Camps and Colorado Social Services

[wetwrks]

My brother-in-law works for a camp that provides services to low income kids here in Colorado and they fall under the cover of Colorado Social Services as they have the kids longer than 71 hours (but they DON'T get funds). The camp decided to try and set up for paintball and have been informed that they are forbidden (by the state) to have any activities that involve the firing of projectiles at each other. This includes paintball, marshmellow guns, ball guns, etc. But thrown items are allowed. Colorado Social Services is concerned that anything "fired" will promote a violent mindset and thus promote violence.

They arn't the only camp caught up in this. They are aware of about 6 camps that have gone out and bought all the equipment and set up a field and then been informed that they cannot run it.

[Lomarandil]

What if they setup the field as a seperate entity? Then just do "field trips"

I know Horn Creek has/had paintball for some time, without problems.. but they are farther south, where less people are concerned... and not under the banner of Social Services

Lo

[wetwrks]

What if they setup the field as a seperate entity? Then just do "field trips"

No good. While the kids are under the supervision of the camp (which is the entire time they are there)they cannot take part in any activity that involves "shooting" projectiles at each other. Target practice is allowed as it is not directed at another person. Even if the camp were to take them to a field owned and run by someone else, the camp would still be in trouble as the kids would still be under the care of the camp.

[Lomarandil]

LOL

Just divide into "person" and "thing" teams..

So people are only shooting at things, and vice versa...

Ok, I'm out of ideas... but maybe someone else will be able to come up with a solution.

Lo

[Toll]

You're boned.

Even if you could convince them to change their minds there would be no way it would get "patched" within 2 years.

The problem is that it's an insurance nightmare for people who really don't care bout it in the first place. Kids could get hurt in some way (be it lifting a mask or falling off a cliff) and then it would be their *** because they "let" them go paintballing. It doesn't matter that some one 500 miles away is blamed for actions that had nothing to do with them. It matters that if something happened that kids parent would sue for so much money it'd make your head spin. This is basically the response I got from the schoolboard when I suggested/pitched the idea. Quite simply it is naturally very violent and theres too high of chance some one will get hurt.


Now I don't know how many people remember a highschool gym class but there was quite a bit of violence and I've seen more people get hurt playing basket ball than paintball. So I asked afterwards what was really up when I got some time to talk to one of the board members. He basically said that no matter how much the waivers were signed, no matter how much the parents signed off on their right to sue and no matter how good the saftey gear was, some kid would be stupid. Some kid would do something borderline retarded, maim himself and it is then a PR nightmare as well as lawsuit time.