Girl Scouts of Western PA cancel summer camps

[RememberSchiff]

April 20, 2020: Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania has canceled all summer day and resident camps.

“We look forward to summer at camp as much as our girls and volunteers, but our priority is protecting the health and safety of everyone in our Girl Scout family,” said Patricia A. Burkart, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania, in a press release.

The closure covers Girl Scout properties at Camp Hawthorne Ridge, Camp Redwing, Camp Skymeadow, and Camp Conshatawba through August 31, 2020. It applies to summer resident camps, troop and service unit camping, events, volunteer-led day camps, and rentals.

Those who have already registered for Girl Scout camps will receive a full refund, including deposits.

The Girl Scouts are working on developing “safe outdoor opportunities,” including virtual programs and guidance for earning badges at home. They will unveil their schedule of “remote outdoor programming” on June 1.

More at source:

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2020/04/20/Girl-Scouts-cancel-summer-camps-western-pa-pittsburgh/stories/202004200097

[Jameson76]

1 hour ago, RememberSchiff said:

April 20, 2020: Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania has canceled all summer day and resident camps.

“We look forward to summer at camp as much as our girls and volunteers, but our priority is protecting the health and safety of everyone in our Girl Scout family,” said Patricia A. Burkart, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Western Pennsylvania, in a press release.

The closure covers Girl Scout properties at Camp Hawthorne Ridge, Camp Redwing, Camp Skymeadow, and Camp Conshatawba through August 31, 2020. It applies to summer resident camps, troop and service unit camping, events, volunteer-led day camps, and rentals.

Those who have already registered for Girl Scout camps will receive a full refund, including deposits.

The Girl Scouts are working on developing “safe outdoor opportunities,” including virtual programs and guidance for earning badges at home. They will unveil their schedule of “remote outdoor programming” on June 1.

More at source:

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/education/2020/04/20/Girl-Scouts-cancel-summer-camps-western-pa-pittsburgh/stories/202004200097

Not discounting legitimate concerns, but I wonder if there may be more to this than just the COVID19 concerns?  Possibly the camps have been a money loser and this is the opportunity to limit losses and further move away from the outdoor program.  Then they could possibly move to the sell of one or more of the 4 properties.

[RememberSchiff]

Agree. COVID-19 could become THE accepted reason for organizations to sell not fully-utilized camps. 

Remember when the Scout mission of our camps was not as financial resource for Council rather good stewardship of nature's resources for future generations?

Another $0.02,

Edited April 21, 2020 by RememberSchiff

[qwazse]

5 hours ago, Jameson76 said:

Not discounting legitimate concerns, but I wonder if there may be more to this than just the COVID19 concerns?  Possibly the camps have been a money loser and this is the opportunity to limit losses and further move away from the outdoor program.  Then they could possibly move to the sell of one or more of the 4 properties.

I can't speak for the other camps, but Redwing avoided recent closures because it was so popular among GS around here. My venturers loved the place.