3 Essential FAQs for Children Joining the 2020 Summer Camp

Hello there! I pray that you and your family are healthy and safe today.

I am writing on behalf of the Vineyard Camp to remind you of some excellent news: WE ARE OPENING OUR SUMMER CAMP! Yes, we are!

Isn’t that fantastic news? But I also know that you have plenty of concerns or questions about what’s going to happen, especially when parents will be away from kids for some time. That’s why my team and I decided to create this post.

I want to address a few essential points before you decide to register your child for this year with this list of FAQs:

1. When Are You Opening Your Camp?

Our summer camp for 2020 will run from July 5 to August 8. It may seem a while, but in reality, the sessions are short.

We have decided to have four sessions for the entire duration, so that’s one session per week. We will have either day or overnight campers whose numbers are extremely limited up to 50 each week. We highly encourage parents and campers to discuss their preferred activities beforehand.

1. Riflery

2. Skeet shooting

3. High ropes

4. Lake activities

5. Horseback riding

6. Pool activities

7. Mountain biking

8. Wilderness adventure

9. Billiards

10. Paintball

11. Golf

12. Baseball machine

13. Fishing

14. Football passing machine

15. Biking

1. Will Kids Wear Masks?

Yes, they will—and should. The same protocol applies to EVERYONE who participates during the program. These include volunteers and staffers.

The CDC recommends different kinds of masks, such as surgical, N95, and cloth masks. However, per guidelines, it would be great if you can leave surgical and N95 masks for front-line workers, such as our doctors and nurses. These people belong to the high-risk population because of their extensive exposure to sick and potentially sick patients.

For your children, they can wear cloth or fabric masks. You can already buy them online or sew them. You can even teach your kids how to make one from a bandana!

1. Who Can Participate in the Summer Camp?

The Vineyard Camp is a faith-based summer camp, but we are also proud to say that we are open to kids from all walks of life. While we share the good news, we also respect every child’s journey to learning and transformation.

However, at this time, we would also like to exercise caution for everyone’s health, including other participants. Because of that, we:

1. Limit the number of campers per session

2. Urge parents to let their child undergo a test within five days before they arrive at the camp

3. Encourage parents and children to quarantine for at least 14 days before going to the camp

4. Discourage children with chronic health conditions and immunocompromised health to avoid registering for this year

We already anticipate that we may have fewer participants from other states. But for those outside of North Carolina, we strongly encourage you to quarantine for at least two weeks before arriving at the camp. This is even if the state doesn’t impose national quarantine or border controls.

We advise everyone to monitor their health while waiting for the program to begin. Those who show symptoms need to go to the nearest healthcare facility for a checkup and skip the camp.

If you already paid, don’t worry about losing money. We will refund what you paid if your kid cannot participate because of an illness.

We are also following the North Carolina guidelines on mass gatherings. Since the state is currently on phase 2 (as of June 15), no more than 25 people can join a public event. We are an exception to the rule. In other words, we can accommodate over 25 individuals, including staff and volunteers.

However, because we need to adhere to physical distancing protocols, we strictly limit campers to very few numbers for this year.

1. How Do You Keep Kids Safe While in the Camp?

We will follow the guidelines set by the CDC, Stokes County, and North Carolina, which include:

1. Wearing of masks

2. Social or physical distancing

3. Consistent personal hygiene such as the washing of hands

We have trained our workers and volunteers to help children remember these basic but life-saving rules, especially when they’re in the camp. We will also practice physical distancing by being 2 meters apart, even during bonfires.

Our team will disinfect lodges and communal areas daily. We will also conduct health checks at all times. All staff members in the camp will undergo testing as well.

Important Message

We are more than ready to open our campgrounds for our campers! We can even extend financial assistance to parents who may have a hard time covering our fees.

However, we’d like to remind everyone that many things are still out of our control. We hope that, like us, you will also keep yourself up-to-date on the changes no North Carolina COVID-19 guidelines. Please bookmark this blog or follow us on Instagram and Facebook to receive updates quickly.

In the end, let me leave you with this: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jer. 29:11). Let’s keep hope in our hearts in these difficult times.