With Spring in the air and the weather warming, that can only mean one thing….
For the first time since 2019 and the start of the pandemic, Camp Ta-Kum-Ta will be in person for our signature Summer Week this July!!!! The word “excitement” doesn’t quite portray the energy that the campers, volunteers and staff all feel about having our campers back in South Hero this summer. We are THRILLED!
With the approval of our Wellness and Health Advisory Team, campers will be able to return to camp and experience all of the wonders and joy that Camp Ta-Kum-Ta has to offer. They can swim in the pool, play basketball, use our ropes course and most importantly see their friends and connect in a way that we have all been missing. We can’t wait to again hear the sweet summer air filled with the sounds of laughter and song.
Of course, ensuring that our campers and volunteers are safe from the threat of COVID-19 will mean that Camp will look a little different than it has in the past. We have taken and continue to plan for every precaution, including preprogram and onsite testing, proper social distancing, limited community access, and the use of PPE. All of these steps with further guidance from the ACA (American Camping Association) and the CDC will mean that Camp is providing quality programming with the safety of our immunocompromised campers at heart.
It feels like it has been a long road to get to this point and there is much more to do! We are so grateful for our volunteers who stepped up and applied their creativity and energy to guarantee the success of our virtual programs during the pandemic. We are so grateful for our donors whose generosity has allowed us to continue to provide programming and a supportive community for our campers and their families. We are so grateful for our Wellness and Health Advisory Team who has informed every COVID related decision that we have made along the way in the interest of keeping our campers safe. And OF COURSE, we are always grateful for our campers and their families who are at the core of all that we do. We can’t wait to see you all soon!
Truly it has taken all of us working together to get to this point and we are so appreciative of all that you do to make Camp Ta-Kum-Ta possible. We are very much looking forward to having everyone back at camp this summer and getting back to a feeling of normalcy. We hope that you will continue to stay connected through this journey and join us in welcoming our campers and families back to Camp Ta-Kum-Ta.
As you know; the pandemic continues to impact our community and programs. The Wellness and Health Advisory Team has been closely monitoring the Delta variant and continues to feel that remaining virtual is the safest option for our children and their families.
That said, we are considering some daytime in-person options for our Winter Weekend programs to begin in January.
More information will be shared in the months ahead, but you should really consider getting your flu shot, sharpening you ice skates and getting your sleds ready! In addition, guidance on COVID boosters to come as information becomes available. Bring on the cold!
In the spirit of transparency, as our decision to remain virtual for 2021 gains interest, we felt it would be useful to post a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to the decision to remain virtual for 2021. With appreciation to one of our volunteers, Andy Martin, a list of potential questions was constructed. Working with both the Camp Operations Leadership Team and the Health and Wellness Advisory Committee, answers have been provided and can be found by clicking here or on the photo below.
As always, if you have any questions about this decision, please feel free to contact Camp’s Executive Director, Dennis at (802) 578-2275 or Camp Director, Patrick at (802) 238-0464.
It seems odd to be writing once again to provide an update on our programs and services related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s been a long 10 months of fear and isolation for so many of us but hopefully, Camp’s light has continued to shine brightly in your world.
To help us monitor the pandemic and other health related concerns, Camp Ta-Kum-Ta invited a dedicated group of individuals to serve on a new Health and Wellness Advisory Committee (HWAC). This collaborative group is made up of medical, mental health and camping professionals who will work together to make recommendations related to wellness and medical safety practices. As you can imagine, the pandemic has been their number one priority given the current environment. With gratitude, they have met twice since winter began to carefully weigh the overall status of the pandemic and will continue to meet monthly. Full committee membership can found under the About Us tab above (Staff, Board & Committees).
Last fall, we promised to let our community know the status of our in-person programs by February 1, 2021. The HWAC had a deeply meaningful and sometimes tearful conversation about the impact of this pandemic on our ability to offer in-person programs safely. The committee made the difficult recommendation to remain virtual for all of 2021. This is due in large part to delayed vaccine trails for children, the slow roll-out of adult vaccinations and our desire to be inclusive of all members of our community.
While we understand the committee’s recommendation, like you, we are heartbroken. We had hoped that this summer would bring us back together in person, but sadly, we are just not there yet. The roll-out of the vaccinations will take time, and the trials for children between the ages of 12-16 won’t be completed until roughly July. In addition, the trials for children 0-11 have not yet begun. Inclusivity is a critical value for our community, so until we can all gather together safely, we will continue our mission and offer creative virtual programs and enhance them based ourlearningsfrom 2020. We will not let this pandemic win.
As always, if you have any questions about this decision, please feel free to contact Camp’s Executive Director, Dennis at (802) 578-2275 or Camp Director, Patrick at (802) 238-0464.
Wishing you all health and well-being in the days ahead. Stay connected, find new and different ways to spread the love and joy of Camp.
If nothing else, the past few months have taught us how important connection is as we continue to manage a world in a pandemic. The joy, laughter and love our children have experienced while participating in our virtual programs has been a welcomed light into the isolation caused by COVID-19. For some, we can easily say it has left us wanting more – more love, more laughter and most of all, more time together – specifically – together in person. While we would love to say that’s possible, sadly, the course of this pandemic has not gone as we had hoped.
As the volunteers and staff at Camp Ta-Kum-Ta continue to closely monitor the overall situation related to COVID-19, our inability to be in person continues to be our reality. Out of a continued abundance of caution for our children and their families we have made the difficult decision to remain virtual until further notice.
We hope you understand that this decision was not made out of fear but after continued consultation with Dr. Homans from UVM’s Medical Pediatric Oncology Unit and Dr. Landovitz (Raphy), our own long term volunteer at Camp. The Center for Disease Control’s guidelines for high risk (immunocompromised) individuals remains unchanged and as such, it is simply not safe for our children and families to gather together in person.
If you have any questions about this decision, please feel free to contact our Executive Director, Dennis DePaul at (802) 578-2275 or email at dennis@takumta.org.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. Your on-going support and involvement continues to be critical to our success.
In light of the recent developments regarding COVID-19, out of an abundance of caution and in an effort to ensure the well-being of our staff and community, most Camp Ta-Kum-Ta staff will begin working remotely effective Wednesday, March 17th. Our main office and the property in South Hero will be closed to visitors until further notice. Email and voicemail will be checked on a daily basis so you can continue to contact us as needed. We are working hard to minimize the overall effect on our programs and events and appreciate your patience as we grapple with our new reality.
We care deeply about everyone at Camp Ta-Kum-Ta! The safety of our campers, families, volunteers, supporters and staff are our highest priority. Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.
Sending warm thoughts to you and those close to you.
Your friends at Camp Ta-Kum-Ta!
