For safety during the pandemic, Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland will offer its summer camp sessions online.
A $2,000 grant from the United Way of Central Missouri will be used to help offset the cost of a virtual platform for programs.
COVID-19 has led to the decision to cancel all in-person summer camp sessions for 2020, according to a Girl Scouts news release.
"Based on information from countries ahead of us on this journey - as well as what health authorities are predicting - it seemed optimistic to imagine we would be on the downhill side of this outbreak by late May," according to a Girl Scouts news release. "Using this as our baseline, it would mean at the beginning of our camp season in June we would be convening girls, young people, and our staff early in the post-outbreak recovery period."
Although summer camp is an integral part of the Girl Scouts experience, organizers said, they could not risk safety of participants and staff.
But the organization is committed to making a Girl Scouts experience possible for girls, families and volunteers.
So it's bringing the outdoors inside.
Information about virtual camps is available at girlscoutsmoheartland.org.
Camp begins July 5.
During camp, girls can experience girl-led outdoor adventures at home. The summer camp is not a place but a leadership-building, friend-meeting and challenge-seeking experience, according to the release.
Camp sessions will include Animal Adventures, Creative Fantasy, STEM Shenanigans and Outdoor Skills. Additional opportunities to come together as groups will also be available.
Anyone who would like to support the Girl Scouts mission to provide girl-led summer adventures through virtual experiences is asked to contact the Girl Scouts at [email protected].