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PHOTOS: Art camp returns to Rex Theater

Two young musicians play their homemade instruments in the Rex Theater during the last day of the Drexel H. Foundation’s annual Art Camp in Vale on Wednesday, Aug. 11. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)

VALE – Kids and volunteers of all ages took part in Vale’s 25th annual Art Camp at the Rex Theater last week.

It was a creative and colorful event. Volunteers helped children draw chalk art on sidewalks, make paper bag puppets and stage funny puppet shows, create homemade musical instrumentals and try their hands at various other arts and crafts.

Sandijean Fuson, host of Vale’s Art Camp and owner of the Rex Theater, has been putting on the event since 1995.

“Kids have to learn how to be creative and to feel good about themselves,” said Fuson. “The way you build your self-esteem is to participate, try new things and then learn to do things that you didn’t think you could do.”

The event wrapped up activities with its traditional talent show on the evening of Thursday, Aug. 12.

Fuson also added that the art camp would not be possible without all the help she receives from local volunteers and sponsors.

The camp is one of a slate of programs scheduled each year by the nonprofit Drexel H. Foundation, which promotes arts and activities for youth. These include Art in the Park on Flag Day, a children’s film festival in September, a short film night on Halloween, and tours and an open house at the hotel and opera house in Vale.

Volunteers and participants pose at the end of the second day of the Drexel H. Foundation’s annual Art Camp in Vale on Tuesday, Aug. 10. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)

Eli Morcom works intently to color a baseball hat at the Drexel H. Foundation’s annual Art Camp in Vale on Tuesday, Aug. 10. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)

Volunteers record a group of kids as they put on a puppet show while they crouch behind a green screen in Vale’s Rex Theater at the Drexel H. Foundation’s annual Art Camp in Vale on Tuesday, Aug. 10. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)

Volunteer Cady Tolman helps a group of children create paper bag puppets at the Drexel H. Foundation’s annual Art Camp in Vale on Tuesday, Aug. 10. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)

Two boys put on an improv puppet comedy show while they crouch behind a green screen in the Rex Theater at the Drexel H. Foundation’s annual Art Camp in Vale on Tuesday, Aug. 10. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)

Two girls crouch behind the homemade green screen while they perform their puppet show in Vale’s Rex Theater during the 25th annual Drexel H. Foundation’s Art Camp on Tuesday, Aug. 10.

Volunteer Sam McLauglin plays the recorded puppet shows with some added green screen effects for all the kids to watch during the last day of the Drexel H. Foundation’s annual Art Camp in Vale on Wednesday, Aug. 11. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)

Zettie and Tristan Rodriguez color their self-made musical instruments at the Drexel H. Foundation’s annual Art Camp in Vale on Wednesday, Aug. 11. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)

Kiersey Dillion adds some final touches on her paper bag puppet at the Drexel H. Foundation’s annual Art Camp in Vale on Tuesday, Aug. 10. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)

A patriotic young artist sports an American flag gaiter as a face mask while at the Drexel H. Foundation’s Art Camp in Vale on Tuesday, Aug. 10. (AUSTIN JOHNSON/The Enterprise)

News tip? Contact multimedia journalist Austin Johnson: [email protected] or (541) 784-7151

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