Camp Hanover – Summer 2023 COVID-19 Information
Updated January 9, 2023 | 11:30 am
Our relationship with you is built on trust. You trust Camp Hanover to keep your kids, your family, all of our campers, volunteers, and staff healthy and safe. The Camp Hanover Board of Directors and the staff take this responsibility seriously.
We are committed to providing overnight summer camps and day camps in 2023 should the current health data support safe operations. Summer Camp operations will continue to be guided by the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Camp Association (ACA), and by requirements put in place by the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH).
The protocols and Best Practices detailed below give a general idea of how Camp Hanover will operate this summer and are subject to change. We will modify our practices and mitigation efforts as necessary and update the information below as warranted.
What You Can Expect This Summer
That special camp feeling you get when you are here, the one that makes memories that last a lifetime, will be as strong as ever. We’re committed to keeping the Camp Hanover experience as consistent and magical as possible.
Small Groups – By Any Other Name
“Cohorts.”
“Pods.”
“Household Units.”
Everybody’s talking about them. It’s what the experts recommend for the current reality.
Guess what? Those are just fancy ways of saying, “Small Groups.”
And we love it. Because that’s what we do. It’s one of the things that sets us apart from other summer camps. The Camp Hanover experience is built on the small group model. It’s what we’ve been doing since 1957, and it’s what we still do today. Campers will be in small groups of 10 to 12 campers with two dedicated camp counselors. They’ll stay together for their meals and activities throughout the week, moving together from place to place as a group. We will also observe physical distancing between campers, staff, and camper groups as guided by the current recommendations of the CDC and VDH in effect while summer camp is in session.
As always, you’ll get to experience classic Camp Hanover activities campers have grown to love, such as Archery, Arts & Crafts, Bible Study, Campfires, Canoeing, Campfire Cooking, Climbing Wall, CORCLs, Nature Hikes, Stand Up Paddleboards, The Mudslide, Worship and more!
Spending Time Outdoors
Many of our campers’ favorite activities take place outside. We strive to have activities outdoors whenever possible, including meals.
Vaccination
Knowing that vaccination can be a deeply personal decision, we strongly encourage all staff and campers to get fully vaccinated and boosted when vaccines and boosters are available for you. Proof of vaccination is not a requirement to attend summer camp.
COVID Testing
At this point, we don’t anticipate testing being a requirement for attending summer camp at Camp Hanover in 2023. We will continue to follow the recommendations of the CDC, ACA and VDH and share any updates with you prior to your arrival at summer camp.
Should a camper exhibit symptoms characterisitic of Covid-19 while in attendance, our health care staff will administer a rapid test. Should the participant’s test return a positive result, the participant will be retested. If the second test is positive, the participant will be required to return home. In this situation, we will work with the camper to find a time later in the summer when they may participate in Overnight Camp, or provide a full refund of camp fees.
As a precaution and for added peace of mind, we strongly encourage parents and guardians to monitor their camper’s health prior to arrival at camp and keep them home if they exhibit signs of illness.
Masks
We will continue to follow the recommendations of the CDC, ACA and VDH and share any updates with you prior to your arrival at summer camp.
Meals and Dining
We plan to continue to eat our meals outdoors, except in cases of severe weather. Our world-famous, homemade, freshly baked rolls are on the menu. If you’ve never had them before, you are in for a treat!
Daily Health Screenings
Every day, staff will conduct a wellness check, including a temperature scan, of all campers in their care. Any individuals presenting signs of possible illness will be referred to the Health Center for further screening and care.
Cleaning Procedures
Cleaning procedures will reflect guidelines provided by the American Camping Association, CDC and VDH. These procedures will be used throughout camp with a emphasis on heavy cleaning of shared spaces and high touch surfaces.
One More Thing…
Scheduling your summer activities can be stressful enough without having to worry about how unforeseen circumstances could impact your finances and your carefully planned calendar. If summer camp is not able to happen as planned, if you need to switch to another camp session or cancel your registration before a session begins, or if you decide you need to keep your child at home this summer, we’ve got your back. Camp Hanover offers a no-hassle, 100% full refund of summer camp fees.
If you need to switch things around, call our office at (804) 779-2811 and we’ll help you find another session that your camper might be able to attend. If we can’t find another session that works for you, you’ll get a full refund.
If you need to cancel your registration altogether, it’s important that you contact us before the start date of your camp session. When your child fails to show up for a camp session he or she is scheduled for without letting us know ahead of time, the other campers in your child’s group and the activities that may have been planned for them can be affected as well. Please help us out by calling ahead. And thanks for being considerate of the other campers!
Refunds for campers who fail to show up on the start date of a camp session without prior notice are considered only on a case-by-case basis. Similarly, refunds for early departure from a camp session due to illness, a camper violation of a policy (for example, possession of tobacco while at camp) or for reasons of personal choice (for example, homesickness) are considered on a case-by-case basis.