May 12, 2021
With vaccination, mask-wearing, and social distancing, COVID numbers are improving to the point that we can safely restart summer camp! However, we are not completely out of the woods, so we must continue measures to prevent an outbreak that could drastically change the camp experience for many campers. Based on the permission of the State of Georgia’s regulations, in consideration of the CDC’s recommendations, the communication from parents, lots of prayer, and considering the total (physical, social, mental, and emotional) health needs of children, we have developed the following COVID protocol for the summer of 2021.
• Vaccinations are now available for children 12 and older and are encouraged for families who are interested.
• Strong Rock would highly recommend that campers who have not been fully vaccinated isolate from crowds 10 days prior to arrival and to be tested within 3 days of arriving at camp. As a matter of information and knowledge for Strong Rock and to assist us in providing the appropriate health procedures for each camper, parents will be asked if their campers were or were not tested and to provide their results on opening day.
• We have recommended that our staff be vaccinated, but by law cannot require it. Their vaccination history will be taken into consideration when making community health decisions during the summer. The majority of our staff will be with us for 14 days prior to campers arriving, in essence quarantined during staff training.
• While we will not be requiring masks, we will support those who would like to wear them at any time. As always, we want all campers to feel loved, accepted, and respected. Mocking and bullying are never tolerated and a camper’s decision to wear a mask will be fully supported.
• We will implement health screening protocols each day with temperature and symptom checks. Symptomatic campers will be isolated immediately and tested. Positive campers will remain isolated until parents can pick them up, while their cabin is quarantined and participates in skills together for a minimum of 72 hours. Parents of other campers will be notified and may choose whether or not to pick up their campers.
• We will sanitize equipment between skill classes in addition to encouraging frequent hand washing and hand sanitization.
• We will continue to encourage social distancing and continue to spend a large part of our day outside. Indoor activities will have smaller group size limits. Campers will be reminded to keep ample distance while together in their cabins.
• As in 2020, campers will be dropped off with their luggage and parents will need to remain in their cars. On closing day parents will park and wait for their campers and luggage to be delivered to them. A closing program will be provided for those interested in attending.
Thank you for your continued trust and support as we do all we can to provide the camping experience you have come to expect. The decisions and procedures we develop are never taken lightly or made flippantly. If you have any further questions, please reach out to us.