Sk8ermaiden Posted June 3, 2020 Share Posted June 3, 2020 DD's traditional summer camp was canceled ages ago - with the way that camp is run, it would have been impossible for them to make it happen. Her sport-specific sleepaway camp is happening. They cut capacity by 60% but gave priority to teams coming together, so her group made it. No one is allowed to fly in so her team is driving from Texas to Tennessee together. As many on this thread have said, it's impossible to have a fun summer camp experience and follow strict social distancing, which I assume is why this camp, which traditionally posts hundreds of pictures a day, has not posted a single picture since camp started. Based on what I see in online groups, parents who are sending their kids are OK with that. They are doing lots of sanitizing, cut cabin numbers in half so each girl has her own bunkbed 6' from anyone else's (and teams coming together and rooming together have already been training together at home), moved large celebrations/dances/parties outside. The sport facility will have all their many garage doors open, they will eat outside, and all their other activities were already outdoors anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 @alisoncooks, I’m bumping this back up to say I have made the decision to cancel my son’s camp and I feel enormous relief. I talked to him today about the alterations the camp is making and, to my surprise and huge relief, he feels it will not be worthwhile to go to the camp. He said he’s disappointed but feels a duty not to possibly bring it home to me 🥺. One of the moms of a camp friend said she has suggested to the camp that perhaps they could repeat this camp next summer for our boys’ age group (they would be aging out; this is their last chance). When I call tommorow, I am also going to suggest that. It would sure be nice for them to have that opportunity next year. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted June 4, 2020 Author Share Posted June 4, 2020 @Quill - that's great that you & your son ended up of the same mind about it! We're actually moving forward with attending ours. The camp released their policies, which seem reasonable. Minimizing contact by assigning small groups/bubbles (that will eat, sleep, share a bathroom, have rec time together). Temp checks daily (before and during camp) and neck gaiters provided for when bubbles mix (with 6' spacing). Can't say if it'll be fun or not...but we'll see. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosch Posted June 4, 2020 Share Posted June 4, 2020 I'm a Scout Camp Director. Our Camp only operated in June. Due to COVID, we cancelled our program in April so Staff could find other jobs and Troops to find other camps. Since then, most of the other camps have cancelled too. Our individual troops are looking at doing week-long camp programs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 2 hours ago, Seasider too said: Those are the same sort of questions I have. I’m going to have to call and ask just exactly what they’re thinking. ETA there was not an explanation- just the request to “self-quarantine.” Going to have to see how they define that. I think this camp my son was attending may have been wanting that, too...I don’t know for sure because I made the decision before going through the procedures to learn more, but one of the other moms suggested this. (They meant quarantine with their family before going to camp.) But one of the moms said that isn’t possible for her son because he has a job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenade Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 My younger son is still scheduled to work at Boy Scout camp this summer in NC, although the camp start date was delayed for 2 weeks. He is supposed to start either June 21 or June 28. The camp was considering having all the counselors show up on the 21st to get coronavirus testing. Then they would have to stay at camp the rest of the summer, and can't leave on their days off. I still have my doubts that camp will happen. Not due to anything with the camp, but I'm worried that individual troops will cancel making it not worthwhile. Our own troop decided not to reschedule when the first two weeks of camp were eliminated. My son is going because he's working, not because he's going with his troop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 Our Scout camp said they canceled because they couldn't reach an agreement with the County Department of Health. The County wanted them to keep each troop together as a group the entire week and that meant that everyone in the group would have to take the same merit badges together. As we said before, that doesn't work when you have new Scouts and Eagles together where new scouts need to work on basic skills and easy badges and higher ranking Scouts want more challenging merit badges. One of the biggest draws of Scout camp is that each Scout gets to work on the activities that interest them with a variety of other Scouts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 1 minute ago, mom2scouts said: Our Scout camp said they canceled because they couldn't reach an agreement with the County Department of Health. The County wanted them to keep each troop together as a group the entire week and that meant that everyone in the group would have to take the same merit badges together. As we said before, that doesn't work when you have new Scouts and Eagles together where new scouts need to work on basic skills and easy badges and higher ranking Scouts want more challenging merit badges. One of the biggest draws of Scout camp is that each Scout gets to work on the activities that interest them with a variety of other Scouts. This is why our camp went to a Badge in one day model. They are running all of the regular camp badges, though not every badge at every session. (4 weekends, so 8 individual days) Green bar too, for boys working on ranks up through 1st class. Each group is limited in size and stays together all day. Screenings on the way in for everyone everyday. Each person brings his or her own lunch and water. Camp store is not open. Sign up is individual, not by troop. Not nearly as fun as regular camp, but a good compromise, considering the situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2scouts Posted June 5, 2020 Share Posted June 5, 2020 Our camp is talking about "Camp in a Box". They haven't really told us what that's going to involve, but from what I've seen so far, they will send a T-shirt, patch, and supplies, and then there will be online merit badge teaching and then weekends that allow small groups to gather at camp for things that can't be done online. DS will be ageing out of the troop in a couple of months and I'm not sure he'll care enough to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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