Summer Camps Remain in Limbo, Awaiting Government Instructions

By COLlive reporter

After months of being confined at home, away from their classrooms and no playdates with friends, children of all ages are really looking forward to summer camps. Yet it isn’t clear yet whether that will happen.

“You can only open if they allow you to,” one camp director told COLlive.com on Monday. As of now, the person said, no notification was received as to when camps will be allowed to open as the US continues to battle the COVID-19 virus.

A team of government officials — led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — is working on a public health strategy to combat coronavirus while reopening parts of the country, The Washington Post reported.

The CDC said that unlike many other amusement venues, summer camps will be considered “essential businesses,” and this past Thursday, the White House specifically included camp in phase two of its reopening guidelines.

The final decision, however, will be up to the local and federal governments. In New York’s Catskills, some 90 camps are located in Sullivan County, while another 30 camps operate in Ulster County.

A source told COLlive that some camps in Sullivan County have received permit applications to open this summer, but there is still no indication as to whether they will be granted to applying camps.

Rabbi Hachoch Hecht, Assistant Administrator of Camp Emunah for girls, says they are waiting to receive the permits to fill out, but are making sure everything is set in place to open as scheduled. The first session is set to begin Tuesday, June 30 (8th of Tamuz) and the second session on Tuesday, July 28 (7th of Av).

“We are operating in anticipation of camp opening on time, and working with local government officials,” Rabbi Hecht told COLlive.com about the work being done on the campgrounds in Greenfield Park, NY and in the administration office in Brooklyn. “We are continuing full force with our plans.”

But another camp director warned that even if a general green light is given to open camps this summer, it remains to be seen what health regulations and restrictions will be imposed to avoid the spread of the virus.

“If they say we can open but they make restrictions in a way that you can’t really comply and won’t be reasonable, that won’t help anyone,” he told COLlive.com on Monday. “If they say you have to have a certain amount of social distancing and you can only have a few kids in a bunk – how do you pick who goes and who doesn’t go to camp?”

Camp Chayolei Director Shloime Rutman said he is in touch with local government authorities regarding the upcoming season. “Barring any unexpected changes, we should be able to have everything ready in time,” he told COLlive.com.

“We also are making contingency plans for exciting on-site in house entertainment to replace any scheduled trips out of camp that may not be open,” he said.

He said that in the event that the camp cannot open due to government or medical restrictions, Chayolei will be fully refunding parents.

In a message to camp directors, the American Camp Association said: “You are no doubt used to dealing with both the expected and unexpected challenges that come with running a camp; coronavirus is no different. Continue to check in with your local health authorities and monitor the CDC resources on ACA’s coronavirus page to ensure you have the most up-to-date information.

They said “both viruses and guidance for dealing with them can change over time” and recommended to “keep your camp families and staff in the loop on all your health and safety-related efforts at camp; this is the best way to alleviate fears and to do your best to ensure that everyone has a safe and enriching camp experience this summer.”