The Council Room

[David Bentley]

Now that most of the "medical" issues of COVID have been addressed, and States and business have developed some protocols allowing a certain level of normalcy to return to civilian life, another problem has arisen on the horizon.

In a local newspaper today, I read an article about summer camps that had opened this summer being forced to close because they can't procure enough food to meet their daily needs. Almost all camps are highly seasonal, operating for a relatively short period of time, and rely on commercial transportation to deliver food and other operating supplies. According to this article, some suppliers can't find drivers to drive the extra routes necessary to meet the seasonal demand. And, stepping back another level, some warehouses can't increase their orders to accommodate the increase in orders during the summer season. They feel obligated to do the best they can just to keep their regular (year round) customers supplied. The supply chain is being severely impacted by the labor force and lack of capable drivers. Apparently, a lot of drivers who were laid off either found other work or decided, at least, not to return to being a driver. I asked somebody I know at one of our local markets if they could supply a camp and she told me that they struggle just to keep up with their order, and having to supply a camp with 250 people would be out of the question.

So, we can all be grateful that the "medical" issues of COVID seem to be under control, but we may still have other issues to deal with as the economy returns to a stronger activity.
_________________
C-1 49 J-7 52 S-3 55 J-10 58
C-7 50 J-7 53 S-2 56 J-8 59
C-8 51 J-4 54 S-7 57 (JA) J-8 60 - 64
1965 - 1968 Military service
Pine Cone 68 - 75 (with wife,Sherry,
and daughter Tracey)
Wolfeboro - full-time since 1997

[DavidAyars]

I did not see that coming. I thought this summer would be back to normal for summer camps, or at least as close to it as could be in the midst of a pandemic. And I'm sure for some camps, it is.

The NY Times also ran an article today about the same issue. They identified three overnight camps in the Northeast, including one on Lake Winipesaukee, that have closed early. "Come get your kids, we can't do it." For those camps, there were some supply issues, but the main problem has been staffing.

More generally, camps that relied on international students for staff were largely shut out this year due to travel and visa issues. And camps struggled to hire staff and get the people who committed to be there to show up and stay. Large numbers of hires "ghosted" them (just didn't show). Some staff members showed and quickly quit, complaining about hard work and low pay; they can make more this summer on the fast food line. (Uh... yeah... you kids today!) There was talk of unionizing camp councilors. (WTH, RoV... the Almanac Singers come back to life!)

Some camps tapped their alumni network to get over the crisis. No doubt in my mind that if the call had gone out from Wyanoke, hey, we got a problem and need staff, stat, some alums would have moved heaven and earth to be there and help out.

I also can't imagine a camp being able to come back and reboot another summer after shutting down early and suddenly because of staff management issues.
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Camper: J-8 1965 (Kevin Ryan), J-8 1966 (Mike Freeland), S-6 1967 (Russ Hatch), S-3 1968 (Jeremy Cripps), and JA-2 1969 (Dan Mannis).
JC: J-2 1970 (Bill Bettison) and J-3 1971 (Gene Comella). Councilor 1972, J-5 1973, and JA-1 1974 & 1975

[Mike Freeland]

The focus on the NYT article is Camp Quinebarge, a venerable old co-ed camp in Moultonboro which has been operating since 1936. From the standpoint of anyone who has had any experience with a high-quality summer camp, it is horrifying to me to even think that that could happen at Wyanoke (or Belknap or Dewitt or any of the other camps we hated so much).

Yes, it's hard work, and the pay stinks (I think I topped out at 600 bucks or so, even as co-coordinator of the trips program! Tell me that ain't hard work!). You're on 24-hour duty, and in charge of more than one of some families' "Alpha and Omega," whether you like them or not, for 8 straight weeks. That's powerful and heavy responsibility. These councilors knew their pay ahead of time, and the guys who just didn't show up or who just quit without saying "I quit, but I'll wait til you find a replacement for me" are reprehensible scum whose parents should have sent them right back to camp to fulfil their responsibilities. There were apparently reports of some kids being dehydrated! How the hell does that happen?

Here's the link to the NYT article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/24/us/summer-camp-reopen-counselors.html

If they won't let you read it for lack of a subscription, just google Quinebarge and you'll find a number of sources.

To me the whole affair is viscerally depressing.

The councilors saying they could make more money at a squat-n-gobble than at camp popped into my mind yesterday when I had a burning desire for a Taco Bell taco. There was a sign on the door reading, "We don't have enough staff to open our dining area. Please use the drive-through." Maybe these councilors just prefer to not work at all. Anyway I passed on the taco because I was on my motorcycle. There is SO much more to be gained at camp than a paycheck.

Covid's one thing, but in general, what's happened to us?

I could rant for hours, but it's almost 5:00.
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'56-C-9 C. Mosher '57-C-9 Bill Feaster
'58-J-14 H. Peavy '59-J-11 G. Wood, C. Duncan
'60-S-8 R. Leavitt, D. Hemphill '61-S-1 E. Slocum
'62-JA-1 H. Dunbar '63-C-2 (JC)
'64-C-5, (JC) Councilor
'65-C-9 '66 - '72-J-8
'73-JA1 '75-J-6