Summer Camp For Rich Kids Closes Due To Labor And Food Shortages 

An expensive summer camp for rich kids in New Hampshire has closed over labor and food shortages, according to Concord Monitor. 

Camp Quinebarge, located in Moultonborough, a small town in New Hampshire, informed parents on July 2 the camp had to close because of labor and food shortages:

“While we can work through many issues at camp, this is not one in our control. Many camps are facing the prospect of closing today,” the camp’s leaders wrote. “This is obviously an untenable situation. A few minutes ago I was forced to inform our staff we will close down for the summer, beginning tomorrow.”

Parents, who spent anywhere from $3,400 for two weeks per child, or up to $10k for an eight-week stay, were hoping for some personal time after a year cooped up with the entire family. That was not the case as “a summer of challenges, beginning with staffing levels, when in a two-day period just 10 of 25 staff arrived. In all, just 36 of 60 original hires arrived,” the camp told parents, adding that Sysco Corporation’s food orders to the camp were “erratic.” 

The fatal blow to the camp was the lack of food deliveries by Sysco, according to Camp Executive Director Eric Carlson. 

“We had delayed orders and were told to expect more in the future,” said Carlson

Labor shortages at the camp prevent staff from driving to local wholesale stores to buy hundreds of pounds of food:

“Going to BJs was not an option for us as it would have taken too many staff and vehicles going back and forth all day.” Carlson said.

Quinebarge is working to refund parents who spent thousands of dollars for two-weeks, four-week, six-week, or eight-week sessions for their children. 

He said staffing and logistical issues are also plaguing other summer camps across New Hampshire. 

In the town of Freedom, Camp Huckins experienced issues with food vendor Performance Food Group (PFG) due to a truck driver shortage. 

“We were impacted when PFG stopped their seasonal deliveries to camps because they had a shortage of drivers, as they were a major provider for us,” said Executive Director Heather Kiley.

PFG spokesperson explained that the issues were due to supply chain issues and labor shortages affecting the entire food and logistical industry. 

Down the street from Camp Huckinsm, Camp Calumet had difficulty sourcing food from Sysco.

“The problem is widespread and it does not seem fair to just blame Sysco. Other food suppliers are not delivering at all. The supply chain seems to be very broken.

“It is just another bump in a very complicated year and a half for the camping industry,” executive Director Karl Ogren of the camp. 

To sum up, parents who wanted to spend some alone time by shipping their kids off to camp this summer will have to wait until next year due to a disorganized economic recovery where a shortage of everything persists. These issues are considered “transitory” by the Biden administration but continue into the second half of the year.