Summer camps for kids in the Borderland are making plans to open up
EL PASO, Texas -- Summer in the Borderland usually means camp time. But in this new virus era however, it's a possibility summer camps will be a thing of the past.
Bill Coon, the president and CEO of the YMCA El Paso, is ready to bring back campers as his facility reopens its doors soon.
"It's homecoming! May 18th that's what we're saying, it's homecoming! And we are ready and excited to see our family members, our members to come back home to the Y," Coon said.
Coon added that they are going to try and keep what were once team sports by bringing the intensity down. "We realize basketball is not a social distancing sport but we saw on a local network that horse was being played. Maybe we can have horse tournaments," he explained.
The YWCA on the other hand never closed their doors. The staff there were deemed essential workers because they provided childcare services. Now, they are excited to bring back the camps - but with more room.
"As soon as they allow us to open to non-essential workers, we are ready. We have everything in place and we are ready to take children," said Sylvia Acosta, the president of the YWCA El Paso Del Norte branch.
The YWCA is also going to teach their children how to social distance.
"One of the ways we have been able to teach them social distancing is with hula hoops! We have them sit in the middle of a hula hoop, with their other friend sitting in the middle of their hula hoop, and that teaches them what six feet is," Acosta explained.
UTEP also plans to hold camps for kids, said university spokesman Victor Arreola. He indicated their P3 programs this summer will consist of STEAM subjects (science, technology, engineering, art, math) plus language and leadership classes.
If you are interested in any of these summer programs, here are links to provide you with more information...
