Summer camp is a cherished tradition for many children, including my own. The saying goes: “10-for-2,” referring to the anticipation of two magical months of camp after enduring ten long months of school. (I, however, never attended sleepaway camp myself.)
Last summer, due to COVID-19, most camps remained closed as safety concerns loomed. For the first time in history, sleepaway camps didn’t open their doors. This summer, camps were eager to resume operations, hosting numerous Zoom meetings to discuss vaccination, masking, testing, and quarantining protocols. Despite their preparations and focus on safety, not every camp could navigate the challenges that arose.
Camp Quinebarge, however, faced a perfect storm of issues, leading to its closure just six days after opening. The camp, which promised a summer filled with fun, instead fell short, experiencing substantial delays in food delivery and struggles to hire and retain staff. Campers faced dirty dishes during meals, sickness that led to quarantines, and behavioral problems. An anonymous camper wrote in a note to the Boston Globe, “We have been in tears, bored, and devastated the whole day. [The camp director] is lying to you all.” The note continued, “You have to trust us. We are not joking and we are not having fun. So many things are wrong with this place.” Remarkably, the camp shut down before the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services could conduct its inspection.
In a letter to parents, Camp Director Eric Larson acknowledged that “the last couple of days have been a bit rough.” Just five days later, that “bit rough” became a full closure due to staffing shortages and food supply delays. Parents were instructed to pick up their children the following day. As a mother with two kids at camp, I can’t imagine the distress parents felt upon receiving that message.
Consequently, Camp Quinebarge has drawn parallels to the infamous Fyre Festival, where attendees were promised luxury but instead faced meager meals and inadequate accommodations. While the comparison highlights significant promises followed by dismal results, it’s essential to recognize the nuances between the two situations. The Fyre Festival was marked by negligence and deceit, while Camp Quinebarge’s troubles stemmed from pandemic-related crises and mismanagement. The camp’s leadership appeared to underestimate the pandemic’s impact—not only concerning COVID safety but also staffing and supplies.
They rushed to hire staff and prepare them. M.A. Lewis, a young college student who worked as a counselor, shared that the director was desperate, even offering to pay for her flight to camp. Arriving just two days before the campers, she realized the lack of preparation time. “We were treated poorly,” Lewis recounted, “and also paid poorly.” One parent discovered counselors were compensated only $2,500 for the entire summer.
Many camps faced hiring difficulties this season. The labor market crunch affected various industries, and international workers on visas, who typically fill camp roles, were unable to come due to travel restrictions. While most camps found solutions, Camp Quinebarge did not manage to recover.
It’s worth noting that it wasn’t the only camp to shut down midseason; other Northeast camps also faced similar fates—an unprecedented occurrence pre-pandemic. Appel Farm Arts Camp in New Jersey canceled late-summer sessions due to kitchen staff shortages and food delivery problems, while Camp Shane in Connecticut closed its doors abruptly as counselors left en masse. Still, Camp Quinebarge’s failure was particularly stark, marked by issues like serving food on dirty plates and failing to communicate quarantines to parents.
While the Fyre Festival comparison might be an exaggeration, the reality is that Camp Quinebarge had a duty of care towards children. When kids are involved, simply explaining away issues is not sufficient. The true victims in this situation are the children who navigated the pandemic’s challenges only to be met with disappointment instead of the joyful summer they were promised.
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In summary, while Camp Quinebarge’s unfortunate closure may draw comparisons to the Fyre Festival, the reality is more complicated. The camp faced unprecedented challenges that resulted in a disappointing experience for the children it was meant to serve. The lack of preparation and communication ultimately led to heartache for families hoping for a joyful summer.
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