BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Girl Scouts of WNY announced Tuesday it will not open its day and residents camp this summer due to COVID-19 concerns.
More than 2,000 campers and seasonal staff were notified of the council's decision. Girl Scouts of WNY will offer virtual and alternative camping options instead.
“While this is obviously a hard decision, we doubt this comes as a surprise to most people,” said Girl Scouts CEO Alison Wilcox. “We must put the safety of girls, families, volunteers and staff first, and there’s no way we can see accommodating campers in proximity to each other and staff in camp settings safely during this time.”
In addition to camp cancellations, rentals are also canceled through August 31, 2020. Pre-registration fees for campers and rentals will be refunded.
“We made the decision now so seasonal camp staff have as much notice as possible to help them make alternate plans for summer jobs, and parents have notice to find alternative child care for the summer,” Wilcox said. “We also understand the disappointment our Girl Scouts and their families will feel without these opportunities. We want them to know Girl Scouting has remained strong for over 100 years and our camp programs will still be here for future summers.”
All in-person Girl Scout activities are canceled until at least June 30, 2020.