit http://hood.armymwr.com/programs/libraries or call 254-287-4921 for more information about what is available at the library.
From ceramics to wood-making, the Apache Arts and Crafts Center is just the place for craft enthusiasts to spend lazy summer days.
Visitors can choose from over 6,000 ceramic molds and learn all about industrial woodworking.
The Resiliency Through Art Program provides a safe and quiet space for patrons to use arts and crafts to reduce stress and increase focus.
The center is also available for parties and other special events.
Hours of operation are noon-7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and training holidays. The center is in Bldg. 2337 on 761st Tank Battalion Avenue and 62nd Street.
Visit http://hood.armymwr.com/programs/apache-arts-and-crafts-center or call 254-288-2491 for more information.
The Fort Hood USO is ensuring children and teens stay engaged this summer with the USO Summer Salute program offered through August.
The program features USO Kids: Storytime for children 10-11 a.m. Mondays; and USO Teens: Pop Art and Pop Floats for youth 2-3 p.m. every fourth Tuesday of the month.
Register at http://facebook.com/USOFortHood.
“Parents are always looking for great activities to get their kids out of the house, off the electronics and involved with their community,” Julie Mendez, USO Fort Hood center operations manager, explained. “We would love to be that place for all the families here, so we’re just trying to reach out and create opportunities that our local Fort Hood community enjoys.”
USO Fort Hood is always looking for enthusiastic volunteers. Visit http://volunteers.uso.org/ to get started.
For more information visit Fort Hood USO in Bldg. 121 on 761st Tank Battalion Ave. at Fort Hood, http://forthood.uso.org/ or call 254-768-2770.