Summer Camp Doldrums

SEBRING - Are you choosing to stay home with your children this summer? If so, you're probably one of a growing number of parents choosing not to take your kids to summer camps.

This year, some local summer camps have seen declining enrollments so far.

The drop concerned Linda Crowder, the director of The Children's Museum of the Highlands in Sebring.
The museum's $80-per-week camp only had 10 of its 25 slots taken last week, even though she saw museum attendance climb by 75 attendants per week compared to the last summer.

At the YMCA of Highlands County, Camp Director Cheryl Bateman has been used to seeing the summer camps book up before school is out. This year, she still has five of 72 spots left for the final week of camp.

Both camp directors shared a common scapegoat. "People putting money in the gas tank," as Bateman described it.

Crowder said she asked four of the parents who decided not to register at her camp this year about their summer plans this year.

Three of them told her they just planned to stay home with their kids while the fourth admitted he was short on money and couldn't afford the camp.

At the Y, camp fees are $125 per week or $95 for members. Last year, they were $95 and $75 per week, respectively.

Bateman said the increases were made to cover the new swimming pool and expanded fitness room, both included in the camp.

Lou Rivera, who directs The Sanctuary Preschool and Day Care in Avon Park, had the same gripe. Even though attendance for 1- to 4-year-olds remained stable, her summer program, which enrolls children up to 12, has been rather low this year.

"They don't want to spend money but they need to work," Rivera said. "They may buy more Playstations and games, let them stay by themselves, I dunno."

Not all the summer camps in the area are facing sluggish enrollments this year.
Camp Sparta office manager Maria Avans said about 70 elementary school-aged kids enrolled in the camp's "Discovery" programs, the same as last year.

Becky Rousch, the director of community education at South Florida Community College who also oversees its budding youth camps, said they have actually expanded the summer camps for both the younger children and middle school-aged kids.

Enrollment for June has been level with last year's. This month, the camp is serving from 24 to 35 children per week, depending on attendance.

Last year there were no July camps at the college, but Rousch said there was a demand for it this year.
"We're offering something and the parents are responding," she said.

Summer camps are ongoing for the YMCA, the museum and many other locations, but camp is already over for some other programs.