Willington Summer Camp Update

It is with deep sadness that we write to inform you that in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Parks and Recreation Commission and Human Services Department have reluctantly decided to cancel Willington Summer Camp.

This was not a decision that we wanted to make, and one that we did so only after careful thought and consideration of our present circumstances, the viability of operating camp under the continued threat of coronavirus as well as following the guidelines set forth by the State of Connecticut. It is also a decision that was made with full recognition of the impact that this news will have on our campers and staff who have been eagerly anticipating their summer at Camp Willington and the chance to return their lives to some semblance of normalcy during these extraordinary times.

For the past several weeks, we have participated in discussions with other camp professionals and town officials and last week received the regulations from the State of Connecticut Office of Early Childhood. We have also reviewed information from other reliable sources such as the American Camp Association and the CDC. Based on restrictions and guidelines regarding group size, staffing, health screenings, intensified cleaning measures, social distancing measures and more, this year’s Camp program would not look or feel like the Camp program we are all used to. While some of these measures would not be too difficult to follow, others were significantly more challenging. The limitation on group size and the need to maintain physical distance in particular would prevent participants from interacting with one another, which would change the camp experience for everyone.

After taking all of this information into careful consideration, we came to the realization that we could not take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of campers, our staff plus their families and provide the camp experience that you have come to expect.

We will get through this together and Camp Willington will be back! We are confident that we will overcome this challenge and we fully anticipate that we will be able to offer Summer Camp in 2021!

Should you have any questions, please let us know. The Town Hall offices remain closed to the public and we are still working remotely, however please feel free to call us at 860-487-3108, 860-487-3118 or email [email protected] or [email protected].

We appreciate your understanding and continued patience during these past several weeks and we look forward to seeing and working with you all again soon!

Stay safe and be well.