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Checking In With Susan Koeppen: Camp Guyasuta Putting Coronavirus Precautions In Place, But Plans To Open For Summer Season

O'HARA TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- Many parents are thinking ahead to summer and wondering if summer camps will take place. The Centers for Disease Control will make its recommendations.

While some camps have already decided to cancel, others, like Camp Guyasuta in O'Hara Township, are ready to open as soon as they get permission to do so.

Camp Guyasuta, part of the Laurel Highlands Council of the Boy Scouts of America, already follows strict guidelines but will wait for the final word from local and state authorities.

Camp Guyasuta
(Photo Credit: KDKA)

"The safety of our campers is most important," says Mike Daniher, Camp Guyasuta Ranger.

The camp is situated on more than 150 acres of land, so there is plenty of space for campers to be outside and to social distance.

"Here, 99% of their time is spent outside in nature, so they are not confined. They are touching trees and playing in creeks and looking under rocks."

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The camp is taking extra precautions. They have installed a special pool filter, eliminated water fountains and campers will eat outside instead of all together in the main lunch hall.
The camp has a history of dealing with pandemics during summer camp season. The camp opened in 1918, during the Spanish Flu pandemic.

"So this is our 102nd summer. This isn't our first rodeo if you think about the last major pandemic was in 1918, the opening year of camp. And as we look back through research, they were operating camp, just like we plan on doing this summer," says Daniher.

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