Camp Kinderland stands unequivocally in solidarity with the calls for justice for George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, and the thousands of other Black Americans who have been murdered at the hands of a racist police system.

Frederick Douglass said, “Power concedes nothing without a demand.” Right now, protestors are using their bodies and voices to demand accountability, safety, and a world free from police violence. We as a camp continue to be committed to dismantling white supremacy in all its forms. We are in solidarity with protestors around the US and the world.

We call ourselves “summer camp with a conscience,” and Black leaders and Black-led movements have been pivotal teachers for us in developing that collective conscience.

Now is the time to show up. If it is safe for you, consider taking to the streets and joining a protest. Please take precautions to keep yourself and others safe. If you have the means, donate to the bail funds for protestors and to black-led organizing. Contact your representatives to demand funding for communities, not cops. Let us work together towards building the world we want to see.

Solidarity Forever,

Camp Kinderland

Dear Camp Kinderland Parents,
 
I hope that you and yours are safe and well.
 
With heavy hearts, the Board of Directors and I are deeply saddened to report that Camp Kinderland is unable to open for the summer of 2020. This decision was informed by guidance and information from our local authorities, as well as the medical professionals that we deal with each summer.
 
Our number one priority is and has always been, the health and safety of our campers, staff, and our Kinderland community. We cannot practice social distancing in our bunks, our indoor spaces, or even our dining hall. The health risks posed by Covid-19 makes a safe opening impossible.
 
We share the heartache and disappointment of the campers and staff who were eagerly, even desperately, looking forward to being at Kinderland this season. Camp is an oasis for them, and now more than ever, they may be feeling an even greater need to be there. All of this contributed to making this decision even more difficult.
 
This summer is our 97th season, and it will be the first time in our history that we have had to close. We are heartbroken, but Camp has faced many obstacles in our rich and storied history, and we are still here.
 
Together, let us look ahead to the summer of 2021, and begin the hard work necessary to guarantee that Camp Kinderland will survive. We will be reaching out to you in the next week as we create space for our community to come together and stay connected. Your input will be crucial.
 
We are all looking forward to welcoming you back to camp next summer and we are sending you our love and support.
 
In Solidarity,
 
Cindy Zingher
 
Camp Director

 
Refunds, Rollovers, and/or Donations

We are offering our families several choices:

Donations: Making a gift of some or all of the funds you have already paid is a generous way to help Camp Kinderland weather this unprecedented crisis and ensure our safe reopening next summer and for generations to come. We will need the support of our community to continue to improve our facility, hold on to our essential full-time staff, and stay connected in innovative ways. Thank you to everyone who is able to make this vital gift to Camp Kinderland during a time of extreme hardship.

Rollover: We can rollover your summer 2020 payment towards tuition for summer 2021. This will help with Camp Kinderland’s short-term financial stability, and we are extremely grateful.

Full or Partial Refunds: We know that many of our families are also facing hardships at this time. We can process a full refund in the amount paid or you may choose to take a partial refund and make a donation with the remainder. Our camp staff will be contacting you in the coming weeks to process your refund. Thank you for your patience as we expect hundreds of emails and calls over the coming days.

Please fill out the following form to indicate your choice:

2020 Tuition Rollover, Donation, Or Refund Form

We were thrilled when we found out that much of Elli Meeropol’s new novel, Her Sister’s Tattoo, is set in Camp Kinderland, unnamed but easily recognizable.

Dear Camp Kinderland Community,

In this time of uncertainty, I wanted to reach out to each of you and extend my wishes for everyone to stay healthy and safe during this crisis.

Of course, we aren’t sure of what the future holds for the summer of 2020. However, we still have over 3 months before our summer program is scheduled to begin, so we will continue to forge ahead with the hope that camp will happen. The safety and health of our campers and staff is of the utmost importance to all of us. We do operate under the auspices of the Massachusetts Board of Health and ultimately, they will be the ones making the final decisions about this coming summer.

The Camp Kinderland community is strong as we approach our 100th year, and we are working to find new ways to stay connected in this time of social distance. Stay tuned via e-mail, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram, as we are planning several events that will take place online. The first event will be a virtual “Singing with Ira” early next week, and an open call for virtual share performances! If there is anything YOU would like to share with the Kinderland community, please email Development and Outreach Director, Joey Perr, at joeyp@kinderland.org

For those of you who might have questions or concerns, please feel free to either email me at cindyz@campkinderland.org or call me at 718-643-0771 ext 109.

In Solidarity,

Cindy Zingher
Executive Director
PS. Take care and be safe. Washing your hands is an act of solidarity!

[For a downloadable PDF version, click here: News From Camp, 2019 Edition 3 August]