DUNMORE, Pa. — Summer camps throughout northeastern and central Pennsylvania have been canceled because of health concerns during this pandemic.
"As soon as the health crisis got out of the first two weeks, I sort of knew that everyone's summer plans were going to change -- whether it was going to the Jersey shore, whether it be summer camp, even an afterschool camp in the summer. I knew in my heart it was going to be next to impossible for them to run based on the current health crisis," said Holly Legate of Ransom Township.
Legate has been a counselor at Camp Archbald in Susquehanna County, a Girl Scout camp that has been canceled this summer.
"There's really nothing else like it, being in one place with a group of girl, leadership skills, Camp Archbald especially has so much history. When you walk on the property, you feel the past 100 years with you," said Legate.
Camp Cadet is run by the State Police. It is a popular camp, but this year, it too is canceled.
State officials decided it just would not be safe for all those campers to be together during this pandemic.
"We're outside up in the mountains for camp, but there's eight kids in a cabin, and then this year they made some bigger camps so it would be 16 sharing, eight on one side, eight on the other, so that is close quarters you know in the summertime with all the kids," said camp coordinator Trooper Deanna Piekanski.
Camp organizers Newswatch 16 spoke with said they are doing what they can: the Girl Scouts are planning some virtual camp events this summer, for example, and of course, they are looking forward to getting back to camp next year.
"All we can do is think well if we persevere through this and be really creative and help each other through this, then next year can be all the better. Hope is out there, it's just gonna take a little longer to get there," said Legate.