COVID-19 and the 2020 Summer Camp Season

Currently, they are more than 14,000 summer camps across the United States. States all over the nation are preparing to slowly open their economies. The American Camp Association states that it will vary greatly based on region and local governing bodies, whether the various camps will be allowed to operate. Several camp administrations have already made the difficult and emotional decision not to operate during the 2020 camp season. Camp Merrie-Woode in Sapphire, North Carolina is skipping the 2020 Summer camp season for the first time in the camp’s 101-year history. The camp normally houses 200 campers. Due to the coronavirus, the administration felt that most of the summer traditions that make camp so special would be eliminated. For instance, each evening Camp Merrie-Woode’s campers gather in circle and sing. Based on social distancing measures, this tradition and several others would have to be eliminated and/or modified.

Tom Rosenberg, president and CEO of the American Camp Association, expects the summer camp industry to lose billions of dollars during Summer 2020. Summer camps are facing an enormous amount of regulation from federal, state, and local authorities. Again, each state’s response to COVID-19 greatly varies by region. Connecticut has banned all residential camps but will allow day camps to begin operation on June 29^th. Texas allowed both residential and day camps to begin operation as early as May 31^st. The Center for Disease Control and the infectious disease doctors have been consulting various camp organizations nationwide. They suggest campers complete camp activities as cohorts with no mixing and mingling between groups. Additional safety measures include requiring camp staff wear masks and recording campers’ temperatures every morning. Parents should remain in their cars when dropping off their kids. Summer camps provide campers more than just an out-door experience. Disadvantaged households rely on camps and summer programs for critical assistance. Programs, such as the Fresh Air Fund, are scrambling to find ways to service their local community while safely social distancing. There are several summer camps who feel confident in their implemented safety measures and feel encouraged to press through difficult times. Elissa Kobrin, an Oregon camp director, states that kids need camp right now and that camp will be a healthy outlet where they can express their feelings, and according to an NBC News article,“ she is hopeful that her camp staff will serve as mentors to the children during a time when they could benefit from them the most.”

Discussion Questions:

1. Summer camps for disadvantaged families assist in reducing child-care and food costs for low income families during the summer. Explain the impact on families, resource providers, and governmental authorities if summer camps remain closed.
2. Review the article for the CDC’s regulations for Summer camps. Do you believe these regulations are strenuous enough? Why or why not?

Source: NBC News “Swimming, s’mores and social distancing: Is summer camp during the pandemic worth it?” by Elizabeth Chuck.