USGTC Camp in MA canceled?

[bostongymdad530]

My daughter was supposed to attend this camp as well. I paid via cashiers check too, which I confirmed was cashed. I did report this to the Massachusetts Attorney General's office, but have not heard back from them. I have sent the owners several emails and left several voicemails to no avail. This is completely unacceptable and we are all entitled to get a full refund.

I've done the same. What's odd is that Susan Jacobson answered the phone on the day I learned about the cancellation (through someone else), but now they refuse to respond to e-mails or phone calls. It's absurd.

 

[biq]

I've done the same. What's odd is that Susan Jacobson answered the phone on the day I learned about the cancellation (through someone else), but now they refuse to respond to e-mails or phone calls. It's absurd.

It is absurd! It's a big financial nugget hanging over my head, personally! I encourage you to call the Massachusetts AGO. My complaint is in their "queue", but maybe it will be addressed sooner if more complaints are made.

 

[gymnastics_star_girl]

A friend's daughter was supposed to go to this camp this week, but a few days before the camp was supposed to start they got an email that the camp was cancelled. No explanation, just something about "regulations". Just curious if anyone has any inside information of what happened?

We were called and told that the city and the state were not cooperating with them to issue the permit to run the camp. Susan thought that it may have had something to do with US gymnastics and their connection to the recent sexual abuse charges. Whatever the problem was, it was not discovered 3 days prior to camp starting. Our daughter was devastated and unable to go to camp for the 2nd year in a row! BUT, we have yet to receive our refund.

 

[gymnastics_star_girl]

My daughter was supposed to attend the camp as well. I’m concerned about a refund. Has anyone heard when we will get it? The service was paid for yet never received . As a group should we file a class action law suit? I have heard nothing since the original cancellation email July 11.

We have left a 1/2 dozen messages and called numerous times without any responses. Susan answered our first call to her when she was informing parents of the cancellation but have not gotten a single correspondence since. She said that she sent an email, but I do not have that either. I am definitely up for filing a class action law suit as a group. Another message states that they have contacted Florida police and that they said it is larceny. This is absurd! Please keep me posted if there is a next step. Thank you

 

[_bargirl]

From a source in the town where the program was to be held.... The program directors did not submit their camp license information to the Town in time. They gave the information during the July 4th holiday break when town offices are closed. I guess it was due a month before the program start date. The board of health staff did not have enough time to review it and make sure the camp was in compliance with all state regulations and safety procedures. So without a camp license the program had to cancel. It had nothing to do with the state or town politics, as someone else suggested.

I called the college where it was hosted, and they sounded so sorry, but weren't able to help because they are not involved with the program enrollment or money in any way. They directed me to call the same number I already have for the program, but other than an email address, that's all they had as contact information. They also assured me that this is the first time this has happened and the camp had been with them for almost 20 years, so they were as surprised as the rest of us when USGTC had to cancel.

USGTC is run by a couple , and I am sure they are overwhelmed right now, and getting multiple calls and emails from the same families is probably slowing down their response. I'm sure they have hundreds of calls to make as they are arranging repayment to each family one at a time, so I was told. I am going to try and be patient and not call again in the hope that it speeds up their reply.

 

[2G1B]

I am a total outsider in this, but them possibly being busy doesn't explain the lack of correspondence. They can set up a group email contact list and send out one big email blast that says, "We apologize for having to cancel camp this year. We assure you that we are working to process all refunds. You can expect to have your refund by X date. We are trying to work though all of the correspondence that we have received."

In reality, if the payments were made via credit card, it should take no time to refund the money.

 

[Aussie_coach]

I assume everyone signed a disclaimer when they singled their children up for the camp? Was there anything in the disclaimer that said refunds would not be given, in circumstances where the camp is cancelled?

 

[Jenniet817]

No disclaimer if they cancel just the consequences of the camper cancels. We need to all cal Tequesta police and even if they refer us to our home police stations they are aware of the significance of this situation. How can we find others hat have also been robbed of $1500 or more??

 

[bogwoppit]

No disclaimer if they cancel just the consequences of the camper cancels. We need to all cal Tequesta police and even if they refer us to our home police stations they are aware of the significance of this situation. How can we find others hat have also been robbed of $1500 or more??

I think you need to be more patient, and stop throwing out the words robbed.

If you paid by credit card you can have your cc company handle this.

If you paid by check, then be patient.

I am sure the owners, who ran the camp for 20+ years, are trying to deal with the fallout out of this. It seems they were following the process they had before, and it all went wrong. I think that once you have contacted them you should allow them a few weeks to get their act together. I can guarantee they know there are parents out there who are desperate to get a refund, so they can make other camp bookings.

 

[bostongymdad530]

I think you need to be more patient, and stop throwing out the words robbed.

If you paid by credit card you can have your cc company handle this.

If you paid by check, then be patient.

I am sure the owners, who ran the camp for 20+ years, are trying to deal with the fallout out of this. It seems they were following the process they had before, and it all went wrong. I think that once you have contacted them you should allow them a few weeks to get their act together. I can guarantee they know there are parents out there who are desperate to get a refund, so they can make other camp bookings.

Nope. Looks like theft. Also, many, like me, paid by bank check so there's no recourse.

