Thompson, NY – Citing “deplorable” conditions, Town of Thompson officials Monday shut down a camp on Route 17B and Coopers Corners Road.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The camp was to open soon and house some 400 children for the two summer months, but Town Supervisor Anthony Cellini and the town building inspector looked at the site and decided to shut it down until repairs are made.
Cellini fear for the safety of the children at the camp if they were allowed to stay there in its current condition.
And he said town officials will be examining other summer camps with an eye toward forcing them to bring their facilities up to safety standards.
Whose camp?
sounds like a death trap
Cellini fear for the safety of the children at the camp if they were allowed to stay there in its current condition.
“There were sewers running, electrical lines running through trees; they’ve got inside wiring running outside. They’ve got the chimney exhaust pipes from their heating units leaning up against their buildings,” he said.
who is being protected by not mentioning the name of the camp
it only harms the children and parents
and helps the people who wanted to put children in dangers
makes no sesne
I hope they shut them ALL down.
Most of these camps are health hazards that put on a nice dog and pony show for inspectors anyway.
This whole camp thing is a “Gezeirah”. which most people cannot afford, (gezeirah shein rov hatzibur yechoilin laamod boh) but it has become a “must”.
I understand all the benefits of camp… fresh air, not exposing our children to the pritzus of the city, etc… after all is said and done it is a luxury.
It has gotten to the point where most people simply cannot afford it.
My question is: in the era of chasuna tkunos: why are our own kehilas forcing us to participate in this “luxury”?
It is not like you have an option, try and explain to your child’s moised that you cannot afford it. you will get at best a few dollars off you bill, but will have to endure thousands of dollars of camp bills, on top of your tuition that you can barely scrape together.
I just finished listening to a friend literally crying about this very subject.
I remember when I went to visit my daughter at summer camp, 35 years ago. My first comment was “I cannot believe that I am spending so much money to send her to such squalor.” The place was a dump, but the kids loved it and do to this very day. I had occasion to visit there last summer and it still looks the same. The only difference is that it is definitely up to snuff regarding safety features and cleanliness.
According to NY State Department of Environmental Conservation and Town records, the camp is registered in the name of an organization called:
Bayis Ne Emon Inc
PO Box 357
Brooklyn, NY 11219 -0357
The camp itself is operated by the
Maimonides Institute (BAIS Esther) which also is listed
as operating a facility on 50th street in Brooklyn
owned by Klausenburg! rented to the other Bobov!
that’s enough of these types of stories every year.there has to be real consequences for those running these camps and the higher ups they represent.
Many chassidish schools REQUIRE that parents send their kids to the school’s camp. It is not optional.
Camp used to be something that was semi-affordable and very good for the kids. Then camp directors got greedy and began jacking up the prices to the extent that it has become entirely unaffordable to most. As if that was not bad enough, they insist on being paid, IN FULL, before the summer. As if that’s not bad enough, the camp fees don’t even cover the extras (like luggage and food and nosh for the kids). As if that’s not bad enough, the have the absolute chutzpah to charge THEIR STAFF for the privilege of working for them(!) And its not as if they are barely breaking even. I know one Camp Director who just built himself a brand new home from the ground up. I truly believe they are going to have to give a din vucheshbon for the agmos nefesh, shalom bayis issues, and health issues, they cause their brethren.
I trust that the Town Of Thompson officials are doing the right thing in closing this and any other camp that is unsafe. I would hope that the other towns in Sullivan and Ulster Counties take a seriously hard look at the issues of safety at ALL summer camps.
This camp is on the grounds of a former secular hotel whose name escapes me at this time. I pass this camp multiple times a week and have always enjoyed seeing the children enjoying themselves since the play area is right on Rt 17B. I hope for the sake of all involved that the operators of the camp clean up their act in time to have the town allow them to open. I for one will miss the site of the happy children playing.
These heimeshe summer camps in upstate New York have become a consistent source of negative headlines and embarassement for yidden. Last summer it was some camp where the Skver had ignored multiple orders by the fire and health deparments to fix violations and they were ultimately forced to close. These are a big chilul hashem as well as being an obvious source of risk to the yinglach sent there by the parents. Maybe we should take a small fraction of the money wasted on these camps and use it to establish meaningful programs for the kids here in the city. Also, the annual migration of the women to the bunglalow colonies has created a real time bomb with the men left behind in the city to engage in all sort of pritzus. There will be a series of reports on this problem on one of the local TV stations next week. Its time for the heimeshe community to clean up its summer routine.
I just cannot understand how we in Britain have managed for hundreds of years WITHOUT sending our children to a so-called “camp”.