Camp Bolivar teaches leadership skills

BOLIVAR, Tenn. — “We want to take advantage of being with the youth. They’re all out of school and a lot of them are sitting at home with nothing to do,” Bolivar Mayor Julian McTizic said.

All week Camp Bolivar has been taking kids around town showing them all the different people that keep the town running and keep them safe.

But not everyone was excited at the start of the week.

“I didn’t want to. My Grandma made me,” camper Tavarian Griffin said.

But, by Friday, he was happy he came to camp.

“We got to go to the fort place and go around Bolivar. I didn’t know nothing about it,” Griffin said.

All week, campers got to visit the police station, the fire house, hear from nurses at the hospital, and see a movie at the newly remodeled Luez Theater.

“We want to give them a positive thing to do and learn about our community and learn about the things we have to offer in the city of Bolivar,” Mayor McTizic said.

Elizabeth Bricker was another camper this week.

“We went to the bank and I think it’s important we learn to do our finances properly because when we get older we won’t be left completely clueless,” Bricker said.

Bank officials say they tried to put earning and spending into terms the campers could understand.

“We pointed out savers and spenders, because they’re making decisions now,” Debbie Moore, Senior VP at Centennial Bank in Bolivar, said. “A lot of it was about any decision you make, give it some time and some thought. ”

The camp was for students entering 6th, 7th, or 8th grade.

To end the week, Camp Bolivar will be at Pleasant Run Creek Park for a field day and cook out.