Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York will not be holding traditional summer camp this season due to concerns for the health and safety of its campers, staff, and families.

“The decision to cancel summer camp this year was one of the most difficult decisions we could make. We cherish the leadership opportunities, learning experiences and lifetime of memories that camp brings to our Girl Scouts but it was becoming increasingly clear that we would be unable to prepare to provide our campers with a safe and engaging summer experience,” said Mary Buszuwski, the organizations chief executive officer, in a release.

The decision was made in large part due to the lack of time to plan for all guidelines required to host camp as it falls under the fourth stage of New York State’s multi-phased economic restart plan and therefore would not allow for adequate preparation for the camp season.

Additional factors that support this decision include pending international staff work visas and reduced staff-to-camper ratios, increasing the need to hire camp staff.

Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York plans to continue to offer virtual programs for girls throughout the summer, focusing on building skills, having fun, and learning to adapt in the new world we are all facing this summer.

Affected camps include Camp Is-Sho-Da located in East Greenbush and Hidden Lake Camp in Lake George. Typically, more than 1,100 girls attend these summer camps.

Refund information is available on the GSNENY website. Refunds will be processed over the next several weeks.