Just got an e-mail from them:

Dear Parents,

We apologize for the delay in response regarding refunds. We have been forced by
this situation to seek the assistance of an attorney.
At this point all questions must be directed to our attorney, Donna Bumgardner.
Donna Bumgardner can be reached at 954-724-4366.

I googled their attorney and she is a bankruptcy attorney. Looks like they don't plan on relinquishing our money soon.

I'm an attorney in Massachusetts and also a parent whose money was stolen by these two individuals. I am contacting the attorney general's offices in both Mass. and Florida, have contacted their counsel, and plan to investigate a civil action against them. This is absurd.

 

[Jenniet817]

I would love to assist in filing any actions against these people. I feel like a fool, and I cannot afford to have this money stolen from me. The concept of bankruptcy is absurd . They received I would guess about $900,000 from families for just this summer camp. Please message me.

 

[bogwoppit]

Nope. Looks like theft. Also, many, like me, paid by bank check so there's no recourse.

Just got an e-mail from them:

Dear Parents,

We apologize for the delay in response regarding refunds. We have been forced by
this situation to seek the assistance of an attorney.
At this point all questions must be directed to our attorney, Donna Bumgardner.
Donna Bumgardner can be reached at 954-724-4366.

I googled their attorney and she is a bankruptcy attorney. Looks like they don't plan on relinquishing our money soon.

I'm an attorney in Massachusetts and also a parent whose money was stolen by these two individuals. I am contacting the attorney general's offices in both Mass. and Florida, have contacted their counsel, and plan to investigate a civil action against them. This is absurd.

My guess is they spent the money coming in on the costs for the upcoming weeks of camp, rentals of space, equipment etc That stuff is pricey. When the permits fell through I imagine they are scrambling all over as they do not have the money to pay back every one.

A civil action is probably your best bet. Whilst I know using the word "theft" makes you feel a bit better, I really do not believe these people set out to defraud parents. Honestly they have a great track record. But clearly financial management, and planning, are not their gifts at all. I am sure all the parents booked based on previous great reviews.

As a parent I would be very unhappy too, these camps are pricey, and our kids look forward to them for months.

 

[bogwoppit]

I would love to assist in filing any actions against these people. I feel like a fool, and I cannot afford to have this money stolen from me. The concept of bankruptcy is absurd . They received I would guess about $900,000 from families for just this summer camp. Please message me.

I removed your email address, use the messaging system to share that. It is a bad idea to share in public forums, way too many spambots troll looking for targets.

 

[skschlag]

My guess is they spent the money coming in on the costs for the upcoming weeks of camp, rentals of space, equipment etc That stuff is pricey. When the permits fell through I imagine they are scrambling all over as they do not have the money to pay back every one.

A civil action is probably your best bet. Whilst I know using the word "theft" makes you feel a bit better, I really do not believe these people set out to defraud parents. Honestly they have a great track record. But clearly financial management, and planning, are not their gifts at all. I am sure all the parents booked based on previous great reviews.

As a parent I would be very unhappy too, these camps are pricey, and our kids look forward to them for months.

This is what I was thinking as well. It has been an established camp. I cannot imagine they decided this year to commit fraud. Hopefully the lawyers can help them get some of their money back as well, if possible, so they can get money back to the families.

 

[bostongymdad530]

My guess is they spent the money coming in on the costs for the upcoming weeks of camp, rentals of space, equipment etc That stuff is pricey. When the permits fell through I imagine they are scrambling all over as they do not have the money to pay back every one.

A civil action is probably your best bet. Whilst I know using the word "theft" makes you feel a bit better, I really do not believe these people set out to defraud parents. Honestly they have a great track record. But clearly financial management, and planning, are not their gifts at all. I am sure all the parents booked based on previous great reviews.

As a parent I would be very unhappy too, these camps are pricey, and our kids look forward to them for months.

I see your perspective, but when parents have given these people hundreds of thousands of dollars to hold, and then camp is canceled and the money is not immediately refunded and probably spent, it's theft. If the owners don't have the financing in place to cover the upfront costs of running a camp, they shouldn't take deposits for the camp.

I urge all parents to contact the Mass. and Florida Attorney General's offices, and the U.S. Attorney General's Offices for the Districts of Mass. and Florida. If a bankruptcy petition is filed, I think this collective effort is our best chance at recovering as much of the tuition money as possible.

 

[Jenniet817]

I will contact Florida AG as I already spoke with mass . We need to get word out to others as you said, as a group effort may be more successful .

 

[Aussie_coach]

Is it not a thing in the US to have insurance to cover things like this, like business interruption insurance, management liability insurance etc?

 

[Jenniet817]

I also contacted the local tv station in Tequesta Florida . Anything to expedite this .

 

[skschlag]

Is it not a thing in the US to have insurance to cover things like this, like business interruption insurance, management liability insurance etc?

Yes, I think typically they do. We do not know the whole story here.

 

[mrscptcuddles]

The lawyer they are referring everyone to is a bankruptcy lawyer. This is so upsetting. They probably put forth a ton of money to pay for the facility, the equipment, the food, the staff, the insurance, the professionals, and whatever else is needed. But it is not the parents' fault they cancelled and we should not lose our money. We've already lost so much. We had a trip to Germany planned while my daughter was scheduled to be at camp. I had to pay for child care while we were away because I couldn't cancel my trip 3 days before departure. I've called the AG in MA and in FL. I hope this gets resolved quickly.