The Belton Area Museum Association (BAMA) just received major support from local foundation WebbCraft to underwrite the costs of upcoming summer camps and the annual event Heritage Days at the Depot. Foundation Board Chair Jeri Lynn Craft presented a check last week.

The Belton Area Museum Association will be hosting  Wild Weather Camp, July 25 – 27, and Space Camp, August 1 – 3, from 10 – 12 each morning.  Cost is $55 for non-members and $45 for members of the Belton Area Museum Association.

The foundation support will help bring in key speakers to the camps.  Also, WebbCraft has provided two scholarships per camp week for students in Anderson School District #2 to attend free of charge.

“We wanted to make sure that summer camp is accessible to children in our area, regardless of ability to pay,”      stated Foundation Board Chair Jeri Lynn Sharpe.

For more information about the summer camp scholarships, please contact Abigail Burden at the museum, Wednesday – Friday, 9 AM – 2 PM, at 864-338-7400 or [email protected].

Another portion of the grant award helps to defer costs of the bussing of ASD2 students to Heritage Days at the Depot, an annual event that presents living history lessons and folk art skills to children in grades 2 – 5.

The event will be held on Oct. 5 -7 and features the following artisans/historical interpreters:  Gale McKinley (split oak basket  weaver), Chris Weik (Native American flute maker), Justin Guy (traditional potter), Millie Chaplin (Southern story teller),  Thomas “Stick Man” Williams (Gullah cane carver), Jared Canty (Catawba beader), Bill Lacasse (zither maker), Jonathon Harper (lure carver), Heyward Haltiwanger (miller), Rick Owens (log cabin builder), Scott Beam (wheelwright), Karen Cox (soap maker), Barbara Ervin (printmaker/typesetter), and Benjamin Raven Pressley (Native American weapons).

Outside of District 2 students and home school students are invited to attend for a $3 minimal fee.  Please email Alison Darby at [email protected] if you are interested participating in this event.

“We cannot express how appreciative we are to WebbCraft Family Foundation for their unwavering support each year for our educational programming,” commented BAMA  Executive Director Abigail Burden.

Picture:  Jeri Lynn Craft Sharpe (center), along with her children Jackson and Addi, presents a check to BAMA Executive Director Abigail Burden and Educational Coordinator Alison Darby. The award will be used to help bring in top notch speakers for the children’s camps and provide two scholarships each camp week for deserving students who attend Anderson School District #2.  In addition, funding will also help defer the costs of bussing ASD2 students to the annual Heritage Days at the Depot living history event in October.