Summer camps part of Lakewood YMCA’s major comeback from pandemic

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The Lakewood YMCA is ready for summer camp, but their enrollment numbers have been cut in half due to the pandemic.

“We know our protocols are working because we’ve had very, very few positive cases,” said VP of youth programs Ana Thomas.

Enrollment for campers has decreased from 1,000 kids a day to only 500.

“A lot of families have had a really hard year paying for child care when schools were closed, so they might be seeing camp as an opportunity to keep their kids at home instead of going to camp, unfortunately,” said Thomas.

Money isn’t the only thing standing in the way of kids heading to the Y this summer. Many parents are still working from home and don’t think they’re going back to the office anytime soon.

For those campers who’ve signed up, they’re still going to get the full experience, including field trips.

“Instead of going to the science museum, we’re going to have scientists come to us, and instead of going to an exhibit on bugs, we’re going to bring the bug guy to us,” said Thomas.

They have an action-packed summer planned for kids, and if money is the only thing standing in your way, they have a solution for that too.

The Y is trying to work on this by creating a scholarship program.

If that’s something you are interested in, they are still in the early stages, but want those interested to reach out to them directly.

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