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For the past 62 years, our campers and staff have participated in a very special tradition at Camp Kinderland. The Kinderland Peace Olympics has been an integral part of every season in that it reflects camp’s values of peace, equality, and social justice. Our goal is to pay tribute to the people, events, and social movements that reflect our commitment to make the world a better place. In addition, the Peace Olympics provides us with a framework of group cooperation and respect for one another’s abilities. Children can exercise their many skills, explore new ideas and capacities, and share with each other across age groups. Best of all, they do all of this while having a great time.
The theme of our summer was “Fight Racism with Solidarity,” which comes from Fred Hampton. The teams were: The Rainbow Coalition (alliance between the Black Panthers, Young Lords, and Poor White Patriots Organization); The International Union of Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers, which organized all workers regardless of race at a time when many unions were segregated (and featured in Salt of the Earth); STAR (Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries) started by Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P Johnson to represent groups marginalized by the mainstream LGBT movement; and Idle No More, a movement for the rights of native peoples to protect the land and water. (more…)
Here is the link to albums for our July session. Check back for updates – we will upload a few times per week:
We are registering campers for summer 2021!
To register for camp, please click here. You’ll see options to log in (for returning campers) or set up a new account (for new campers). If at any time you’re asked for an invitation code, it’s “KINDERLAND”.
Returning campers: Please log into the system to register using the link above. Your Username is your email address. If you do not remember your Password, you can reset it yourself through the above link and clicking “Forgot your password.” Once in the system, click “Applications” to access this year’s registration form. Please email Mike Salop at mike@kinderland.org with any questions.
New to camp: Please set up a new account using the link above, and then fill out the registration application.
If you have any questions, please email Mike Salop at mike@kinderland.org
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: