Virginia summer camps offering major incentives to fix staffing shortages

FINCASTLE, Virginia – Summer is right around the corner and summer camps still aren’t staffed. Now, they’re getting creative to help fill positions.

Virginia’s COVID-19 mitigation measures closed both overnight and day summer camps last year and with mitigation efforts easing as we head into summer 2021, camps are struggling to fill positions and adjust to the changes.

“I don’t know what the answer is right now,” said Montgomery County Parks and Recreation Aquatic and Community Program Supervisor Allison Zuchowski.

Barry LeNoir, the director of Camp Bethel in Fincastle is in the same boat as Zuchowski.

Both camps increased pay and are offering several hundred dollar incentives. Camp Bethel fundraised to make that happen.

“Summer camp is not a moneymaker,” admitted LeNoir. “We spend money to have summer camp ministry or to offer summer camp in the nonprofit world. We’re definitely not going to make money this summer.”

For the first time, Camp Bethel is offering two sets of incentives.

• Its Adopt a Counselor program will give an end-of-the-summer bonus of $200 to counselors
• Staff are also being given a recruitment bonus of $300 they’ll receive at the end of the summer.

Kitchen staff pay increases from $60/6-hour shift to $70/6-hour shift. Counselors weekly salary increases from $290 to $350, which includes the incentive pay.

You can click here to apply to work at Camp Bethel.

Montgomery County Parks and Recreation is paying $10/hour for camp counselors and $10.50/hour for lifeguards. If employees stay the entire summer they will receive an end-of-the-summer bonus -- $300 for camp counselors and $500 for lifeguards.

You can click here to apply for positions with Montgomery County Parks and Recreation.

Both camps are still practicing COVID-19 safety with mask wearing indoors and social distancing in some instances.