Good Evening! Please see the message below from G.N.Y.C. regarding camp! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. Have a great weekend everyone and we will speak very soon! Anthony
Campers, families, and staff,
We are living through an unprecedented and concerning time. We genuinely hope that this email finds you and your family well. Your safety and the safety of our Scouts, families, volunteers, and employees are the Greater New York Council’s top priority.
As such, we have taken an active and informed approach in evaluating whether to operate summer camp this year. Since the start of this pandemic, we have been continuously monitoring the spread of Covid-19 and the government response in New York State, Sullivan County, New York City, and New Jersey. We have been consulting with state and local government officials, other camp professionals, as well as working with the Greater New York Council’s Crisis Management Committee, GNYC Risk Management, and Camping Committees to chart the best way forward for our camping programs this summer. Over the last two months, our camps have been cautiously coming back online in preparation for a summer opening, and our team has been working on health and safety practices, potential program adjustments, and sourcing supplies to operate the camps.
In the state of New York and New Jersey, it is not yet legal to operate day camps or sleep-away camps. The decision to issue youth camp licenses has been pushed, by the state governments, from the start of May to mid-May to the end of May. As of today, there is no decision on if youth camps can operate, and, if they can run, in what phase is it possible to open. Also, in recent weeks we have been following the rare inflammatory disease in children that may be linked to Covid-19, which could impact the health and safety of our campers, leaders, and staff.
We looked at the decision to open camp in three ways, is it legal to operate, is it safe to run and is it financially viable. After a thorough review, it is with a heavy heart that we inform you that we must suspend Scouts BSA Resident Camp programs at the Ten Mile River Scout Camps, as well as Cub Scout Resident Camp at John E. Reeves Cub World at Alpine Scout Camp, and Day Camp at Camp Pouch for the 2020 summer camp season. We know that camping is an integral part of every Scout’s experience, and this decision was not made lightly.
This decision was made by a dedicated group of volunteers, professionals, and camp leaders. We all agreed that we would like to hold summer camp; however, the restrictions and uncertainty are far too challenging to overcome.
However, based on current guidance from the state of New York and New Jersey, family camping at Ten Mile River Scout Camps and Alpine Scout Camp is allowed. We do plan to run Lakeside at Family Camp at Ten Mile River Scout Camps this summer, and there is space available. Information about family camping at Alpine Scout Camp will be available in the first week of June. Family camping is where a family can rent campsites or cabins and enjoy camp while socially distanced from others.
Our Ten Mile River Scout Camps team, as well as the team from John E. Reeves Cub World, want to keep the spirit of the camps alive this summer, online.
Virtual Camp Experiences:
Scouts BSA youth can enroll in TMR Go, which is a virtual camp experience with many of our camp staff as moderators. Youth can sign up for a basic camp experience without merit badges, or sign up for merit badges and other offerings. This program will run for four weeks, starting in July.
Cub Scouts can enroll in an activity box program developed and moderated by our John E. Reeves Cub World team. Activity boxes will be mailed to houses in July, and a guided schedule will be provided for fun activities that Scouts can participate in for four weeks this summer.
Detailed information about your virtual summer camp experience can be found at https://www.nycscouting.org/summer2020
If you have already signed up for camp, a refund processing form will be provided to the unit contact coordinating your camp experience. The refund request form will be available on June 1st. Family input will be required as part of the refund process as each family can opt for how their camp funds will be handled.
We have several options for families and the unit:
Families registered for resident camp programs at Ten Mile River Scout Camps, Aquehonga, Keowa, and Ranachqua & John E. Reeves Cub World will have multiple options.
Families can roll their $45 deposit into TMR Go or Cub World Beyond, our Virtual Camp programs.
Families can roll their Early Bird camp payments, made for 2020, to next summer, 2021. Transferring the early bird payment will lock in this year’s camp prices for 2021, which will be about a 5% savings. Rollover requests must be received by June 15th, 2020, to qualify.
Families can donate all fees paid, or partial fees paid toward camp to the maintenance of our camps. With the pandemic, our camps have closed, but there are still costs for minimal operation. Camps depends on summer camp revenue. Support of our camps is appreciated. Any contribution is appreciated, and donations of $100 or more will receive a recognition patch. The remaining fees paid will be refunded.
Families can request a full refund of camp fees paid.
Troops and Packs registered for camp have these options for their hold a place payments.
Units can roll their $200 Hold-A-Place to their 2021 summer camp week.
Units that are currently registered for Ten Mile River, with at least one paid camper deposit, will be credited with one year of tenure toward the TMR Legacy program if they roll their hold a place to 2021 by June 15th
Full Refunds can be requested.
For families that have registered for Day Camp at William H. Pouch Scout Camp will receive a full refund of all fees paid.
We are appreciative of the planning and preparation your Units invested in being ready for camp and are saddened that we are not able to host our Scouts at camp this summer. This is an extraordinarily challenging time, unlike anything we have experienced. This is the first time in the history of our camp programs that we have suspended summer operations. Our camps serve over 8,000 youth each year, with over 180 seasonal employees. We all wanted to be outside this summer and back at the camps that we love. We believe that this is temporary and have begun to plan for the 2021 camp season. We hope that you will stay connected with us through TMR Go and Cub World Beyond, and we invite you and your family to camp with us this summer as part of our family camping programs.
If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected].
Yours in Scouting,
Ethan Draddy
Scout Executive / CEO
