We truly appreciate your patience as we have been waiting to determine if it would be possible to move forward with a summer program in 2020. The guidelines issued by the governor's office on May 28th, specifically addressing operation of overnight camps with out of state populations have been reviewed.
I am happy to announce that we will be able to adapt our program and move forward with a further shortened season of three weeks beginning on July 19th and ending August 8th.
Staff will report to a one week preseason beginning July 11th, where they will help prepare our facility and receive training on guidelines and best practices. This will include a state required short course for which they will receive a certificate of completion.
Criteria for overnight camps to operate include:
Operating at 75% of bed capacity. My plan would have us operate well within that limit to ensure the best setting for social distancing in activities and for sleeping accommodations. We will be able to operate with an enrollment of between 30 and 50 campers.
All staff and campers will need to quarantine for seven days prior to traveling to camp and according to state regulations must have a negative test result for Covid -19 within 24 hours of arriving at the camp. It is understood that since we will be starting on a Sunday that it may be difficult to get a result within that window, so please arrange testing to so that a negative result can be documented as close to departure as possible. You will need to provide a printed version of the negative result when dropping your camper off at camp. We will not be able to accommodate any flights this year. All transportation to and from camp will be by private vehicle, with only one parent or guardian dropping off or picking up. Carpooling is encouraged. Once on the property the designated drop off point will be at our Headquarters building, where temperatures will be taken and campers will be dropped off for counselors to accompany to their assigned cabins to unpack and get settled in.
Enrollment options are to sign up for the first two weeks or all three weeks, with all campers arriving on July 19th. This model allows for our property and use of the lake to be a group quarantine within the State of Vermont. Once we are there, we will remain on the property until it is time to leave. An exception in the planning stages would be to offer a voluntary overnight hiking or canoe trip for those who sign up for three weeks, during the final week. The departure date for two weekers will be Saturday, August 1st before noon and before 10:00 am on Saturday, August 8th for three weekers. We do not yet know whether families will be able to attend our final awards banquet and campfire on August 7th.
Some details of how we will operate within the guidelines are: Under the direct supervision of our registered nurse, we will take daily temperatures of all staff and campers prior to entering the dining hall for breakfast and keep a temperature and daily screening log. We will install hand washing sinks on the porch of the dining hall for proper washing of hands prior to meals. Hand washing will also be performed immediately upon entering cabins. We will also utilize alcohol based hand sanitizers as appropriate. Staff will supervise frequent disinfecting of shared equipment, furnishings, shower stalls and bathroom fixtures. Campers and staff will need to bring at least four washable cloth masks. In addition, bandannas will be acceptable for use in most cases. Laundry will be sent out weekly. Masks will be worn when active in a cabin or on a cabin porch and when in other buildings. Masks will not be needed for many outdoor activities, during meals, and when active while social distancing outdoors. A very good thing is that our camp buildings are well ventilated with many open windows. Our cabins will only have a maximum of six occupants, including staff so that sleeping areas will be well ventilated and spread out.
If there is a situation where a person gets ill or has a temperature, our camp nurse will evaluate the situation and the person will be isolated in our infirmary. A parent will be immediately notified and a decision for next steps to be taken will determined. It should be known up front that in some cases, a camper may have to be sent home in accordance with health department policies. These policies may change as Covid conditions improve.
Once you decide to enroll, I will provide a letter from the camp that references the executive order of the State of Vermont requiring a 7 day self quarantine at home, with a negative test result for Covid-19 within 24 hours of travel to camp. The order also requires that travel be direct to the camp property with minimal stops and no activity during stops that could jeopardize the negative test reading.
It is our foremost priority to provide a safe experience for those new and old to Wachusett. Our beautiful New England setting and program of land and water activities will enable everyone to escape the constant exposure to bad news, enjoy the outdoors with old friends and make new friends, while collectively forgetting all about being tethered to electronics. We have some very talented members of our staff who will use their creativity to weave the necessary guidelines into making our camp activities safe and incredibly fun.
I look forward to further communications, and most of all to seeing our camp friends in person this summer. Further details will be provided to those interested in enrolling.
