Norwich Youth Bureau is providing free weekly summer activities, such as tickets for Animal Adventure and bags filled with themed activities, to help keep kids active during the summer. (Photo from City of Norwich Youth Bureau)

NORWICH – The City of Norwich Youth Bureau has organized a medley of new summer activities for residential youth in Norwich and surrounding townships.

In years past, the youth bureau would be responsible for activities such as swimming lessons or hosting a competitive swim team at Kurt Beyer Pool, educational bus trips, and afternoon playground groups. But due to COVID, these activities are not currently feasible.

Youth Bureau Director Robert Mason said he and Recreation Coordinator Jill Kraft have been working together to find alternatives to keep kids active this summer.

"We're trying to keep youth involved in summer activities the best we can and give them an option with limited things to do," said Mason.

So far, the youth bureau has had three successful weeks of providing activities for families with children to do together.

During the first two weeks, the organization gave out 50 tickets to Wolf Mountain in Smyrna and Animal Adventure in Harpursville.