Activities plentiful for family enjoyment
By QUALA MATOCHA

With a population of almost 11,000, there's plenty of things to do in El Campo, from movies, bowling, visiting one of the city's seven parks, golfing and swimming, just to name a few.

Boys & Girls Club

The Boys & Girls Club of El Campo offers a safe place for youngsters to get together after school or during the summer. It also provides programs such as soccer, swim lessons, competitive swimming, basketball, dancing, karate, boxing, tennis, and more.

Founded in May 1990, the club boasted a membership of more than 1,100 in 2006.

Divided into two groups for age-appropriate activities, the Boys & Girls Club is open to children ages 6-18. Membership is $10 per year. Some activities have fees.

Operating hours during the summer are 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. and after-school hours are 3-7 p.m. For additional information, call 979-543-8320.

El Campo Museum of Natural History

If you've ever dreamed of taking an African safari, visiting the Arctic or seeing some of the many species of wildlife in Texas, the El Campo Museum of Natural History is your closest destination. You'll have the opportunity to view animal mount displays that rival the Smithsonian.

Trophies donated by the late Dr. E.A Weinheimer are exhibited, along with the late Verda Boyle's seashell collection, live hermit crabs and a miniature coral reef.

Monthly craft and hands-on activities are planned at the museum for children. Each month, the museum window is decorated in a new theme.

In years past the window has included cultural displays of Hispanic, Black and Czech ancestry.

The museum is located inside the El Campo Civic Center, 2350 N. Mechanic. Operating hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m.- noon and 1-5 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Group tours are available.

For visitation or membership information, call 979-543-6885, e-mail museum@wcnet.net or visit www.elcampomuseum.com.

Bonnie's Barnyard

For a change of pace, you can take it easy at Bonnie's Barnyard, a non-profit educational animal farm. Owned by Pat and Bonnie Payne, the couple have been welcoming visitors free of charge since the mid-1990s. The Paynes take care of close to 100 animals; most were rescued.

The Barnyard includes miniature horses, different types of donkeys, goats, miniature zebu cattle, potbellied pigs, ducks, geese, peacocks, turkeys, chickens, rabbits and fallow deer. To visit Bonnie's Barnyard, call 979-543-2651. The farm is located at the intersection of West Norris and County Road 360/362.