COVID-19 Resources for Camp Parents

We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation in partnership with our local health department, the State of Michigan, and Federal Government.  Please understand that while each camper is focused on their specific session – we are focused on ensuring all 8 sessions happen successfully.  If each week campers and camper families can follow our procedures, we can successfully complete the summer of 2022.  If you feel these guidelines are not right for you or your camper, we encourage you to consider if attending is the best decision.

Here’s what we have planned so far:

1. We strongly encourage all eligible campers, staff, camper family members – really anyone – get vaccinated.  We are not requiring it at this time, but with the medical conditions we see in our campers, it makes sense to strongly recommend that this preventative step is taken.
2. We are planning to run each session with 90 campers per week.
3. We will run arrival and departure with limited access to buildings, pre-arrival phone calls, and a much shorter process.
4. We will send home campers we suspect of having COVID.
5. We will continue enhanced cleaning procedures as it keeps our camper and staff healthier overall.
6. We will continue to use high quality air filters and will continue to air out buildings on cooler days when AC is not needed.

We look forward to having you back sleeping under the stars at Pretty Lake in 2022.

Camp Specific COVID-19 Policies & Procedures for Camp Families

We continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation in partnership with our local health department, the State of Michigan, and Federal Government.  Please understand that while each camper is focused on their specific session – we are focused on ensuring all 8 sessions happen successfully.  If each week campers and camper families can follow our procedures, we can successfully complete the summer of 2022.

Before Camp Expectations

During the two weeks prior to camp, it is recommended that campers and household members take appropriate social distancing and preventative measures to the extent possible.  Examples include but not limited to:

• Wear a mask
• Stay 6 feet away from other people
• Utilizing curbside store/restaurant services only
• Limiting non-essential travel
• Washing hands with soap and water frequently
• Attending events/gatherings with over 100 people
• Stay home if household is in quarantine due to exposure to an individual with a confirmed case of COVID-19 or has tested positive for COVID-19

Arrival at Washington Writer’s Academy

When campers and caregivers arrive for our check-in process at Washington Writer’s Academy all campers, caregivers, and anyone else with you will receive a temperature check prior to going into the school.  We will also ask COVID-19 related questions regarding illness.  If campers or caregivers do not feel well on day of arrival or days prior please stay home and contact camp to notify us your camper will not be attending.  We will attempt to reschedule.

The presence of any of the symptoms below generally suggests a camper may have an infectious illness and should not attend or stay at camp, regardless of whether the illness is COVID-19 or another common illness that maybe spread to others.

• Temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
• Sore throat
• Cough (for campers with chronic cough due to allergies or asthma, a change in their cough from baseline)
• Difficulty breathing (for children with asthma, a change from their baseline breathing)
• Diarrhea or vomiting
• New onset of severe headache, especially with a fever.

During Camp

We have increased sanitization.  Masks are available at all times for use.  We will all use masks when the transmission levels are listed at medium risk using the 7-day Average in Kalamazoo County CDC COVID-19 Community Level.  We will stay in cabin groups and not mingle with other cabin groups during our week of camp.  We will send campers home upon presentation or onset of the symptoms listed above.

COVID-19 Resource Links for Camp Parent

• Pretty Lake Camp’s COVID-19 Response Plan
• American Camp Association COVID-19 Resources for Parents 
• State of Michigan Licensing and Regulatory Affairs: Guidelines for Camp Operations During COVID-19  
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Suggestions for Youth & Summer Camps 
• Kalamazoo County Health Department COVID-19 Resources