04/09/2020
As we move ever closer to the start of summer, many of you are reaching out with specific questions and, we wanted to share some answers to the common questions we are receiving.
Will Camp Happen this Summer?
We certainly hope so! With all our hearts, we hope for the best, and still, we realize that we must simultaneously plan for all scenarios. You all have access to the same medical science and educated guesses that we do. At this point, we feel there are enough reasons to continue to plan for the summer together at AstroCamp, Camp Motorsport & Camp CHOP. This recommendation has also come to us from a myriad of medical experts, other camp directors, and the American Camp Association. If permitted to proceed, we know the summer of 2020 will be the most important camp season in our children’s lives. They are under such stress, feeling high levels of anxiety, lacking social connections, and having a whole lot of screen time. Never has genuine, face-to-face social interactions, the outdoors, silly fun, and our supportive camp community been so essential.
Do what helps you feel a sense of safety.
Should I cancel my registration?
For all the reasons described above, we really hope you don’t. To date, very few families of our 500+ campers have canceled due to concerns related to the pandemic. We are encouraged by the collective hopefulness of our community, as many of our camp colleagues are reporting similar numbers. Having said that, we respect whatever decision is best for your family and will continue to honor our cancellation policy. We hope you stay with us. If something has changed for you financially and you need support towards your summer fees, please get in touch with us.
Camp Forms/Paperwork
At this point, we have lifted paperwork deadlines for all forms. We do ask that you help us prepare for the delay of many medical forms, by continuing to submit the forms you are able to, as soon as you can. We recognize that many doctors visits have been postponed or canceled and that an in-person visit may not be the safest choice for your family right now. For this summer, we will accept medical forms (‘Physician Examination’ form) from virtual visits/telehealth. These forms still must be signed by the physician. Several families have had success with emailing, uploading, or mailing the forms to their doctor’s office to be completed and sent back by their physician. To access your camper’s forms, click on the ‘Forms & Documents’ link in your camper account (https://motorsport.campintouch.com/v2/login/login.aspx?).
Challenge yourself to stay in the present moment.
One of the most important skills we learn as staff at AstroCamp, Camp Motorsport & Camp CHOP is how to think on our feet and plan for the unexpected. So while we have been trying to breathe and be present, we are also planning for a variety of possible outcomes for the summer.
- If we need to start late, we will make every effort to adjust.
- If we need to run a shorter summer season, we will make every effort to adjust.
- If we are only permitted to proceed with US campers and staff, we will make every effort to adjust.
- If we need to adapt specific programming (such as out of camp activities), we will adjust.
- If we need to adjust the number of campers we can have at camp at any given time; we will adjust.
- If camp must be canceled or we need to make changes to our summer program, we will work with all of our families on how to best handle your program fees and deposits to rebuild AstroCamp, Camp Motorsport & Camp CHOP towards a successful summer in 2021.
- If public authorities permit us to hold camp at a time when regular life has resumed, and the virus is not entirely contained, we will exhaust all efforts and resources to research and implement the very best medical and cleaning practices to keep our campers safe.
I hope this letter provides some clarification on the current outlook for Summer 2020. We will continue to monitor all sources of scientific information regarding COVID-19 and will make adjustments accordingly. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Stay safe and stay healthy,
John “Swan” Swanwick
Summer Camp Director
AstroCamp, Camp Motorsport & Camp CHOP