Families in Chatham-Kent looking to enrol their children in St. Vincent de Paul's camp may find themselves out of luck this season.
The 69-acre wooded summer camp in Bothwell will not be operating this summer despite thousands of dollars in donations and new renovations.
Though health restrictions have lifted and demand has returned, President of the Kent Deanery of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Connie Badour said the camp was grappling with staffing issues and that was the reason behind the unexpected closure.
"We didn't have a choice, unfortunately," she said. "We only had eight staff hired when we needed 40 and we only had 200 campers when we needed 560. The lack of staff was pretty crucial."
Without lifeguards, cooks, and camp counsellors, the camp simply could not operate, according to Badour.
"We did everything we could but could not get enough staff to run the place," she said. "I think inflation, the costs of living, and people being out of work have affected the families that could normally afford to send their children to camp."
The 51-year-old camp is located just outside of Bothwell, approximately 10 kilometres east of Thamesville. Badour said the location of the camp also might have played a role in attracting staff for the summer season.
"The cost of gas has risen and it is very costly to drive out there if you're not staying overnight to work at the camp," she said. "To drive back and forth would be very costly."
On June 4, the camp held an open house to showcase the camp's many upgrades aimed at generating interest from parents, campers, and prospective employees.
Badour said only 35 people showed up, adding that organizers were expecting at least 100.
"It was really heartbreaking because we had put so much into the camp and it was looking beautiful," she said. "The whole experience, starting in the early Spring, was disappointing because of the effort that had been put into it."
When asked about the future of Camp Vincent, Badour said she was unsure what that may look like.
"That is something we would need to talk over with our board of directors," she said. "Some decisions will have to be made."