Summer camps implement measures to help kids physically and mentally

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has new guidance for summer camps, as many prepare to reconnect kids with their friends who may have been distant this last year due to the pandemic.

“Our registrations are actually above where they had been traditionally this same time in previous years,” said Kyle Beach, program operations director for Camp U-NAH-LI-YA.

How camp leaders go about serving kids will look a little different this year.

“We’re looking at serving kids who may not have been in school the whole year, kids who might have been very isolated, kids who might have been removed from some of those social services that they receive in the school setting,” said Beach.

It’s causing counselors to take more proactive measures to help kids mentally.

“We’re in contact with local school counselors, we’re looking at juvenile mental health first aid training for our staff as well as crisis prevention and intervention training for our staff; CPI is what’s it’s called,” said Beach.

Cleaning and social distancing measures will still be in place, including at Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary where staff is also preparing to have more kids at its summer programs.

“Last year we had our camps limited to eight kids per week, this year we did bump that up a little bit, so we are allowing a few more students. It will be no more than 12 and we still have enough room to space them out,” said Jody Sperduto, a naturalist at the sanctuary.

If you would like to learn more or sign your child up for programs at the sanctuary, call the office at 920-391-3671.

Staff at both facilities are asking parents to monitor their children before they come to camps.

For those looking at overnight stays, staff at Camp U-NAH-LI-YA are asking families to be extra mindful about traveling.

“One of the CDC recommendations is for people to not do a lot of traveling before they come to summer camp so really to be monitoring ...doing what they can before they get to camp as well as after to make sure we’re all working together to give kids a great summer this year,” said Beach.

Camp U-NAH-LI-YA is looking for summer camp counselors.

Click here for the camp contact information.

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