Camp Nep-In-Nae plans for safe and fun summer

Jun 18, 2020

Camp Nep-In-Nae at the Gleason Family YMCA will welcome campers starting on June 29, with a few tweaks to ensure everyone’s safety.

“We’re very excited,” said Shayna Santiago, the camp’s director.

The traditional camp will run this summer from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with drop-off starting at 8:30, but morning and after-care will not be available.

Campers will be able to participate in most of the typical activities, including arts and crafts, dance, archery, karate, and science, although the high ropes and rock-climbing wall will be closed this summer.

The camp’s counselor-to-camper ratio was already well-suited to current guidelines, with one counselor for every ten older kids and a one-to-five ratio for younger campers. 

The YMCA facility is large enough that they will be able to accommodate 70 campers per session, even when the rain keeps kids indoors. That’s only a slight reduction from the past, when sessions included between 70 and 90 campers. 

And Santiago said that there is a possibility that programming could change throughout the summer as the state releases new guidelines.

Registration is open now, and the YMCA is still offering financial aid for families. The camp costs $235 per week for members and $285 per week for non-members. 

“I’m just really looking forward to having our kids back here. It’s really exciting to have the kids come back and see their friends,” Santiago said. “I think that summer camp is going to be different this year, but I think it's going to be a little more important, and a little more meaningful.”

For more details, or to register, go to www.ymcasouthcoast.org.