ST. LOUIS, MO (KMOX) - It's not too early to start planning for your kids' summer camp. In fact as KMOX News has learned, some camps are telling parents to sign up now.
Last summer the Gateway Region YMCA had to scale back summer camps dramatically due to the pandemic, but hopes to boost attendance this year.
"We usually service about 10,000 children in camp over the summer, last year was about 1,800 with the capacity levels, " explains Vice President of Association Child Care and Inclusion Services, Laurie McTiernan. "We're budgeting to look at about 80% of what we did in 2019 so about 7,000."
McTiernan tells KMOX they know they may have to adjust on short notice.
"We do have two or three contingency plans that we can pull levers based on whatever the city, county, state or CDC guidelines might look like for this summer," she says.
The Gateway Region YMCA opened registration at the end of December. McTiernan recommends families sign up and get their deposit in as soon as possible to secure spots. She says the Y does offer financial assistance for families.
Meanwhile other organizations are getting things in place but holding off on opening registration.
"We have plans A through E, and we're just waiting for guidance," says Assistant Director of Non-Credit programs and Online and Education outreach at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Leslie Brock.
Last year SIUE's Camp Cougar was put on hold. This year, the scale of the camp will depend on state and federal guidelines. Brock says many of the camp programs are trying to make plans, "while some are hoping to offer in person, others are going more virtual."
Brock says they hope to know more by March.
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