GRAY, Ga. — At Gray-8-Skate Family Entertainment Center there's a new summer camp option for the kids of Jones County.
The skating rink will be celebrating its 16th anniversary this coming October.
Junior Journalist Will Rodgers got an up-close look at just how much fun and educational it can be.
For ten weeks during the summer, kids the ages 5-12-years-old can skate, play arcade games, and more every Monday- Friday.
At Great-8-Skate, the staff will tell you there's more to do than just skate. Joel Shiver is the owner. Shiver tells his staff they run more than roller skating rink, they run a ministry.
"A lot of these kids, this is where they need to be, so it's great seeing them learn how to skate but it's really great, and even better to impact their lives," Shiver said.
He also says the skating center offers an in-door playground, recently added laser-tag, and hosts birthday parties.
There's even been some skaters who've come through the camp as an attendee and are now counselors, including Savannah Jones.
She's almost completed her first year as a counselor at the family entertainment center, and one thing she loves to see the most is kids breaking out of their shyness.
"Especially the little ones, we've had some come that are, you know, kind of anti-social and they get here and break out of their shells, and get to know all of the other kids, and that's so cool to see," Jones said.
Many attendees make friends here, but also come away with a new found hobby such as Isabella Easom.
"The first time I did not know how to skate, and then I learned how to skate over time!" she said.
In the future they're looking to offer something for the kids to do during the school year as well as not just the summer months.