By any standard, summer camp is a serious financial undertaking. Between tuition, travel, supplies, tips, and extras, most parents are shelling out thousands of dollars for the privilege of giving their children a few weeks of fun, growth, and independence. And most of us accept that. We do it out of love, commitment, and the hope that our kids will thrive in a warm, structured environment.
But now, the camp I signed my child up for this summer sent us a handbook, which informs me that I must use a system to send emails to my child — at a cost of $1.00 per email, with a minimum purchase of $10.00.
This isn’t just unfair — it’s outrageous. In case you forgot, email is free. It’s free to send. It’s free to receive. It’s not some proprietary technology or specialized courier service. It’s the most basic form of digital communication available — and now, somehow, it’s a revenue stream?
Is it really necessary to put a price tag on something as simple and vital as a message from parent to child? Parents are already sacrificing to afford camp, and now we have to buy email credits just to tell our child we love them, that we’re proud of them, or to answer their letter home?
And the $10 minimum? That’s not just about covering costs — it’s about profit. It’s about nickel-and-diming parents who have already emptied their pockets to cover every other “camp fee” imaginable.
Where does it end?
It’s time for camps to remember their mission: to provide a nurturing, wholesome experience for children — not to squeeze every last cent out of exhausted parents.
Let us write to our children. Let them hear from us without a price barrier. Let camp be about connection and care — not just owners stuffing their pockets with as much money as possible.
Name withheld upon request
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19 Responses
The camps have learned from the the master money squeezers: girls seminaries in Israel. They have been doing this for years and I had the same exact reaction. It’s their way of telling you ” we are going to squeeze you for everything you’ve got, and there is nothing you can do about it! Ha, ha ha ha!
It seems that the program they use to sort emails charges for email credits. the camp does not profit. instead of charging everyone more, they are passing on the costs directly to the parents who wish to take advantage of it. still, i do agree that the optics are not great.
Was about to comment that this is outrageous until I saw the image.
As one of the previous posters already pointed out, the camp is using a system that charges the parents. Not as bad as it originally looked.
They should change the name of the “mailbag” to the “soapbox”
To all those saying “it’s a service they’re using” that’s not a good excuse. They should set up a simple campfuncamperemails @ any provider of your choice and it’s free.
No different than the joke the seminaries play on us. It’s sad but the “chinuch” world has become one big money sucking monster. These are the ones who will preach to our children how to sacrifice in life for Torah! My foot.
Just write a letter the old fashioned way and just pay for a stamp. It isn’t like this is the only way to communicate with your child. I imagine you’ll also get phone calls.
Also they likely print out each message for the children which costs for paper, ink and manpower. I’m sure kids aren’t allowed check email themselves
This is unfair Motzie Shem Ra on a camp. The email system for 100’s of campers costs money to set up & operate, so they are passing along the cost for this convenience. I don’t see this as an outrageous request.
Give your kid some independence and call or write weekly, like we all did a generation ago.
I believe that you are referring to us the CampStamps service offered by CampMinder.
It is essentially an e-letter to physical letter gimmick where you can send an email which will be printed out and given to your child (in much the same way physical mail was handed out in camp when we were kids).
It is unclear whether the camp gets any of the money for this service (I would assume they get something to cover the cost of printing, but I’m unsure).
It also seems as though some camps (depending on their contracts with CampMinder) offer a limited number of CampStamps for free.
I’m not defending the practice, I personally think it’s dumb. But I don’t think this is a grand conspiracy to fleece parents either.
Remember, in the order of assumptions it is: explainable, then incompetence, then malice. Not the other way around
Test
What happened with the old USPS mail system? Why can’t children write a letter home to their parents ?
Children should practice their literature and grammar by writing letters.
They often print and sort emails for the kids. That’s labor costs.
How do you think your child receives the email exactly? It gets printed and delivered to them. If they did not use this program you would probably be charged even more by the camp due to the exorbitant amount of time it would take a staff member to manually print, sort, and organize all the emails. This software saves a tremendous amount of time as it does all the organization by bunk etc. automatically.
You seem like the type of person who enjoys finding things to complain about but you didn’t do a very good job this time.
You can send a letter the old fashioned way.
What a cheap shot.
Let’s be blunt: taking a $10 email fee and using it to bludgeon the entire camp system with accusations of pocket-stuffing and heartlessness to the poor parents is not only unfair, it’s messed up.
This anonymous writer weaponizes a minor charge and tries to spin it into a sweeping indictment of a system built by people who dedicate their lives to providing a wonderful product for the children of klal yisroel .
And let’s be honest — this isn’t really about the email charge. It’s about a bad attitude.
The article doesn’t just question a fee — it questions the motives, ethics, and integrity of real people, without the slightest effort to understand them. Because Mr Writer: what do you actually know about running a camp?
Do you know what it costs to hire and house staff for two months — or how far in advance things need to be booked? Do you know the realities of food ordering, kitchen logistics, health inspections, insurance, year-round office staff, grounds maintenance, security systems, sports and trips and programming? Do you know how many other things I failed to just mention?
Do you have any idea what it takes to build and run a wholesome, functional, emotionally safe environment for hundreds of children – every hour of the day, rain or shine?
Probably not. So instead of sending pathetic wholesale attacks, learn humility. And get your facts straight if you will (the measly 10 dollars was never going to camp anyway). And have the human decency not to smear people who are breaking their backs so your child can have the summer of their life.
Remember: “Don’t judge your fellow until you’ve reached their place.”
I’m seeing some “How could you say camps are overpriced if you don’t own a camp?”.
The answer is from the people who have camps and don’t charge an arm and a leg for tuition.
You can very easily tell who is actually working for the tzibbur from the cost of the camp.
This is also true of seminaries.
It is a tremendous pain in the neck to keep track of all the emails and they don’t want their email system overused.
They probably have an office person who’s entire job is just to do this.
That being said the general point of many camps being social pressure money makers is true.