HUNTER SMITH/The Express Members of Goodwill Hose Co. Station 21, Flemington, operated a Teddy Bear Clinic at the 2nd Annual Lacy Day Camp to teach cadets how to administer first aid.

LOCK HAVEN — First responders and community volunteers came together Wednesday for the second annual Lacy Day Camp, where about 100 participants learned about law enforcement while enjoying a day of fun and activities.

The one-day event at the Castanea Fire Company Picnic Grounds paired games with interactive lessons in public safety, giving special-needs youth and adults the chance to connect with law enforcement and emergency responders.

“The program is designed for special needs children that aren’t physically able to go to our regular Camp Cadet program,” said Hunter Shoemaker, the camp’s program coordinator.

Shoemaker, a waterways conservation officer with the state Fish and Boat Commission, said the camp is modeled after the Pennsylvania State Police Sunny Day Camp and was created to foster positive relationships between law enforcement and people with special needs in Clinton County.

“We wanted to develop this camp to give these children an opportunity to see a lot of the things our cadets do during the normal week in one day,” Shoemaker said.

Throughout the day, the cadets — many of whom were students from Keystone Central School District and Sugar Valley Rural Charter School — met with emergency responders from local police departments and fire companies, toured their vehicles and asked questions about their roles in the community.

Participants moved from station to station, engaging in activities including a fishing game, face painting, making fairy gardens, sand art, balloon crafting, donut and cookie decorating and a nerf gun range.

Attendees were also treated to pizza, hot dogs and snacks.

Central Mountain senior Cheyanne Askins, a former Camp Cadet participant, said her passion for the program inspired her to volunteer at this year’s Lacy Day Camp as part of her senior project.

“I was really passionate about being a camp cadet, so I was trying to find anything I could do to help,” said Askins, who was unable to be a cadet this year.

Cheyanne, who is considering a future in the military, said the best part of volunteering is seeing the participants enjoy themselves.

“The most exciting part is seeing the kids happy,” she said.

Askins and volunteer Sasha Sheridan, a detective with the Clinton County District Attorney’s office, ran a fishing game at the event where cadets cast a line, hoping to snag a prize bag.

For her senior project, Askins has helped with several local programs, including writing the crime scene scenarios for this year’s Camp Cadet and volunteering at the 4th Annual Clinton County Night Out in August.

Last year, Sheridan told The Express that she was motivated to volunteer because of the camp’s inclusive mission.

“We need to promote inclusion because individuals with special needs are an important part of our society, just like everyone else,” Sheridan said.

The day’s activities concluded with a graduation ceremony led by Hunter Shoemaker. Each participant received an American flag and a commemorative coin, presented by Alyssa Lacy, the 13-year-old whose inability to participate in Camp Cadet inspired organizers to create a program specifically for children and adults with special needs.

To learn more about Camp Cadet and Lacy Day Camp, visit www.clintoncountycampcadet.com.