Pandemic jeopardizes day camp plans

By Kathy Thomson

ResourceCare summer day camp is scheduled to get underway next Monday, July 6, but with constantly changing guidelines for dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, plans were still up in the air at press time this week.

Day Camp organizers learned Tuesday that the city pool, which plays a big role in the three-week camp, is closed until further notice because of a possibility of exposure to COVID-19.

In addition, with a growing number of active cases in Texas and some roll-back in the governor’s plan to open the state, there is a very real concern that the entire event will have to be cancelled.

A decision will be made on Thursday morning by ResourceCare staff, according to program assistant Ragan Riley, who added that parents of registered campers can check the “Albany Day Camp” Facebook group to see if there are changes in the schedule or if this year’s event has to be called off.

Those who are not already members of the group should sign up as soon as possible in order to get important notifications.

“We certainly don’t want to cancel, but we may not have a choice,” said Riley. “And we absolutely don’t want to put the kids and staff at risk.”

Important Details

If the camp proceeds as planned, there are some very important changes this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to director Mindy Ary.

“Because of COVID, we absolutely cannot accept any campers who are not already registered,” said Ary. 

Mandatory registration took place the first week in June.

Children with any known exposure to the coronavirus and/or exhibiting signs of illness should not attend day camp. Ary reminded parents that children showing any signs of a fever or other symptoms of being sick need to be kept home.

“One exposure to -COVID could shut down the entire camp!” Ary said.

Healthy registered campers can be dropped off at the Youth Center at 8:30 a.m. weekdays starting next Monday, July 6.

“Campers’ temperatures will be checked every morning on arrival, as soon as they exit their vehicle,” said Ary. “If they have a temp of 100°F or greater, they can’t stay. We’ll put them back in the vehicle.”

Parents are asked to wait until their child’s temperature has been checked.

Children must be dropped off by 9:00 a.m.

“We can not accept any late arrivals this year,” said Ary. “No one will be admitted after 9:00 a.m.”

Parents will not be allowed inside of the building. The only people allowed inside will be the preregistered campers and the staff.

Funding

Day Camp is free to participants. 

This year there are 165 registered campers, 22 volunteers, and 48 high school and college staff members.

Government grants through the Summer Food Program provide for breakfast snacks and lunch meals. 

Donations from the United Way of Abilene and the Albany Chest help cover other expenses, as do local fundraisers including CareFest, salsa sales, and bake sales.

Ary said that monetary donations, as well as sunscreen, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes are still being sought.

“Sunscreen is the number one item we still need,” said Ary. “Donations can be dropped off at Resource Care any time we are open.”

Current funding is still about $2,000 short of allowing organizers to provide T-shirts for everyone.

“The staff will have T-shirts,” Ary said. “We’re hoping that individuals, including parents who can afford to do so, will make donations when they drop off their children, so we have enough to get T-shirts for the campers also.”

To make a donation, contact Ary at 254-459-8785, mindyary@resourcecare.org, or mail contributions to ResourceCare, ATTN: Day Camp, PO Box 2435, Albany, TX 76430.

Daily Schedule

Children should be dropped off at the Youth Center no earlier than 8:30 a.m. but no later than 9:00 a.m.

A breakfast snack will be served.

“It is not a full breakfast,” Riley said. “We will serve something small, like a breakfast bar, or a piece of toast, or a bowl of cereal. If your child is used to a larger breakfast, they should eat that at home before they come.”

Outside food is not permitted to be brought to camp.

Depending on whether the pool reopens, preschool and kindergarten children will swim from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon.

A hot lunch will be served.

Older children will swim from noon until 2:45 p.m.

The kindergarten and younger children should be picked up at 2:45 p.m. from the Youth Center.

The older children should be picked up from the city park at 2:45 p.m.

Swimming ability will be tested at the first possible opportunity.

If the pool does not reopen, the camp will end at noon, and all children should be picked up at the Youth Center.

Other Activities

“We won’t go on any field trips that could expose the public,” said Ary. “We’ll only go on a limited number of outings, and then to places where we are the only ones there, like the Boy Scout Hut and Nancy Smith Elementary School for games.”

The one exception will be the swimming pool.

“If the city pool is open at all, it will be open to the general public as well as our kids,” Ary said. 

Arts and crafts and dress-up days will also be included in the agenda, according to Ary.