Summer Camps and the Coronavirus

[Eagle94-A1]

With the governor saying no overnight summer camps, I am betting ours will be cancelled now. Already looking into options to provide the Scouts. Worse case, we will go to the local Scout camp (5 to 20 minutes away depending upon the Scout) and do our own program. Best case,  get out of dodge and have a 5 day lollygag.

[Ronmass]

Love the forum ..Just one request, especially in these times of closures or not closures etc ....PLEASE write down where you are from ...Thanks in advance !!

[Eagle94-A1]

2 hours ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

With the governor saying no overnight summer camps, I am betting ours will be cancelled now. Already looking into options to provide the Scouts. Worse case, we will go to the local Scout camp (5 to 20 minutes away depending upon the Scout) and do our own program. Best case,  get out of dodge and have a 5 day lollygag.

@Ronmass   NC

[SteveMM]

Heart of Virginia Council in Virginia just announced they're opening camp on July 5.  Our troop was supposed to go in the last week of June, but supposedly the camp will accommodate us.  Our SM wants to go July 5-11.  Without some kind of specifics on how they're going to handle things like meals (our dining hall, like most, is packed to the gills at mealtime) I'm not sure I can commit one way or another.  The council said they're implementing the following: 

• Developing pre-travel protocols

• Pre-arrival screening

• Extensive on-site screening

• Increased cleaning and sanitization in shared spaces, buildings, vehicles, and program areas

• Large gatherings, Merit Badges and programs that cannot accommodate social distancing, campfires and chapel services, will be limited or eliminated

• Adjustments in our dining hall operations

• Any participant or staff member in a high-risk category for protection from COVID-19 should not attend summer camp this year, because of established protocols by our country’s medical experts.

• Additional measures will be implemented per CDC guidelines.

[Jameson76]

8 hours ago, SteveMM said:

• Pre-arrival screening

• Extensive on-site screening

• Increased cleaning and sanitization in shared spaces, buildings, vehicles, and program areas

• Large gatherings, Merit Badges and programs that cannot accommodate social distancing, campfires and chapel services, will be limited or eliminated

• Adjustments in our dining hall operations

 

These are all great intent, but they will be executed by young staff, so it may or may not happen

The biggest challenge will be dining halls, for the larger camps it's a non-starter.  If you have 800 in camp (staff / leaders / Scouts) that is 2400 meals a day.  Assuming you cut your dining hall capacity by 1/2, which is optimistic, the camp will need to be serving cleaning in a minimum of 6 cycles daily which will be 8 to 9 hours of time needed and varying dinner times.  Maybe go all meal pickup and eat in sire

While needed, the elimination of campfires and and assemblies will really cut into the summer camp experience.  Also some merit badge classes will have to cut capacity significantly, adversely affecting program.  Not sure there is a good solution

Edited May 7, 2020 by Jameson76

[Jameson76]

12 hours ago, Jackdaws said:

Our troop has made the decision to cancel for week 4  at Bert Adams.  We have a couple high risk scouts and couple adult's with travel bans.   Really hope they give us a full refund. 

Indications are they will refund all fees.  Send a note to the council and they should process quickly

[JoeBob]

On 5/1/2020 at 3:31 PM, Jameson76 said:

rafting trips

Pretty sure that rafting is sunk. 

No way for 7 people to social-distance in an 18' Avon. 

Wearing an N95 mask is a drowning hazard; and I bet that you could inhale a wet procedure mask trying to catch your breath after an unexpected cold water dunking. 

And buddy-rescue... Well; never-mind.

Edited May 7, 2020 by JoeBob

[HashTagScouts]

1 hour ago, Jameson76 said:

These are all great intent, but they will be executed by young staff, so it may or may not happen

The biggest challenge will be dining halls, for the larger camps it's a non-starter.  If you have 800 in camp (staff / leaders / Scouts) that is 2400 meals a day.  Assuming you cut your dining hall capacity by 1/2, which is optimistic, the camp will need to be serving cleaning in a minimum of 6 cycles daily which will be 8 to 9 hours of time needed and varying dinner times.  Maybe go all meal pickup and eat in sire

While needed, the elimination of campfires and and assemblies will really cut into the summer camp experience.  Also some merit badge classes will have to cut capacity significantly, adversely affecting program.  Not sure there is a good solution

I have questions on how well these camps are going to do getting enough supplies to do all this disinfecting and sanitizing, especially as most people can't get their hands on it right now.  Figure if you were doing meals in shifts, you really aren't accomplishing much if you don't add time in between to sanitize for the next group.

