By Cl. Alan D’silva for BIS Mumbai

BORIVALI, MUMBAI — St. John Bosco Church concluded its highly successful month-long Summer Club on May 23, 2026, marking the end of an intensive program of sports, arts, talent competitions, and spiritual growth for children aged 4-16. The camp, which ran from April 13 to May 23, 2026, brought together children from across the parish and neighbouring parishes, dividing them into four competitive teams named after the four Evangelists: Miraculous Matt, Mighty Mark, Judicious John, and Lightning Luke. Although activities commenced earlier in the month, the camp was officially inaugurated on April 20, during a grand ceremony. Mrs Joyce Dmello, a parishioner, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, joining Fr Manuel Murzello, the Rector and Parish Priest, along with the other Salesian priests stationed on the campus, who blessed the initiative and encouraged the children to participate with true sportsmanship.

The comprehensive programme was thoughtfully designed to boost self-confidence, foster team spirit, and uncover hidden talents among the participants. Children engaged in rigorous daily physical training, receiving professional coaching in sports including Football, Volleyball, Handball, Cricket, Throwball, and Basketball, while lightning tournaments and refreshing water games added an extra layer of excitement to the scorching summer days. Beyond the sports field, the camp served as a vibrant hub for creativity and skill-building where expert-led sessions included quilling art, yarn name tags, thumb painting, and glass painting. A major highlight of these creative sessions was a dynamic balloon art workshop conducted by Mr Neil Pais from the renowned Mad Hatters Group. The children also showcased their skills in various talent competitions, ranging from fancy-dress, dance, drawing, and singing to quiz, face painting, no-flame cooking, hair styling, and acting. The children also joined the parish community for daily recitation of the rosary and the Holy Eucharist.

Integrating the parish's deep spiritual foundation with fun and fellowship, the camp featured a traditional Camp Fire night where each team creatively enacted a Biblical parable, interspersed with original advertisements, team claps, and energetic yells. The sense of friendship grew even stronger during a refreshing outdoor picnic, providing a wonderful opportunity for informal bonding outside the church premises. After weeks of intense but friendly rivalry across all these artistic, spiritual, and athletic domains, the team of Judicious John consistently demonstrated exceptional teamwork and emerged as the overall camp champions.

The summer club culminated in a vibrant closing ceremony attended by a large gathering of proud parents and enthusiastic campers. Fr Manuel Murzello addressed the assembly, praising the discipline, growth, and joy displayed by the children over the past month. The evening reached its peak with the distribution of certificates and the announcement of individual honours, where Master Asher Pinto and Miss Sweety Pandian won the Best Camper award in the Seniors Category, while Master Ethan Fernandes and Miss Prisha Kadam secured the Best Camper titles in the Juniors Category, and Miss Kiara Jason Dsouza was named the Emerging Camper. The dedicated youth volunteers were also felicitated for their tireless efforts in ensuring the camp’s smooth execution, and the memorable event officially came to a close with an energetic action song performed by the volunteers, with all the campers enthusiastically joining in on the floor. Cl. Alan D’silva, who is currently pursuing his degree in Theology, coordinated the programme of the month-long endeavour.