Sarasota City YMCA branch kicks off summer camp with pancake breakfast

By Ian Swaby
| 8:55 a.m. June 4, 2025

Lucas Lindbloom, 5, his mother Ana Lindbloom, sister Isabella Lindbloom, 15, and father Thomas Lindbloom

Sarasota
Neighbors

Although the weather was stormy the morning of June 2, with a pool closure at the Sarasota City YMCA branch, there was still a sweet spot as summer camp began.

The branch launched its traditional camp and aquatics summer camps with a pancake breakfast for families, which preceded a schedule of activities revised to suit the weather.

Andrew Frazier, who manages the summer camps, said it was the first time for the breakfast to kick off camp.

He said the traditional camp involves numerous activities including games, crafts, songs, dance and swimming, while the aquatics camp focuses on swimming and swim safety.

Nelson Mast, whose children Clark Mast, 5, and Parker Mast, 8, both repeatedly attend summer camp at the YMCA, said they are drawn back by the counselors and the convenient location.

"The kids feel very comfortable here, and that's the reason we keep coming back," he said.

Sign Up for Daily Headlines

A daily dose of news from Longboat Key, East County, Sarasota and Siesta Key.

Gabriel Vazquez, 6, throws a basketball.

Olivia Sarkisova, 8 and Callie Crawford, 8, play with a basketball.

The summer camp began with a pancake breakfast.

Laura Walters and Jim Shea make pancakes.

Clark Mast, 5, his father Nelson Mast, and brother Parker Mast, 8, gather breakfast.

Kaysan Hunter, 6, and his mother Alex Hunter, enjoy pancakes.

Laura Walters offers food to Leila Stevenson, 7.

Kacee Willis, 6, and her mother Tierney Willis gather breakfast.

Myron Zhang 8, and Finn Farino, 8, look at a model of a human skeleton.

Christopher Wamil 6, talks to counselor Lia Truedinger.

Viviana Quiles 7, counselor Aydin Frazier and Nila Molineaux, 6 play rock, paper scissors.

Emery Poucher 9, tosses a ball as Caleb curry, 9, Levi Siljestrom, 10, Dane Radakovich, 10 and Orin Hilliker, 10, look on.

Jeremiah Turner, 9, tosses a ball as Sophia Zaczyk, 10 and Vera Partie, 9, look on.

author

Ian Swaby

Ian Swaby is the Sarasota neighbors writer for the Observer. Ian is a Florida State University graduate of Editing, Writing, and Media and previously worked in the publishing industry in the Cayman Islands.