By Matt de Simone – Contributing Writer
Kids who missed out on a summer camp experience need not to despair because when school’s out, camp’s in.’
Camp Bethel in Fincastle recently announced a Fall Semester Day Camp program starting this week. Students in grades 3-8 from any school system are welcome to join their peers for an outdoor learning experience.
Camp Director Barry LeNoir and Program Director Jenna Stacy Mehalso came up with the idea for a day camp due to the cancellation of summer activities due to the COVID-19 epidemic. This summer, Camp Bethel sat empty of campers for the first time in 94 years.
One great feature about the Fall Semester Day Camp is that Camp Bethel welcomes students from throughout Botetourt County and the Roanoke Valley.
“A day program is only as successful as the ability for people to drive their children here and pick their children up,” LeNoir explained. “We’re within seven miles of three elementary schools and Central Academy Middle School. The primary focus was for Botetourt County students, but we serve a wide population, and a lot of our summer participants are from Roanoke and Rockbridge County. We’re open to any school system in the area.”
Throughout the day, counselors lead students through a captivating outdoor experience that features activities such as: studying endangered salamanders native to Fincastle, geologic studies of rocks specific to the area, and studying the four observable states of matter in what Camp Bethel calls “Dry Ice Week.” Camp Bethel teams with the Clean Valley Council and the Soil & Water Conservation District to enhance the students’ units of study.
“The first thing about our Fall Semester Day Camp is that it is not faith-focused,” LeNoir stated. “It’s a secular science and activity-based program. We are already an active outdoor education center year-round and host school groups for environmental education field trips. Now that all non-essential field trips are off, we’re able to do our outdoor education programming.”
The day camp isn’t following the usual summer camp plan. Instead, it will develop a pod model the puts students in groups of 6-10 children led by two adult counselors. Students check-in around 7:30 a.m. and leave at 3:30 p.m.
“We’re adapting to the pod model,” LeNoir said. “One group is its own group with its own counselors. They do not interact with other groups and have their own home base facility. No one else interacts with their equipment. This is all a part of risk mitigation for COVID-19.”
Camp Bethel has adopted the new policy of “shared space, mask your face” as they prepare for times when groups of students gather at indoor or outdoor areas of the camp.
Most importantly, Camp Bethel recognizes the need for daycare during learning days. LeNoir and Mehalso understand that most daycare programs are for pre-K and younger children. There needs to be another option for students in upper-elementary or middle schools.
“We recognize the need,” LeNoir explained. “We also recognize that this is something that we can do and adapt it to create this program. Lastly, we have the sight and facility for it. We have quality leaders, a fantastic 470 acres, facilities, and the availability to do this. We want to offer a high-quality option for our families in the area.”
Camp Bethel’s Fall Semester Day Camp can cure the quarantine blues and get local kids outside to experience nature and learn a little something in the process.
For more information about the day camp, visit Camp Bethel’s website: www.campbethelvirginia.org.
