Updating Our Community
Dear Camp Laurelwood Family and Friends,
We are looking forward to a full summer of camp once the Coronavirus pandemic has resolved. We will remain in close communication with parents and staff during the coming weeks as circumstances change.
We want to share the measures we are taking and the information we will use to make informed decisions moving forward. We continue to monitor the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the local public health department, and the American Camp Association (ACA). All decisions—either to carry out current plans or make changes—are made in consultation with other camp professionals and health experts around the country. Our staff and campers health is our foremost priority. Our professional staff and board of directors have worked hard to make decisions that are in the best interest of the children that we serve, and are dedicated to continue to do so during this health crisis.
During a time like this, we are reminded of the importance of our camp family. We have been overwhelmed by the messages of support that we have received from campers, staff, alumni, and the community during this difficult time, and want to echo their message and say to each of you that Laurelwood and our extended community will stand together and get through this! As a community we are used to working creatively under pressure, as we do each time there is a rainy day at camp! We will continue to be creative and look to our extended community for advice and additional resources.
For those asking: “How can I help?” we thank you sincerely for caring enough to ask, and recognize that only as a united community can we pull through this. As we start to learn more about what the start of our season will look like, there may be things that we look to our community to help with. When that becomes more clear, we may reach out to ask for your assistance.
As parents ask questions about this upcoming season, we will admit that we don’t yet have all the answers. That being said, we are committed to being transparent, thoughtful, and to do what is right for our community. At this time, we have not made any changes to the dates of our Summer 2020 sessions and all programs are moving forward as planned. We know that you look forward to the summer and the important role camp plays in the lives of our campers. We appreciate the trust you place in us when sending your campers to Laurelwood.
In our preparations, we will have all buildings inspected by the Madison Health Department prior to camp opening. Additionally, we are in conversation with our medical team to ensure that we can operate Camp safely, given the realities of social distancing and COVID-19.
For those asking questions about the Bonim trip to Costa Rica: We continue to be in contact with the US State Department, CDC, and the WHO. As you know, there is currently a travel ban in place that does not allow Americans to travel abroad. Through our continued dialogue with our trip organizer and vendors, we are monitoring the situation on the ground in Costa Rica. The health and safety of our community is our number one priority and we will modify our plans to best protect our campers.
We will keep you updated as more information becomes available, and our newly updated website and social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram) will have any updates as well. Additionally, we will be posting activities, videos, and other materials to help you stay engaged and busy.
Healthy Camp Starts At Home! Check out this incredible resource from the American Camp Association.
In following the direction and recommendation of our governor and health officials, our staff will work from home and only be in the office if necessary over the course of the next few weeks. We will be conducting interviews, hiring staff, and holding meetings by phone or video conference. As a nonprofit camp, we operate largely on revenues from donations and camp registrations, so camper enrollment will continue to be a central focus during this time.
All phone calls and emails that come into the main office will continue to be answered and addressed. We hope to see you at camp this summer!
Wishing you and your family good health during this difficult time,
Louis Lasko (Camp Director)
Dr. Ryan Loss (Board President)
