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It's Not All Sunny at Summer Camps This Year

By Kristie Borges

| Monday, Jun 29, 2009 | Updated 2:00 PM EST

It's Not All Sunny at Summer Camps This Year

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Everyone should have a chance to sit around a campfire like this. But many summer camps in Connecticut are forced to seek donations to help pay for kids to go.

School's out and parents are sending their kids to summer camp. But this year, because of the economy many camps are having a tough time giving everyone financial assistance who asks for it.

The Day is reporting that many summer camps are appealing for donations to help parents pay for the cost of sending their children to camp.

For example, last summer, the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center in Mystic had 16 scholarship requests, and was able to fill them all. This summer it’s filled 10 requests and is awaiting donations to fill 9 additional ones.

At the DNA EpiCenter in New London, enrollment is about the same this year, but scholarship requests are triple what they were last year.

One problem in Southeastern Connecticut is the closing of the Norwich YMCA. The YMCA provided low-cost day camp programs for dozen of children.

A quick look at summer camp costs around Connecticut show the average week of day camp costs $135 to $350. Two-week sessions for overnight camp range about $1,250 per session. Many Connecticut communities have programs for residents through the parks and recreation departments which are generally a little cheaper.