Maya McFadden Photo
A modified version of summer camp at the Boys & Girls Club started up Monday, offering a chance to safely get kids out of the house with crafts, games, and masks.
The six-week onsite summer camp for children ages 5 to 14 is taking place at the club’s Columbus Avenue home. About 60 summer campers will participate through Aug. 14.
The club staff returned after a deep cleaning of the building to reorganize three weeks ago. The campers are split by age groups into five pods of ten kids each. Each pod is facilitated by two staff members. The campers will remain in their designated group of ten for the entire summer camp to minimize their contact with others.
Before eating lunch the kids played board games like Connect 4 and Sorry!
The summer program is operating with a staff of 15, including part-time employees, volunteers, and Youth@Work students.
Youth development staff member Alayjah McDowell decorated her pod area with her name and her designated age group of 11 – 14-year-old girls.
More than half of the 60 campers are registered for all six weeks. About 20 campers have registered to participate for either two or four weeks.
A nearly $40,000 grant from the Carolyn Foundation helped the club fund scholarships to each of the summer campers to attend the camp free of charge. The grant also funded the club’s investment in personal supplies for each of the campers.
Each camper received a basketball and art kit to label with their names to use during their summer activities to avoid sharing materials.
The club has been following guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control, the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood, and the City of New Haven for the summer camp.
The club was also able to secure loan money from the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
The club’s new interim executive director, Barbara Chesler, is a former Yale University senior associate athletic director. Chesler worked in intercollegiate athletic administration for more than 35 years.
Chesler came out of retirement to take on the full-time volunteer position. Since her first day on March 11, the club has received support from the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, the City of New Haven, and the Boys and Girls Club of America (BGCA).
On March 12 the club had to close its Columbus Avenue doors because of Covid-19. The club began offering virtual programming May 18 until June 25 while planning for a safe reopening.
Before making the decision to reopen, the club’s administrative team created a safety task force to weigh its options consulting with doctors, lawyers, insurance agents, and national health officials.
The club’s parking lot is closed off for the summer session to create an outdoor space for the kids to enjoy twice a day without wearing their masks, which are required for indoor activities. The club is also able to use outdoor spaces at the St. Martin De Porres Academy.
While arranging for reopening, Chesler said she prioritized safety for the camp’s kids, staff, and families at home when campers return home at the end of the day. The club will not host the campers on any field trips to increase its safety efforts. Instead, the fun is being brought to the campers every Friday for special events day at the end of each week.
This Friday the club will host a carnival themed day offering fried dough and raffle tickets to campers.
“We didn’t take the decision-making process lightly,” said Chesler. “The kids need us more than ever now.” Chesler said she and her team took into consideration parents’ need to work, families’ financial struggles, and potential learning gaps created for the youth due to the school-year shift to virtual learning.
The enrollment process was on a first-come, first-served need basis. Many campers were selected from families who were enrolled in this year’s after school program.
The pods of ten are arranged by age group. Pod 1: 5 – 6‑year-olds, pod 2: 7 – 8‑year-olds, pod 3: 9 – 10-year-olds, pod 4: 11 – 14-year-old boys, and pod 5: 11 – 14-year-old girls.
The camp runs from 8 a.m until 4 p.m with breakfast and lunch included.
All summer actives will fall under one of the three core programs: healthy lifestyle, academic success, and character leadership, said Director of Programs & Family Services Chantel Gray.
Gray, who has been at the club for 14 years, was tasked with crafting a program made up of socially distanced activities this summer. Sports activities like viking bowling, soccer, wiffle ball, obstacle courses, and basketball fundamentals will be encouraged amongst the campers. Gray said all team games will be avoided.
“It’s important that we take these precautions. because people are trusting their gems with us,” Gray said.
12-year-old Janiela Gore.
Chesler said she hopes to reach out to organizations around the community in need of building space such as the large gymnasium which is currently only used for the summer camp. “It will be a win-win if we can get this space used more and we can get more community partners,” she said.
Despite the change in the age range of New Haveners, Chesler works with, she said, her administrative position still requires similar tasks such as developing programs, financial mangment, and interacting with people. “I feel in my comfort zone. It’s still work hard, play hard,” she said.