Health and Wellness

The health, safety, and wellness of our campers and staff is always a top priority at Camp Kippewa. Looking ahead to Summer 2021, the focus on safety policies and procedures will be  more important than ever. We are dedicated and committed to running camp this coming summer and will be implementing protocols and procedures as recommended by organizations such as the American Camp Association, Maine Department of Health, and the CDC to keep our campers and staff as healthy and safe as possible.  We are so excited to create our camp bubble once again in 2021 for our Kippewa family! Please see below for more information and details about how we successfully ran KEA and Family Camp programs this past summer.

Staying Safe in 2020

Summer 2020, in place of our traditional camp program we ran three, two-week long sessions of Kippewa Equestrian Academy and of Family Camp.  Together with our camper families and staff, we implemented processes to help ensure everyone came into camp healthy and remained safe in our camp bubble.

Staying Safe At Camp

Below are some of the protocols that helped us create a safe, fun, and successful summer 2020:

• • Staff and campers were required to quarantine and self-screen for the two weeks leading up to camp
  • Staff and campers were required to send us negative COVID-19 PCR test results before arriving
  • All staff quarantined at camp for at least two weeks prior to camper arrival
  • All staff and campers were tested again a few days after arrival at camp
  • Staff were tested between sessions to make sure campers were coming into a covid-free environment
  • Outdoor spaces were utilized as much as possible. Examples include: outdoor dining, moving indoor activities into the open air, and planning outdoor based evening activities

• • Social distancing and/or masks were utilized when different groups interacted. Examples include: collecting food from the dining hall, and when non-bunk staff taught kids in activities such as belaying on the climbing wall
  • Campers and staff who lived together in the same cabin functioned as a pod or family without requiring masks or distancing within those groups
  • Staff and campers remained on site all summer. Outside visitors were not allowed and interactions with outside vendors (mail delivery, food delivery, etc.) were limited and done at a distance while masked
  • Staff and campers had daily health screenings throughout their time at camp
  • Everyone participated in frequent hand washing and sanitizing
  • Shared supplies and materials were minimized, anything that was shared was disinfected thoroughly between uses
  • Drop off and Pick Up procedures were done  with family members staying in the car while campers and bags joined us at camp or said goodbye to their friends

• • We adhered to and often went above required guidelines and checklists provided by the state of Maine’s Department of Health and the American Camp Association’s Field Guide for summer camps to open in 2020