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Associated PressNEW YORK - As headlines about a struggling economy pour in, parents worried about their wallets are waiting longer to register their children for summer camp and more are asking for financial aid.
Day camp directors said parents are making decisions a month or two later than usual as they determine their summer finances, said Peter Surgenor, the national president of the American Camp Association.
Similarly, YMCA resident and day camps started to see a slowdown in registrations in March "when economic news stories became more certain of recession in mid March," said YMCA camping specialist Gary Forster.
Historically during past recessions and real estate downturns, as many as 25 percent of parents waited longer than usual to sign up for YMCA camp, Forster said, and the average length of a camper's stay declined. The waiting lists for camps shortened, too, but camp attendance stayed steady.
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Parents are struggling with an economy on the brink of recession: food and fuel costs are rising, housing values are dropping and access to credit remains limited. Retail spending, which makes up two-thirds of economic activity, has mostly stalled this year and consumer confidence has plummeted to its lowest reading in 26 years.
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