Bring it on: Destin summer camps in session, carefully
For the last five years, Beatriz Miller has been planning and operating summer camps at the Destin Community Center.
This year has been “quite different,” she said. And, she confessed, a bit of a challenge.
But campers are busy and safe, with precautions in place that include each child having his or her own arts and craft kit or basketball, to modifying games to reduce contact.
Staff members who work with the children wear masks and campers are encouraged, but not required, to do the same.
During the morning camp, the 20-plus children have the run of the community center, which is sanitized before being used by anyone else.
“If it’s nice, we’ll take them outside,” Miller said.
Hand sanitizer is heavily in play, offered and used during activities and transitions between activities.
“We’re making it work,” she said. “We’re happy that we were even able to open up and provide this camp that kids look forward to every summer.”
Miller, whose title is program coordinator, said that after the first week, parents signed their children up for the rest of the summer. She interprets that as proof that what they’re doing is working.
“Kids are happy to come here and they’re happy every day,” she said.
