Osage Foundation to hold summer youth camps

The Osage Nation Foundation is hosting its inaugural youth summer camps in June and July with focuses on basketball, golf, football and photography.

The Foundation is now taking applications for the camp activities, which will be held in four communities. Included will be basketball camps in Tulsa and Pawhuska; a golf camp in Tulsa; a non-contact football camp in Fairfax; and a photography camp in Pawhuska.

Registration for the camps is free and available on a first-come, first-serve basis with preference to Osage youth, according to a news release from the ON Foundation. Applications for the camps are available online from the Foundation Web site at www.osagefoundation.org.

The summer youth camp opportunities are becoming a reality thanks to the Foundation’s inaugural charity golf tournament held at the Tulsa Country Club last month. The April 23 golf tournament raised a net profit of $25,000, according to Bill Webb, the ON Foundation’s executive director.

“Our mission is multi-faceted but at the very core of what we are about is positively impacting the health and education of youth in and around the Osage communities,” Webb said. “Directly due to the financial support of our contributors, we have been able to put these camps together, fully fund them, and allow youth to participate at no cost.”

The Foundation initially expected the April 23 golf tournament to have 100 participants, but 130 golfers signed up for the event.

The Foundation is providing a staff of experienced camp administrators, instructions, coaches and assistants to conduct the camp activities. The camp participants will be divided by age groups for activities, the release stated. Here are the dates, locations, registration deadlines and more details on the 2012 Foundation youth camps:

Basketball camps in Tulsa and Pawhuska

The Tulsa basketball camp will be held at the Salvation Army North Mabee Boys & Girls Club, 3001 N. Cincinnati, from Monday July 23 through Friday July 27. This camp is open to both boys and girls who must be in grades 3 through 9 (as of fall 2012).

Campers will learn fundamental and advanced skills of basketball from a staff of experienced basketball coaches and assistants. Each participant will receive a camp shirt, equipment bag, and basketball. Campers are asked to wear shorts, t- shirt or other appropriate jersey/shirt, and sneakers. Registration deadline is July 17 for the Tulsa basketball camp.

The Pawhuska Basketball camp will be held at the Boys & Girls Club of the Osage Nation June 18-22. Transportation will be provided from Hominy and Fairfax if needed. The schedule of transportation is located on the Foundation’s Web site. Pawhuska basketball camp registration deadline is July 17. This camp is open to both boys and girls who must be in grades 3 through 9 (as of fall 2012).

Tulsa golf camp

The Golf Camp will be held at First Tee of Tulsa at the Mohawk Park Golf Course, 5223 E. 41st St. N., on July 16 and July 17.

The camp will be coordinated by Leslie Core-Drevecky (Osage), a certified Professional Golfers Association Head Golf Professional at Murphy Creek Golf Course in Aurora, Colo. Participants will be divided by age groups and skill levels.

The First Tee program will provide golf clubs for use at the camp for those who do not have their own clubs. Participants will receive a camp T-shirt and equipment bag. Deadline for golf camp registration is July 10. This camp is open to both boys and girls who must be in grades 3 through 9 (as of fall 2012).

Fairfax football camp

The Football camp in Fairfax will be held at Woodland High School July 9 through July 13. This non-contact camp is open to boys ages 8-17. The camp will be led by former University of Oklahoma standout Scott Hill and a group of current and former high school coaches, college coaches and players.

Campers will receive instruction in various areas of the game, based on the participant’s position, including offense and defense, line play, skill positions, and kicking. Participants will be divided by age group. Each participant will receive a camp T-shirt and equipment bag. Deadline for football camp registration is July 5.

Photography camp in Pawhuska

The Photography camp will be held at the Boys & Girls Club of the Osage Nation in Pawhuska July 30-Aug. 3.

This camp is led by Sherry Stinson, owner of photography and graphic design businesses Tyler Creative and Tyler Dog Photography, who will learn the basics of how to use their digital camera. Younger students will create collages from photos printed during class, while the older students will learn how to edit them and get to print out a favorite photo each day.

At the end of camp, a hardcover book will be created from the students' photos and given to all students, with each student selecting one photo to be featured. This beginner’s class is for anyone with a point-and-shoot camera or digital SLR. Participants must bring their own digital cameras but basic point-and-shoot cameras are fine. Each participant will receive a camp T-shirt. Deadline for photography camp registration is July 24. This camp is for boys and girls ages 8-17.

Each camp has its own registration form on the Foundation’s Web site, which is available under the “Programs” section for downloading and printing. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis with preference to Osages who are asked to attach a photocopy of the participant's Osage Membership card. Registrations must be received by the registration deadline for each camp. There will be no walk-up registrations accepted.

For more information, contact Bill Webb or Katy Laskey at the Osage Nation Foundation at (405) 415-0383 or email at info@osagefoundation.org.

Osage News reporter Jacelle Ramon-Sauberan shot video coverage of the April 23 ON Foundation Golf Tournament. Click the following link to view the video: www.osagenews.org/video/osage-nation-foundation-golf-tournament