With Camps Closed, US Families Face Summer in the Great Indoors
2020-05-16
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1Welcome to summer in the great indoors!
2Parents across the United States are learning children's summer camps will be canceled, delayed or moved online because of the coronavirus health crisis.
3Public safety measures will affect how boys and girls spend their summer vacation.
4From New Hampshire to California, families and the camps themselves are struggling.
5Online campfires and "virtual" fun and games in the living room are becoming more likely.
6It is a sharp blow for children - and their parents - who have spent weeks at home during school closures.
7Many had hoped attending summer camp would be a prize following weeks of homeschooling and social distancing.
8The move is also a sharp blow to nonprofit groups that depend on the money they earn from camps.
9Young people who were looking forward to working at summer camp jobs have also been affected.
10"When we finally found out that schools were going to be closed for the rest of the year, I was like, 'Well, there's always summer camp.' I was really holding out for that," said Rasha Habiby of California.
11She had planned to send her 10-year-old daughter to her first sleep-away camp.
12 But that is not possible anymore.
13Habiby and her husband have demanding jobs.
14But they chose to keep their children away from her parents to avoid possibly spreading the virus.
15Now, she said the couple may be forced to ask her parents to watch the children during work hours.
16An estimated 20 million American children attend one or more summer camps each year.
17Their camp fees fuel an $18-billion industry that employs over a million seasonal workers.
18That information comes from the American Camp Association, which represents more than 3,100 camps.
19The association has asked independent health experts to make suggestions for camps.
20Many camps still hope to open, said Tom Rosenberg, the group's president.
21Camps are awaiting guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state and local health officials, he added.
22"Most camps are not asking if they're going to open but how they're going to open," Rosenberg said.
23Camp Walt Whitman offers a seven-week overnight camp in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
24Camp officials sent parents a letter with three proposals: canceling all activities, postponing them or going forward with social distancing and other safety measures.
25Officials will decide after May 20, director Jed Dorfman said.
26For smaller camps, cancelations could lead to financial ruin.
27Many nonprofits use the money that camps raise for their budgets and to pay for service contracts.
28Organizers of some canceled camps have urged parents to donate all or part of this year's camp fees or put the money toward next year's camp.
29That led to problems for Galileo Learning, a camp near San Francisco, California. It canceled its camp this summer and credited families for next year.
30That angered some parents.
31The company then asked parents whether they would like all or part of their money returned or whether they would like a credit for future use.
32In a statement, Galileo said it had stopped paying or dismissed more than 80 percent of its year-round workers.
33Other camps are racing to move online.
34Interlochen Arts Camp usually has 2,800 young people from 50 countries attend its summer program in Michigan.
35But this year the camp will move to virtual programs.
36The camp will be shorter than usual, president Trey Devey said.
37The changes are proving difficult for many Americans, including young people.
38Delia Graham was looking forward to spending six weeks at Willowbrook Arts Camp, where she has been going since age 5.
39Now, 10 years later, she is old enough to work as a half-day counselor at the camp near Portland, Oregon.
40Graham and her five camp friends have talked in a FaceTime group meeting about what might happen before getting the bad news, she said.
41"I didn't think it would get so bad, that it would last this long," she said of the coronavirus pandemic.
42"I really miss my friends."
43I'm Pete Musto.
1Welcome to summer in the great indoors! 2Parents across the United States are learning children's summer camps will be canceled, delayed or moved online because of the coronavirus health crisis. 3Public safety measures will affect how boys and girls spend their summer vacation. From New Hampshire to California, families and the camps themselves are struggling. Online campfires and "virtual" fun and games in the living room are becoming more likely. 4It is a sharp blow for children - and their parents - who have spent weeks at home during school closures. Many had hoped attending summer camp would be a prize following weeks of homeschooling and social distancing. 5The move is also a sharp blow to nonprofit groups that depend on the money they earn from camps. 6Young people who were looking forward to working at summer camp jobs have also been affected. 7"When we finally found out that schools were going to be closed for the rest of the year, I was like, 'Well, there's always summer camp.' I was really holding out for that," said Rasha Habiby of California. She had planned to send her 10-year-old daughter to her first sleep-away camp. But that is not possible anymore. 8Habiby and her husband have demanding jobs. But they chose to keep their children away from her parents to avoid possibly spreading the virus. Now, she said the couple may be forced to ask her parents to watch the children during work hours. 9Summer camps as big business 10An estimated 20 million American children attend one or more summer camps each year. Their camp fees fuel an $18-billion industry that employs over a million seasonal workers. That information comes from the American Camp Association, which represents more than 3,100 camps. 11The association has asked independent health experts to make suggestions for camps. Many camps still hope to open, said Tom Rosenberg, the group's president. Camps are awaiting guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state and local health officials, he added. 12"Most camps are not asking if they're going to open but how they're going to open," Rosenberg said. 13Camp Walt Whitman offers a seven-week overnight camp in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Camp officials sent parents a letter with three proposals: canceling all activities, postponing them or going forward with social distancing and other safety measures. Officials will decide after May 20, director Jed Dorfman said. 14For smaller camps, cancelations could lead to financial ruin. Many nonprofits use the money that camps raise for their budgets and to pay for service contracts. 15Organizers of some canceled camps have urged parents to donate all or part of this year's camp fees or put the money toward next year's camp. 16That led to problems for Galileo Learning, a camp near San Francisco, California. It canceled its camp this summer and credited families for next year. 17That angered some parents. The company then asked parents whether they would like all or part of their money returned or whether they would like a credit for future use. In a statement, Galileo said it had stopped paying or dismissed more than 80 percent of its year-round workers. 18Other camps are racing to move online. 19Interlochen Arts Camp usually has 2,800 young people from 50 countries attend its summer program in Michigan. But this year the camp will move to virtual programs. The camp will be shorter than usual, president Trey Devey said. 20The changes are proving difficult for many Americans, including young people. 21Delia Graham was looking forward to spending six weeks at Willowbrook Arts Camp, where she has been going since age 5. Now, 10 years later, she is old enough to work as a half-day counselor at the camp near Portland, Oregon. 22Graham and her five camp friends have talked in a FaceTime group meeting about what might happen before getting the bad news, she said. 23"I didn't think it would get so bad, that it would last this long," she said of the coronavirus pandemic. "I really miss my friends." 24I'm Pete Musto. 25Gillian Flaccus wrote this story for The Associated Press. George Grow adapted the report for VOA learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. 26________________________________________________________________ 27Words in This Story 28virtual - adj. not physically existing, but made by software programs to appear to do so 29fee - n. a payment made to someone with expertise in exchange for advice or services 30hold out - phrasal verb 31contract - n. a business agreement 32outcry - n. a shout or cry 33counselor - n. someone who supervises children at a camp; a person who provides guidance 34pandemic - n. 35We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.