At a time when summer camps can cost families hundreds of dollars a week, the Paul Drum Life Experience Project in Greenport is offering something increasingly rare: a completely free summer program packed with hands-on learning and creativity — and there are still slots open for kids to join.
Founded a decade ago by Sharon Sailor and Arlene Klein in honor of Sailor’s son Paul, a well-known and beloved figure in Greenport, the camp serves children ages 6 to 12. With new classes every Wednesday morning throughout the summer, the camp combines curiosity, community and a deep belief in the transformative power of new experiences.
Klein and Sailor said they’re eager to spread the word.
“I was looking around yesterday and saw a soccer camp charging $375 a week,” Sailor said. “This is free.”
The camp is funded by community donations and programming is planned months in advance — sometimes beginning in January — with Klein and Sailor dreaming up new ideas and hunting down unique instructors and experts. Nearly every class is a one-time-only experience.
“We like to give the kids as many opportunities as possible to try different things,” Klein said.
They also tie educational experiences into each week’s activity. “Even if it’s an arts and crafts project, there’s always science or a reason behind it,” Klein said. “Today we did tie-dye and color theory.”
That tie-dye lesson — taught by Westhampton-based artist and educator Eileen Baumeister McIntyre — introduced students not just to design techniques, but to how colors interact, and the importance of spacing and saturation.
“They had to think critically and design their shirts,” McIntyre said. “It wasn’t just a craft — it was art theory, too. And I saw a lot of talent.”
One year, the camp invited a magician to lead a class, teaching children simple card tricks and sleight of hand they could practice at home. “The kids were mesmerized,” Klein recalled.
One young boy — quiet, shy, about seven — took those lessons to heart. “A couple of weeks later, [his mother] told me that there was a family gathering at their home,” Klein said.
Normally, the boy would have hidden away in his room, avoiding the crowd. But this time was different.
“He started talking to his uncle, and he said, ‘Hey, want to see what I learned how to do?’” As he performed the magic trick, “he was surrounded by his cousins and his aunts and uncles,” Klein said. “He was like the single candle on a birthday cake. He was the center of attraction, and he loved it.”
Over the years, the camp has brought in a beekeeping expert, a magician, a double-dutch champion — even a former biology teacher who used a fan and a roll of toilet paper to teach the science of flight. Kids have met police officers, learned fingerprinting, spun honey, painted chocolate bars, made puppets and flown homemade kites in Mitchell Park.
“We’ve done Japanese fish printing, ham radio, goat yoga — and I don’t think we’ve ever repeated a class,” Sailor said. “We want every week to be something new and unforgettable.
The Paul Drum Life Experience Project is named for Sailor’s son Paul, a vibrant young man with Down Syndrome who has become an unofficial ambassador for the program and for Greenport itself. Last year, he served as grand marshal of the Greenport St. Patrick’s Day parade. He’s a frequent presence at the camp, often connecting with kids and families.
“He knows everyone from nine to ninety,” Klein said with a smile.
Last year, the PDLEP held its annual “Southold Police Kids Funfest,” in partnership with the Southold Police Department — which drew dozens of children to Mitchell Park to explore patrol cars, ATVs, mountain bikes, drones, a fingerprinting station and a mobile command center. A similar event is planned this summer with the volunteer Greenport Fire Dept.
Despite all the enthusiasm and careful planning, Sailor and Klein say getting the word out remains their biggest challenge.
“We don’t have the money to take out full-page ads,” Sailor said. “We just need people to know we’re here.”
They’ve begun brainstorming ways to connect more directly with families next year — possibly through local schools. For now, they’re hoping word-of-mouth — and the magnetic pull of fun, free enrichment — can fill the final spots.
Kids do not need to live in Greenport to attend, the organizers said. In fact, they’ve welcomed children from as far as Hawaii who were visiting family on the North Fork.
“It’s not like school,” Sailor said. “It’s crazy stuff they’ve never done before. And it just might change their lives.”
How to Sign Up:
Families interested in learning more or registering a child for the remaining summer sessions of the Paul Drum Life Experience Project can visit The Paul Drum Life Experience Project or email the organizers directly through the contact information listed on the site.
