BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Girl Scouts of Western New York announced Tuesday all day and resident camps will not open for the summer of 2020 due to safety concerns surrounding COVID-19.
The decision impacts more than 2,000 campers as well as 160 seasonal staff that cannot be hired.
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 says all camp property rentals are canceled through August 31 and and pre-registration fees for campers and rentals will be refunded in full within 30 days.
All in-person Girl Scout activities are suspended until at least June 30.
“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.”