I spent a little time time today sifting through some of the requirements for typical summer MBs we see from our kids.  Either if we were to go through council camp or go off and run our own thing, there are some requirements I struggle with how you could do them in "social distancing".  First Aid for example, I'd so much rather things are hands on rather than lecture of "theoretical first aid", but I can't see having the kids pawing at tech other doing bandages and such.  Archery/rifle shooting a good instructor will try to lean in and help the kid who is struggling sighting their rifle- can't see that happening much right now.  Handicrafts, you really would need staff to watch everything like a hawk to wipe down the handsaw after one scout uses it and another picks it up.  My head started to swim at how many MBs would probably be partials versus completes.

[5thGenTexan]

10 minutes ago, HashTagScouts said:

I have questions on how well these camps are going to do getting enough supplies to do all this disinfecting and sanitizing, especially as most people can't get their hands on it right now.  Figure if you were doing meals in shifts, you really aren't accomplishing much if you don't add time in between to sanitize for the next group.

I spent a little time time today sifting through some of the requirements for typical summer MBs we see from our kids.  Either if we were to go through council camp or go off and run our own thing, there are some requirements I struggle with how you could do them in "social distancing".  First Aid for example, I'd so much rather things are hands on rather than lecture of "theoretical first aid", but I can't see having the kids pawing at tech other doing bandages and such.  Archery/rifle shooting a good instructor will try to lean in and help the kid who is struggling sighting their rifle- can't see that happening much right now.  Handicrafts, you really would need staff to watch everything like a hawk to wipe down the handsaw after one scout uses it and another picks it up.  My head started to swim at how many MBs would probably be partials versus completes.

Once again Cub Scouts because thats where am at now.  I am hearing talk of wiping down all the BB guns, bows, arrows, etc before each new group comes up.  I just don't see how that is possible.  Time wise and effectively.

[Eagle94-A1]

I am cleaning  after each patron at my library. It is a pain. And I am not dealing with the numbers or time restraints that a camp has.

[HashTagScouts]

16 minutes ago, 5thGenTexan said:

Once again Cub Scouts because thats where am at now.  I am hearing talk of wiping down all the BB guns, bows, arrows, etc before each new group comes up.  I just don't see how that is possible.  Time wise and effectively.

I was just saying tonight that all the rumored adjustments we have to make for resident camp, I can't imagine what would need to be done at cub camp.  Hard sometimes keeping 13 year old from grabbing at and wrestling with each other- can't imagine how that goes with the younger kids.  And trying to get them to keep their masks on and not touch them/adjust them 20,000 times a day.

[ItsBrian]

52 minutes ago, HashTagScouts said:

I have questions on how well these camps are going to do getting enough supplies to do all this disinfecting and sanitizing, especially as most people can't get their hands on it right now.  Figure if you were doing meals in shifts, you really aren't accomplishing much if you don't add time in between to sanitize for the next group.

I spent a little time time today sifting through some of the requirements for typical summer MBs we see from our kids.  Either if we were to go through council camp or go off and run our own thing, there are some requirements I struggle with how you could do them in "social distancing".  First Aid for example, I'd so much rather things are hands on rather than lecture of "theoretical first aid", but I can't see having the kids pawing at tech other doing bandages and such.  Archery/rifle shooting a good instructor will try to lean in and help the kid who is struggling sighting their rifle- can't see that happening much right now.  Handicrafts, you really would need staff to watch everything like a hawk to wipe down the handsaw after one scout uses it and another picks it up.  My head started to swim at how many MBs would probably be partials versus completes.

American Red Cross is still holding First Aid/CPR classes while social distancing, so I’m sure BSA can figure something out.

[ItsBrian]

22 minutes ago, HashTagScouts said:

I was just saying tonight that all the rumored adjustments we have to make for resident camp, I can't imagine what would need to be done at cub camp.  Hard sometimes keeping 13 year old from grabbing at and wrestling with each other- can't imagine how that goes with the younger kids.  And trying to get them to keep their masks on and not touch them/adjust them 20,000 times a day.

I really can’t imagine campers, or even staff, being forced to wear a mask for the entire day. Staff having to wear one every day for the entire summer will definitely ruin spirit and the camp experience. I don’t believe this would happen, if camps open.

[mashmaster]

Our council camps all closed down for the summer.  The hits keep on coming.

[HashTagScouts]

7 hours ago, ItsBrian said:

I really can’t imagine campers, or even staff, being forced to wear a mask for the entire day. Staff having to wear one every day for the entire summer will definitely ruin spirit and the camp experience. I don’t believe this would happen, if camps open.

Here in MA, facemasks are a state mandate whenever out in public, for anyone age over the age of 2.  The signal from the Gov is that will be with us through the summer, and possibly even into the school year.  I fully expect it will be a requirement for camps.

Edited May 7, 2020 by RememberSchiff
replace facemarks with facemasks