Kids Kamp falls victim to Covid-19

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Rising Covid-19 cases in Point Roberts led to the cancellation of the last week of Kids Kamp.

“I really hated doing this,” Point Roberts Park and Recreation District commission chair Bennett Blaustein wrote in announcing the cancellation. “At least the kids got to be kids for a couple of weeks, but I know many of them are going to be very upset with the decision. We tried really hard to make this one of the best kids camps ever and it was succeeding. I know our counselors are going to miss our campers. Hopefully next year will be even better.”

The program, sponsored by the parks and recreation district, was scheduled to run from July 19 until August 6. The decision to cancel the remainder of camp was made August 2.

“We tried to keep the kids in as much of a bubble as possible from Covid; however, the last group of people who became infected on Point Roberts also had been in contact with some of the parents who had children attending the camp,” Blaustein said. “We did not want to risk the chance of the kids being exposed to Covid and the final week would have been during the incubation period if anyone had been infected, so the potential was there to expose the rest of the campers.” All counselors had negative Covid-19 tests.

“The parents were very understanding of our reasons for discontinuing and knew that we had their children’s best interest at heart,” Blaustein said.

The 2021 Kids Camp was able to offer more actual camp days than previous years despite the cancelation, since it ran five rather than three days a week thanks to a grant, Blaustein said.

The district received a $15,000 Summer Experiences & Enrichment for Kids (SEEK) grant to fund the expanded summer camp, along with purchasing additional craft supplies and games for activities. Administered through the Washington Recreation and Park association, the SEEK program funneled federal Covid-19 relief funds into programs for kids. “We will be applying for another, larger SEEK grant for next year and if we get it, we hope it will make the camp even bigger and better than ever,” Blaustein said.

District commissioners held a special meeting and voted to pay counselors for the canceled week. “The counselors had chosen to work for us over other jobs they could have had this summer and we felt it was the right thing to compensate them for what they would have earned,” Blaustein said. “Our grant also covered counselors’ wages and it looks like the grant will still reimburse the park district for the salary of our counselors even with holding a more limited camp.”

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