The Girl Scouts of Western New York will not open its day and resident camps for more than 2,000 girls this summer due to safety concerns about the COVID-19 virus.
In addition to campers, that means that some 160 seasonal staff cannot be hired. Families, past staff, and Girl Scout members were notified of the decision on May 12. Girl Scouts of Western New York (GSWNY) plans to offer virtual and alternative camping and Girl Scout programming instead.
“While this is obviously a hard decision, we doubt this comes as a surprise to most people,” said Girl Scouts CEO Alison Wilcox. “We must put the safety of girls, families, volunteers and staff first, and there’s no way we can see accommodating campers in proximity to each other and staff in camp settings safely during this time.”
GSWNY operates day camps at Camp Piperwood in Fairport and Camp Windy Meadows in Lockport; and resident camps at Camp Timbercrest in Randolph and Camp Seven Hills in Holland. Last summer, a total of more than 2,000 Girl Scouts attended those camps through various summer sessions.
All camp property rentals are cancelled through August 31, 2020 and pre-registration fees for campers and rentals will be refunded in full within 30 days. In addition, the suspension of all in-person Girl Scouts activities is extended until at least June 30, 2020.
Camp directors will continue to work this summer, assisting with virtual and other programming GSWNY plans to offer. GSWNY is currently surveying families to determine what type of summer programming they seek.
“We made the decision now so seasonal camp staff have as much notice as possible to help them make alternate plans for summer jobs, and parents have notice to find alternative child care for the summer,” Wilcox said. “We also understand the disappointment our Girl Scouts and their families will feel without these opportunities. We want them to know Girl Scouting has remained strong for over 100 years and our camp programs will still be here for future summers.”
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