The City of Andalusia’s A.P.P.L.E. summer program got under way this past week with lots of different activities for the children to enjoy over the summer.

Program coordinator Barbra Tyler said that they currently have around 145 children signed up the program.

“We have two programs for the summer,” Tyler said. “We have a morning program that is at Andalusia Elementary School and then in the afternoon we bus most of those kids over to Woodson for the afternoon program.”

Tyler said that they have several things on tap for the kids this summer.

“The biggest thing is swimming,” Tyler said. “They love to go swimming at the Coleman Pool. They go up there for some free swimming, and we also have water safety instructions.”

The program also offers the kids a variety of arts and crafts projects over the summer. They also have archery and other games for the kids to play.

“We have several different things they can do in the afternoon,” Tyler said. “We have games, play rooms for younger kids, a boy’s club and girl’s club. We also have a junior room for the older kids with a ping-pong and pool table. It’s just a nice play for them to hangout and just relax.”

Along with the activities they offer daily, Tyler said there are also a few special events over the summer.

“On July 22, the Alabama Wildlife Center will be bringing their birds of prey exhibit to show the kids,” Tyler said. “That should be a really fun event and it should start around 1 p.m.”

Tyler said that parents whose children aren’t signed up for the program can bring their children up there for the show, but would need to stay with them.

There is also a kayak trip for the kids being planned for July.

“The Covington County Extension 4-H and Youth Development Club are partnering up with us to develop a kayak program for the kids,” Tyler said. “They will help us get kayaks and then we will go on kayaking trip sometime in July.”

The A.P.P.L.E. program also offers breakfast, lunch and dinner for the children.

“We serve breakfast and lunch at the morning program and then we serve dinner to them at 4 p.m., in the afternoon program,” Tyler said. “The hospital provides the meals for us. They do such a great job with the meals and they are very good. The meals are one the biggest things for the kids. They love eating the meals the hospital provides.”

Tyler said that she hopes all the kids enjoy their summer with the A.P.P.L.E. program.

“We are just trying to keep them cool, entertained and supervised,” Tyler said. “We are always looking for volunteers in the community to come help out or lend their talents, if the are interested.”

Anyone interested in volunteering with the program or signing up a child 18 years old or younger for the afternoon program, should contact Tyler at 428-1127.

There is a $35 registration fee that covers all the summer’s activities. Price discounts are given for registering more than child. The program will last until July 29.