Day Camps | Imamother

amother

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 2:13 am

Was just wondering- I already payed in full for my child for day camp this coming summer and the camp has already deposited the check. What’s going to happen if they cancel camp (which may very likely happen)? I would hope they give me back the money...

amother

Lilac

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 2:24 am

They definitely will. My only concern would be the deposits because they take the deposits because they need to pay for things up front. That would need to be a question for a rav.

amother

Teal

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 8:55 am

amother [ Lilac ] wrote:

They definitely will. My only concern would be the deposits because they take the deposits because they need to pay for things up front. That would need to be a question for a rav.

Most camps have only deposited deposit and are holding head checks (unless someone paid it all up front)
While I’m seeing some camps returning the deposit I can’t imagine all camps will be able to because the money was spent. As pp said it will be a halachic sheila

groisamomma

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 9:01 am

amother [ Teal ] wrote:

I have no dog in this fight because I haven't paid for day camp but why is this a shaila? You put a deposit down to reserve a spot for a later service. Since the service wasn't rendered, the spot didn't need to be reserved, so the money should be refunded. Unless the deposit went towards the peace of mind you had knowing your slot was saved? In that case, that's a lot of money for peace of mind.

(I'm the first person to ask shailos but this one doesn't even come close to the tuition shaila in my mind. School is charged as an annual fee broken up into monthly payments so I can see the shaila but camp isn't remotely similar in my mind.)

amother

Aqua

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 10:48 am

Plan was to send to 2 kids to sleepaway at a cost of about 10k total for the whole summer. If camp doesnt ppen sure hope I get the 7k I already spent back

amother

Scarlet

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 10:54 am

groisamomma wrote:

Its a shaila if a person wants to know what the halacha is, and how to proceed if there is a conflict.

singleagain

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 11:17 am

amother [ Scarlet ] wrote:

Its a shaila if a person wants to know what the halacha is, and how to proceed if there is a conflict.

What if the camp gets one halachic opinion and the parents get another?

amother

Teal

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 11:38 am

groisamomma wrote:

The deposit is used to buy supplies, purchases, reservations. A deposit is to allow the camp to spend that money. If they are forced to shut down I don’t believe they have to refund the amount spent on your behalf to prepare camp for your child.

This is what happened with the pesach hotels. The deposits were spent (+ more) and there was nothing to return.

amother

Teal

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 11:39 am

singleagain wrote:

What if the camp gets one halachic opinion and the parents get another?

No rav will give a ruling without speaking to both sides.
If they don’t agree they go to Beis din or speak to a rav together.

tweety1

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 11:52 am

I was just discussing this with dh last night. Our camp demands payment to be paid in full by June unless you get special permission to extend till July or August. They have my cc number and charge it every month. If camp won't open, and they won't refund the money my dh will dispute the charge.

amother

Scarlet

Sun, Apr 12 2020, 11:54 am

singleagain wrote:

What if the camp gets one halachic opinion and the parents get another?

Central to our religion are differences of opinion and the Bais Din.

groisamomma

Mon, Apr 13 2020, 12:34 am

amother [ Scarlet ] wrote:

Its a shaila if a person wants to know what the halacha is, and how to proceed if there is a conflict.

I know the process of asking shailos Very Happy

. I honestly didn't see the conflict here but as another poster explained about supplies I now see the potential for conflict.

Hotels are different IMO because camps can use the supplies and materials next summer. Hotel food and reservations are dated and they can't put it away to benefit from it at a later date. Camps could, and likely will.

amother

Teal

Mon, Apr 13 2020, 12:37 am

groisamomma wrote:

I know the process of asking shailos Very Happy

If sweatshirts and paraphernalia is printed with dates it is not. And the money is still spent. Reservations to attractions are made and those expenses may not be refundable. Perhaps they could defer deposits for next year.

amother

Teal

Mon, Apr 13 2020, 12:38 am

tweety1 wrote:

You should speak to the camps almost every single camp has stopped processing checks or cards since this started. For camps to continue to do so is wrong.

groisamomma

Mon, Apr 13 2020, 12:40 am

amother [ Teal ] wrote:

True. I didn't think of any of these.

amother

Blue

Mon, Apr 13 2020, 12:46 am

I will be so sad if there is no camp we worked so hard to be able to send my child to sleep away camp. And was really looking forward like working extra jobs and such I expect to get my money back and put it away for next Summer my only concern would be the $500 deposit.