2021 Policies Update Overview

During staff week, we cover protocols and policies as part of setting healthy boundaries that help us create a respectful community. Since camp is all about adventure and fun in the outdoors, we want to help keep all of our campers happy, healthy and safe throughout the summer by helping them understand the “why” of the expectations we have in place.

Some of these policies will be more applicable to your camper/s than others, so please use your discretion and knowledge of your camper/s to provide the relevant information.

Covid Commitment All campers and camp parents signed the 2021 Covid Commitment outlining expected behaviors and attitudes surrounding the pandemic and the adjustments we have made to be able to come together and form a community this summer. All campers and families agreed to:

• Engage in low-to-no risk activities for 10-14 days prior to arrival at camp
• Travel to and from camp in a manner that minimizes the risk of COVID exposure as much as possible
• Practice healthy habits before and during camp including: regular hand washing, consistent hydration, getting good rest, eating well, and honestly communicating how I am feeling
• Participate in required COVID testing, including a pre-camp molecular PCR test sample obtained 3-4 days prior to the first day of my camp session
• Respect others’ COVID experience; seek to understand other peoples’ understandings and build authentic, honest respect for people in and outside of the cohort community
• Share feelings and advocate for individual needs
• Listen to and respect staff members, trip leaders, and the Sanborn leadership team
• Wear a mask as asked to protect myself, my friends, my staff members and camp as a whole
• Challenge myself and engage in camp with the support of my staff members, trip leaders and friends, realizing that the camp program may look different than in years past
• Make the most of each day and discover new opportunities
• Have lots of fun with my friends
• Realize that each camper is an important part of this community; and adds unique value, perspective, strengths and skills to Sanborn

Technology One of the great opportunities of camp is to get away from the pace and connectivity of one’s day-to-day life, and we know that it is one of the top reasons campers come to Sanborn. In today’s world, technology is a powerful tool and pretty amazing. However, bringing technology to camp makes many of the foundational aspects of camp (authentic relationship building, appreciation for nature’s beauty, increased independence and much more) all the more challenging. Here is a handy list to help know what is and is not allowed at camp.

Not Allowed at Camp:

• Phones of any kind (phones may NOT be used as cameras or music players)
• Gaming devices
• iPads/Laptops
• Smart Watches
• Any other electronic devices with network connectivity

Allowed at Camp:

• Pre-loaded eReaders (paperback books are preferred; both camps have libraries)
• Point and Shoot and/or Disposable Cameras
• Older iPods (with pre-loaded music and no WiFi or cellular network connectivity)
• Health Tracking Devices (like Fitbits) are allowed
• If a phone or gaming device is brought to help with travel to and from camp, it will be collected at the beginning of the session, stored safely in the office and handed back at the close of the session.

As always, leaving all technology at home is a great choice, too. There is plenty of music to enjoy among the staff, and the risk of loss or damage drops to zero. If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to call and speak with either Mark or Ariella directly.

Food in Care Packages In the Getting Ready for Camp Guide, we have asked that parents, friends and family members no longer send food in care packages that is not required as a supplement to previously supplied allergy, gluten-free, or dietarily required foods.

If a camper receives food in a care package, it will either be thrown away or brought to the lodge for use as a community snack. An excess of sugary or “empty calorie” foods like candy, chips, and processed snack foods have been shown to have a negative impact on a child’s immune system and energy levels, which lead to more visits to the Health Center and less enjoyment of the camp experience. We have healthy snacks (fruit/granola bars/etc.) available on trips and in between meals at the lodges.

On page 7 of the Getting Ready Guide we have a short list of appropriate care package items and ideas to share with your campers. Please share this with all care package senders.

Closed-Toe Shoes/Flip-Flops Healthy feet are an incredibly important part of a fun-filled summer at camp. Typically, flip flops should only be worn around the immediate cabin/tent area (for walking on the porch, around the cabin, or to the washhouses) or on the way to and from a swimming activity.

Riding boots and hiking boots are required for horse and mountain trips. When hanging out in their campsites, campers need to wear closed-toe “campsite” shoes on horse trips (required) and on mountain trips (recommended), too. For river and canoe trips, sandals that attach to the feet (like aquasox, Chacos or Tevas) are required. Protecting our feet with the appropriate footwear for activities will minimize injury and make all of our hikes and adventures far more fun!

Juuls/e-Cigarettes According to information provided by the NIH, there has been a significant rise in adolescents’ ownership of and use of these devices. As an addition to our current policy which states: Alcoholic beverages, tobacco, narcotics, recreational drugs and firearms/weapons are not permitted–we added that Juuls, vapes, and other e-cigarette-style devices also have no place here and are not permitted at camp.

Sneaking Out Sometimes thought to be a “rite of passage” in a summer camp community, we have long emphasized the danger of sneaking out at Sanborn and have seen a significant decrease in the practice over the last 2 decades.

We take supervision of campers very seriously. A camper who willingly leaves a living unit without supervision at night (“sneaks out”), or who does not communicate where he/she is going to a staff member during the day (ie: leaves a program activity) put themselves and the organization at risk and we will have to notify parents and the required authorities. Darkness, lack of supervision and the possibility of truly becoming lost at night are all important reasons for campers to stay in their living units after lights out.

If you have any other questions regarding our policies and procedures and/or our goal of creating a respectful community, please do not hesitate to call 719-748-3341 or write. Thank you in advance for your support!