Summer camps dealing with uncertain future
NEW YORK — For 17year-old Morgan Carney, missing her seventh summer at overnight camp in the Ozarks would be worse than what she’s feeling now in isolation without her school friends and usual slate of activities.
So far, so good for the Phoenix teen. Her camp in Branson, Missouri, has made no plans to cancel. But other kids looking forward to new or beloved summer programs haven’t been so lucky.
Some camps have already notified families they won’t open because of the coronavirus crisis. Most, however, are in wait-andsee mode.
Many camps are crunching the numbers on potential mass refunds. Some parents have held off putting money down, with camps extending deadlines for enrollment.
According to industry estimates, the U.S. has more than 14,000 year-round and summer camps serving 20 million campers annually.
Geoff Blanck owns and operates the Forest Lake Camp in New York’s Adirondacks region, serving 150 to 175 campers at a time. He’s proceeding with preparations for this season, which is scheduled to start June 28.
“We’re telling families, if we’re not able to run camp because of COVID-19, you’ll get a 100% refund,” Blanck said. “We know it will be devastating for us financially if we’re not able to run, but morally it’s simply the right thing to do.”
So far, just one family has canceled, with a promise to return next year.
In the South, summer camp usually starts at the end of May. That means staff would be headed to camp in a few short weeks for orientation.
“There’s genuine concern about how safe and responsible” that would be, said Doron Krakow, president and CEO of the JCC Association of North America.
Forest Lake Camp boaters and kayakers enjoy the water in the Adirondack Mountains of New York.