MAY 7 • 2020 | 15
won’
t be able to safely run camp at all
this summer.”
While no one is willing to say it
publicly, the idea of any camps starting
in June is becoming more and more
unlikely. While delaying the start
date is an option, nobody is rushing
to decide. All this uncertainty should
become clearer when the CDC provides
guidelines, which, according to the
American Camp Association, are
expected in early May.
“We feel we owe it to our community
to really think it through given the ever-
unfolding picture of this virus,” Bendat-
Appell said. “One of, if not the worst,
outcomes for camps would be to run
and then have to shut down.”
Walden Director Liz Stevens said
there’
s a lot of pent-up desire to get kids
out of the house and doing something
active and social. “Camp is an amazing
outlet for that,” she said. “It’
s ironic.
Camp is probably the best cure for
social isolation, and yet because it’
s such
a communal and intimate space, it’
s also
a potentially unhealthy place.”
Lillian Harwin, a freshman at Walled
Lake Northern High School, is the kind
of teen who lives for camp. She’
s been
going to Camp Tamarack since she was
7 and has been looking forward to her
upcoming Western trip for as long as
she can remember.
“When I go to school, what I think
about in the back of my head is how
many more days until I can go to camp.
It gets me through school, knowing I’
ll
be going back. I’
m not thrilled about
the fact that I might not be able to go
for my seventh year,” she said. “If I can’
t
go, my birthday will
be at home, and I don’
t
remember the last time
that has happened. If
camp doesn’
t happen,
I honestly don’
t know
what I will do.”
If camps do not
open this season, the
economic impact could
be catastrophic. For
some camps, their financial security
depends on running each summer.
As soon as one season ends, a camp is
already spending money on staffing,
infrastructure, insurance, maintenance
and other things to get ready for the
next summer, according to Stevens.
“If camps cancel, most camps,
ourselves included, will refund families’
tuition, but we’
ve already been spending
that tuition for half the year,” Stevens
said. “It’
s a potentially existential crisis
for every camp I know of. It’
s pretty
clear that not every summer camp is
going to survive this crisis because there
is such a fundamental disruption in the
business model.
“Do we think if we don’
t run this
summer, Camp Walden will go away?
No, not even close. It will make the next
few years a little financially precarious.
But I think if we don’
t have camp, it’
s
going to be the best and safest decision
we could have made, and, in the long
run, it’
s going to benefit everyone.”
Stevens added that their decision
will be made based on the health and
wellness of their campers and not their
pocketbooks.
From a purely business perspective,
the earlier a camp cancels, the better, in
terms of preserving and safeguarding
the camp’
s financial futures, Bendat-
Appell said.
“However, these are not just
businesses, so we’
re really aware of how
important camp is for our families and
our campers,” he said. “Now, more than
ever, our kids need camp and so we feel
we owe it to them to keep going until
it’
s clear that it’
s no longer viable.”
What Local Camps
Are Saying
JCC DAY CAMPS
Judy Loebl, assistant executive director of the
Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan
Detroit, said they are in constant contact with
the American Camp Association for all the
latest guidelines and recommendations.
“If we can do it in a safe way, we’
d like
to be open for all, if not part, of the summer.
Obviously, we’
ll have to wait and see how
we can do it safely and if the guidelines are
doable.”
Last year, approximately 550 campers
attended JCC Day Camps.
TAMARACK CAMPS
On May 4, Tamarack Camps sent an email
to families and donors alerting them that
all summer 2020 programming would be
cancelled.
“This decision, ultimately, was driven
by science and medicine, based upon the
recognition that the known and unknown risks
of transmission could significantly compromise
the hallmark of our organization, an unyielding
commitment to health and safety,” the
announcement read.
Parents and guardians were presented
with three different payment options: rolling
over payment to summer 2021, donating all
or part of their camp fees to the organization
or obtaining a full refund. They could also
combine the different options.
As of press time, Tamarack had scheduled
virtual town hall meetings to discuss how
they came to the decision and the financial
implications. Check their website for further
updates.
WILLOWAY DAY CAMP
Owners Arnie and Lorraine Fisher said as long
as the guidelines allow for it, they are planning
on running camp.
“It’
s all maybes, but we’
re optimistic, and
we’
re planning for summer. We have the
staff, we have the facility, and we have the
ability to be up and running in a short time,”
said Lorraine Fisher, adding that if camps
are allowed to open and social distancing is
required, “We have 16 acres. I think we can
figure it out.”
Last summer, 500 campers attended
Willoway.
go, my
my bir
irth
thday wi
will
ll
Lillian Harwin
celebrating her birthday
at camp last year.
LILLIAN HARWIN