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By CHAT News Today

Ready for 2021

Alberta helping overnight camps that can’t open this year

Jun 19, 2020 | 12:22 PM

Overnight camps for kids won’t open in Alberta in 2020, but the provincial government is making things easier so they can be ready for 2021.

The province is offering a one-time grant to help with ongoing facility costs such as insurance, security systems and utilities needed to maintain facilities and prevent damage. The grant is open to non-profit organizations that own or operate overnight camps and meet certain criteria. The grants come from the Under the Overnight Camps (for Children and Youth) Facility Overhead Funding Program.

“Overnight camps for children are invaluable to the holistic well-being of children and the staff that service them. As a mother of campers, a teacher, former camp staff member and camp board member, I have seen for the past 20 years how camps across Alberta instill and develop skills and values in our children critical to citizenship,” said Shanley Mercer, a parent and former camp staff member. “Most importantly, they develop extensive relationship skills that foster community building and contribute to inclusion, open-mindedness, caring for others of all ages, leadership and confidence. Camps teach our children to live lives of integrity and critical awareness. Camp gives children and staff time in our environment in which they learn to appreciate nature and be balanced as people who contribute to the common good.”

Leela Sharon Aheer, minister of culture, multiculturalism and status of women, said camps play a vital role in childhood for campers.

“Many camps will not survive a full year of lost revenue, which would be devastating for our children and youth who are struggling without school, their friends or extracurricular activities. This funding for overnight camps is an important investment in our kids to ensure the excitement and lifelong memories of an overnight camp experience are there for our kids next summer.”

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In order to be eligible, an organization must own or operate permanent overnight camp facilities for children and youth and show a loss in revenue equal to or greater than their fixed overhead costs, reads a news release from the province. Overnight camp organizations must also demonstrate financial need and that they are planning for their future viability.

The release adds program details are being confirmed, and the online application is expected to be available soon. Applications will be accepted until Aug. 31.