Overnight camps going online this summer

Ottawa-area summer camps for children with physical disabilities or from low-income households say they'redevastated they'll have to remain closed thisseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but are hoping to keep the camp experience alive virtually.

On Tuesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announcedthe province is cancelling all overnight camps this summer, includingEaster Seals Camp Merrywood, Christie Lake Kids and Tim Hortons Foundation Camps.

Those specialty summer camps will go ahead online instead.

We know this isn't a replacement for a summer camp experience.- Natalie Benson, Christie Lake Kids

"It's tough because it's not a replacement for camp," said Camp Merrywooddirector Kate Goodfellow. "We hope by offering a virtual platform we can keep the campers connectedto each other and keep them connected to elements of the camp tradition they get excited about year over year."

Since 1948,Camp Merrywood has been welcoming children with a wide range of physical disabilities to Big Rideau Lake. This year, close to 400 children and youth were expected to stay at thesleepover camp.

Even before the Ford announcement, organizers had decided to suspend the camp and offer a virtual substitute because of the pandemic, Goodfellow said.

Zoom campfires

"We know how much our campers look forward to camp every year," Goodfellowsaid. "We provide them with opportunities they've never had before, experiences they don't have access to in theireveryday life."

She said the online camp will include programsin arts and crafts, games, sports and drama. A virtual campfire will allow campers to sing along via the meeting app Zoom.

The children who looked forwardto attending Tim Hortons Foundations Camps will be encouraged to join the "Tims eCamp" instead.The Foundation is still in the process of developing the program for kids from low-income families,but saida variety of online activities will be led by camp counsellors.

Katie Wheatley, chief youth officer forTim Hortons Foundation Camps, said the online program hopes to reach up to6,000 kids this summer.

"We're leveraging different wage subsidies through the federal government right now including the Canada summer job program to ensure that we're able to hire young adults who can fill that camp counsellor role and be able to connect with our kids at about a one to 10 or one to 20 ratio."

Camp in a box

For the first time in 98 years, Christie Lake Kids, a camp that giveskids fromlow-income backgrounds the opportunity to enjoy twoweeks of camp activities, won't be hosting children at Christie Lake near Perth, Ont.

Camp for kids of low-income families hoping to offer activities in new ways

4 years ago

Duration 1:24

Natalie Benson, director of fundraising and communications for Christie Lake Kids, says staff are hoping to shift the camp experience online, with crafts, singalongs and activities offered in a virtual environment.

Natalie Benson, the camp's director of fundraising, saidthe decision to pull the plug was "gut-wrenching" because children tell her those two weeks are"the highlight of the entire year."

Benson saidshe personally made calls to the families who had enrolled their children to tell them about the cancellation, "and it was really hard to hear their struggles and the things they are going through because of the pandemic."

More than 300 children who were signed up for the summer will instead receive a "camp in a box"filled with games, art supplies, recipes and other suggested activities.

Camp counsellors will hold craft-making sessions, drama classes and science experiments on Zoom on a daily basis.

Decision to cancel summer camps devastating for kids and families, director says

4 years ago

Duration 1:17

Kate Goodfellow, camp director at Easter Seals Camp Merrywood, says the decision to cancel summer camps, which are for children with physical disabilities, wasnt easy.

Benson saidkids will be encouraged to take part in physical activities such as scavenger hunts and exercise programs to keep them off the couch.

"We know this isn't a replacement for a summer camp experience," Benson said. "We just hope that it will help the kids and their families to enjoy a little bit of what they're missing."