“We are so incredibly proud of and celebrate all sleepaway and day camps, who had a successful summer in 2020, created bubbles, and prevented the spread of COVID 19.“
This summer a handful of our partner camps in Maine, New Hampshire, and the Northeast opened their gates this summer and created COVID safe environments. It was a decision unique to each camp based on several factors including but not limited to their state (based on governors guidelines), program, size, facilities and campus. To put it simply, they had to be brave just like a first time camper and head into a new and daunting adventure during a very unprecedented summer (where there was no existing road map!). And that does not skim the surface of all the logistical, operational, and safety challenges and complexities of operating during a global pandemic. The challenges were plenty and so too were the reasons to overcome them if they were able to.*
We are so incredibly proud of all sleepaway and day camps who had a successful summer in 2020, created bubbles, and prevented the spread of COVID 19. We are so glad this recognition is hitting mainstream media to serve as a beacon of hope and guidance for schools and other organizations.
Just this week, a new federal study by the CDC, looking at 4 sleepaway camps in Maine (among more than 1000 campers and staff), had insightful and powerful takeaways for mitigating COVID-19 outbreaks and preventing spread.
This success came from several protocols, including a mandatory 14-day quarantine prior to the start of camp, frequent cleaning of camp facilities, mandatory mask protocols and maximizing outdoor space.
3 tips and necessary measures were shared attributing to summer camp’s success.
– Diligence and consistency
– Layered safety protocols
– A culture of compliance
While schools and camps are NOT the same, these key takeaways and best practices can help school and public health officials who are looking for ways to reopen classrooms safely throughout the country. And for that we are grateful.
We are humbled by our partner camps’ Herculean efforts to make this summer a reality. We know this paves the way and provides a model of best practices and confidence for summer ‘21. Many parts of camp had to be reimagined, but it helped highlight the most important parts of the experience and left kids, parents, and camp leaders feeling better than ever about it. An oasis, despite masks and sanitizer, for kids to just be kids. We look forward to sharing this information on Covid safe camp environments during your search process and helping make this important decision.
