Naperville campers celebrate "Christmas in July"

It's only July, but hundreds of children already have their eye on Christmas.

More than 400 Heritage YMCA Group campers will celebrate "Christmas in July" from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday in Naperville's Knoch Knolls Park.

"It's good old-fashioned camp fun to do something wacky and get your mind off the heat," said Y leader Katie Maloney.

The inaugural bash allows first- through eighth-graders at separate camps in Naperville, Aurora and Oswego to be together and do something unique, she said.

The event is hosted by Pathfinders Day Camp, a Kroehler YMCA camp, and Naperville Park District.

Campers will participate in ice cube and candy cane relays, snowflake scavenger hunts and blizzard dodge ball. A holiday sing-a-long will start the day.

Santa even will make a surprise appearance at the end of the day -- minus the red velvet suit.

"It's just too hot," Maloney said. "The story is that he's in town for a conference and will stop by and hand out peppermint candies."

The event also includes a lesson in holiday giving.

Campers will collect used winter coats to donate to a yet-to-be named nonprofit that will benefit women and children, Maloney said.

Residents also can donate used winter items to the Naperville Kroehler Y, 34 S. Washington St., Wednesday through next Monday.

Wednesday's event is part of a nationwide initiative called "Leave No Child Inside," which aims to reconnect children with nature as a way to battle health concerns such as obesity and ADD.

"We'll all be outside in this beautiful park and we can be silly and have fun together," Maloney said.