Since 1997, Camp Timberline has existed to reach and strengthen kids for Christ through sports and mountain adventure. Our purpose is no different in 2021. Even though camp’s daily operation may look different this summer, the feel of camp and our intentional care for your children will stay the same. Thus, in order to continue safe individual care for your children, we have created this Safety Initiative and Illness Prevention Policy, both operationally and medically, to ensure that camp is conducted in the best possible way in response to COVID-19.

 

Before sending your child to Camp Timberline, you acknowledge that your child is attending under the conditions which follow and are subject to abrupt change at any time. Camp Timberline cannot promise or guarantee that COVID-19 or any other pathogen will not enter camp. By the very nature of the personal interaction that takes place in the camp environment, there is always a risk of your child becoming ill with this or any other communicable disease. 

 

Safety Initiative

Federal and State Health Guidance:

We will continue to rely on expert guidance for COVID-19 provided by CDC resources, the Environmental Health and Engineering (EHE) Guidebook, the American Camping Association (ACA), the Association of Camp Nursing (ACN), as well as our state and local health department guidelines, with the goal of providing a safe and fun environment for campers and staff. Doing so will allow us to customize practical steps to help prevent the entry of COVID-19 and limit the impact on campers and staff if entry occurs. All current strategies will be reviewed and evaluated on a weekly basis. Camp Timberline reserves the right to update and adapt this initiative as guidelines are announced and are changed. 

 

Camper Pre-Screening:

To provide safe entry and minimize exposure, we ask all campers to keep interactions to a minimum for 14 days prior to their week at camp. Parents/Guardians will need to monitor for any symptoms and/or exposure, together with completing an online 14-Day Screening form answering questions as to your child’s health. We need parents/guardians to keep child(ren) home if symptoms and/or exposure are present and commit to rescheduling the camper’s session instead of bringing their child(ren) to camp. Our staff will also provide a 24-hour symptom checklist and conduct a temperature check upon arrival. If there are symptoms present, the camper will be isolated by a medical staff member and the camper will be asked to return home and reschedule to attend a different session pending availability.  The camper will need to follow the Safe Re-Entry to Camp policy below to return to camp.

• Travel Policy:  We ask that all campers abide by all travel restrictions, and trust that by wearing a mask and practicing social distancing in the airports we can keep camp as safe as possible.

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Staff Screening:

We believe in our ability to provide safe and knowledgeable staff for your child(ren). Although guidelines for testing and vaccines are changing rapidly, we plan to isolate staff in small groups during staff training, test them for COVID-19 prior to arrival, and test staff weekly throughout the summer. Staff will also work within their cohort groups, practice social distancing, wear masks, and reside on camp property to reduce the risk of exposure during camper sessions.

 

Opening and Closing Days:

Our efforts to keep your child safe include minimizing contact with anyone outside of the camp community. Although we understand the importance to both you and your child with our Opening and Closing Day ceremonies, the safety of the camp community must come first. On Opening and Closing Days we are asking parents/guardians to arrive at scheduled times and remain with their vehicle in the parking lot. We will make sure your child(ren) feels welcome and comfortable, as well as personally escort them to their cabin and help them with their belongings. Health staff will be available in the parking lot to receive medications and answer questions as well. 
In lieu of our normal Opening and Closing Day events, we will be offering other ways to interact with your child and the staff during the session(s), such as dropping off packages or letters on Opening Day, sending messages through our camper email program, and viewing photos through our secure photo site.

 

Safety During Session:

As part of our efforts, in partnership with county guidelines, to provide a safe environment and make activity modifications your child(ren) will enjoy, BT groups will operate as a single cohort. For Beyond Timberline, this will mean keeping groups separate on Sunday and Friday nights. Daily temperature and symptom checks will be performed on both campers and staff. Masks are to be worn when around people outside of the trip cohort. When hiking a face covering does not need to be worn unless there are other hikers passing by on the trail. Meals will be served by guides, one camper at a time, in an effort to control safe serving practices, and hand hygiene will be practiced before and after each meal.  Campers will sleep head to toe in order to create a space in tents where there is less direct face-to-face contact. Sleeping with only screens zipped and tent doors down will be encouraged to create a “screen door” effect and allow for airflow. There will also be a greater emphasis on cleaning all shared surfaces and equipment: We are increasing our Clean-Up time to allow for a deeper cleaning each day on trail. Staff will be equipped with health standards and ways to monitor campers for symptoms and promote healthy behaviors.   

 

Quarantine Provisions:

If your child exhibits symptoms for COVID-19 or any other communicable disease while on trail, the camper will return to camp to isolate in the Health Hut and next steps will be determined by our medical staff and county health department. If additional BT group members display symptoms, necessary determinations will be made on quarantining and isolating other campers and/or staff members, including the potential cancellation of a BT session. Parents/guardians will need to have someone available during each session in case the call is made to pick up their child with options for rescheduling another session under the Safe Re-Entry to Camp policy below.

• State Limitations on Travel During Quarantine: The state does not permit campers who are in quarantine to board an airplane or leave the state without state health approval. If picking up a camper that is still in quarantine, the parent/guardian must be able to reach their destination without stopping. If you need to stop, a hotel will need to be acquired and the parent/guardian will have to stay there until the end of the quarantine period (thus joining the quarantine).

 

Safe Re-Entry to Camp:

Campers may return for a different session during the current summer pending availability and the following criteria are true:

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For campers that are quarantined because they have a confirmed, probable, or suspected case of COVID-19:

• It has been 10 days since symptoms first appeared AND

• 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications AND

• Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving

Proof of test results may be requested from the camper as well.

 

For campers who are quarantined due to close contact with a confirmed, probable, or suspected case of COVID-19:

• It has been 7 days with no symptoms and a negative test collected on day 5-7 is obtained, plus masking and maintaining distance from others for a full 14 days OR

• It has been 10 days with no symptoms, plus masking and maintaining distance from others for a full 14 days OR

• It has been 14 days with no symptoms if masking or distancing is not possible

Proof of test results may be requested from the camper as well.