Summer overnight camps transitioning to day camps for 2020 season

Kids can look forward to campfires and canoeing on the lake once again with the reopening of summer camps.

Under Phase 4.1 of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan, day camps may reopen in the province beginning on Monday, June 22.

But camp will look a little different this year.

Lumsden Beach Camp (LBC) and Kedleston Gospel Camp (KGC) are two Saskatchewan summer camps that will reopen under new formats this year.

Instead of seeing hundreds of kids over the course of three months of overnight summer camp programming, the two overnight camps will be moving to a day camp format with much smaller groups of campers than during a typical summer due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Vicki Nelson, executive director of LBC, says she is excited to see kids returning to camp but is disappointed in the provincial government’s lack of notice to camps of their decision to allow day camp programs to resume.

“I think there’s a little bit of a misunderstanding about how much work it takes to provide a safe, fun environment for kids,” Nelson said. “But I am glad we might be able to offer something to our camper families that live in the area.”

KGC executive director Kerry Lewis said she usually begins planning for her next year of camp programming a year in advance.

“With the new rules and regulations, we had to make the hard decision to cancel all our regular programming,” Lewis said.

“It’s been a whole lot of emotional whiplash.”

Both Lewis and Nelson say it is a tall order to prep for an entire camp season with only a few weeks notice.

“We’ve never run full-week day camps before so this is all very new for us,” Nelson said.

For both camps, the planning comes down to “a million little details,” Lewis said.

“We’re going to do our best to make it as positive an experience as we can and make it as normal and as familiar as the campers are used to, but obviously we’re going to have to ask people to be patient with some of the challenges that we’re facing.”

Despite the difficulties facing summer camps this year, day camps are expecting to open later in the summer with plenty of seasonal fun for campers.

Hiking, water fights and canoeing are some of the activities LBC campers can expect this year.

“You get to meet some new friends and … you’ll get to hang out with amazing leaders that are fun and energetic,” Nelson said.

At KGC, water sports including canoeing, kayaking and boating, as well as mountain biking and archery await campers.

What kids will experience this year that will be different from their normal summer adventures is a lot more hand sanitizing and smaller groups of friends.

Both camps are busy putting together plans for activities, hiring and training staff and getting their grounds spruced up to receive campers once again.

“It sounds crazy but mowing lawns is actually a massive job when you’re on 200 acres of land,” Nelson said with a chuckle.

Both camps will have to take extra precautions to ensure campers stay safe and healthy this season.

“I think many families may choose not to participate in camp this year and I get that, I understand that,” Nelson said, “and I think some families are balancing the needs of their children to be outside and interact with kids and have some great experiences.”

As a Bible camp, KGC will have a few extra considerations in preparing for camp chapel services.

“Whether we give all our campers masks to wear that we can still sing, I’m not sure exactly how that will all look but that is way too crucial of a part of our day out there that we have a hard time thinking about not having that,” Lewis explained.

2020 was also supposed to be KGC’s 75th anniversary.

“We had all sorts of special events planned … we were going to have a generation of relationships and family gather out there that have literally been going for seven and a half decades,” Lewis shared.

Nelson said it will be important to adjust expectations and continue learning to move forward during the uncertainty of the upcoming weeks and months.

“I think we’re all right now – as parents, as camps, as businesses – trying to balance the uncertainty but also with the need to open and do things together in community again,” Nelson said.