Red Pine April Message Part 2 from Janet Cottreau.  Follow this link to the video, or read the transcript below to see the message.

April 28, 2021

I am really getting excited about being at camp this summer, however different it may be.  In this video I will delve a little deeper into the details of camp.  I will leave the Dining Hall and meals for the end as we have a great demonstration prepared.

We will begin with Junior Program.  We will be running junior program using the Day Camp guidance from the Ontario Camps Association.  Masks will be worn by both staff and campers when gathering and all activities will be outdoors and social distanced.  Our Senior Staff for JP began planning last summer and cannot wait to share the activities with our young campers.

We understand that JP is one moment in a parent’s Red Pine day that is just for them, however, this summer we are not going to be able to offer the Beehive or Junior Birds as a drop off program.  Instead, staff will be planning a Junior Bird parent and child program.  There will be games, activities, crafts, sports and more.

What about the waterfront.  How will we all fit under the shade structure for our afternoon naps and reading sessions and stay social distanced?  The simple answer is that you will not.  You will need to remain social distanced from other families/bubbles while relaxing on the dock.  We are opening all finger docks as well as the newly cleaned beach by the boat house which will help with space a little.  And we are adding a new lane swimming area to open space in A pool.

We do not encourage swimming from the non-lifeguarded areas of shoreline that Red Pine has, however, there are some great areas on shore strip and by the boat launch near cabin 40 that are quiet and nice for reading (or napping) in the shade.

Will you need to wear a mask on the dock?  Depending on how busy the dock is you may be required to wear a mask walking between sections but not while you are sitting, social distanced and while swimming.

As of right now all boats and SUP will be available for use.  We will have eco friendly disinfectant for you to use before and after you use a boat and there will be hand sanitizer at a few locations on the dock.

We encourage you to bring your own lifejackets this year.  We will have our regular supply and will do our best to sanitize them, however, on a warm and busy day they could be in short supply.

Will we be able to have tournaments?  Of course!  However, there will be some restrictions.  Doubles paddle tennis and badminton will only be parent-child or for teams from the same family/bubble.  Shuffleboard, bocci, horseshoes and ping pong players will need to maintain social distancing with opponents and non-household partners, and we will emphasize the importance of using hand sanitizer before and after using all camp equipment.  We have yet to make a final decision about card and chess tournaments as these require frequent shared touching of materials.

All books will be temporarily stored and removed from the chalet and we will not be lending board games.  Make sure you pack your favourite family games for the evenings and rainy afternoons.

You will also need to plan costume wise as our costumes will be unavailable …check the website before you come up to camp for the weeks theme.

We will be asking all camper families or groups to bring a basin and water pitcher/jug to camp this year.  I mentioned in the last video that things will be a little old-school well here is one…remember the days when you brushed your teeth and washed your face outside your cabin then dumped the water in the bushes?  Well, it is back!  We ask that the washrooms are only used for toileting and that teeth brushing, face washing etc. take place outdoors by your cabin.

Now to Meals.  We will have approximately 10 tables set-up inside the DH for those with very young families or with mobility issues, but most campers will be eating outside.

Rick and Jamie, our property managers, have built over 40 new picnic tables and these will be located under two large wedding tents we have purchased and around the DH.

On rainy days we will have two mealtimes so campers can all fit under the tents.  Otherwise you are free to eat at your cabin if you live close to the DH or to a table in the grove.

Here is a demonstration of meal and dish pick-up.

(insert video)

Please do not worry about mealtimes or any other camp details for the summer.  We are keeping a close watch for government and public health guidance and will keep you informed as we get closer to the summer.  We will also email each camper family a detailed explanation of all areas of camp prior to your arrival so you will have your own “Camp Manual”.

For now, take care of yourselves and each other and stay home.  We can get through this if we all work together.

A new message from our Executive Camp Director, Janet Cottreau.  Follow the link to watch the video, or scroll down to read her message.

April 23, 2021

I hope that all of you are healthy and doing well.  As we move into spring the sunshine and warmer days have been uplifting, but these are still hard times for many.  If you are someone having a difficult time, please reach out to someone you know or to a community organization.  You are not alone!

These past few weeks have brought even more uncertainty to our summer plans.  The Ontario Camps Association continues to work with our provincial government, Public Health and medical experts to put together guidance for opening safely.  And we are watching our local public health area as restrictions in and around camp, will ultimately come from our local public health department.

Please keep watching your emails, RPC Facebook and Instagram and website for updates about the summer.  We are continuing to plan.

As hard as it might be to look past this current lock-down, we need you to keep us informed if your plans for Red Pine change.

As we have been saying since the fall, RPC will be different this summer in many ways, but our mission remains the same – to provide a safe, engaging environment where campers make memories and grow together in community with family and friends.

In this video I will address questions submitted by some of you then, in the upcoming days another video will be shared discussing our plans for food service, tournaments, the waterfront and Junior Program.  Our plan is that prior to your arrival at camp we will have a full description of each area of camp posted on the website in a “camp manual” format.

Arriving at camp this summer:

Everyone will be required to complete a pre-screening the morning before you leave for camp.  At this time, the protocol is as follows:

• Should anyone in your family/group show ANY Covid 19 symptoms we ask that you stay home. We have adjusted our cancellation policy so there is no financial penalty to cancel due to Covid.
• everyone from outside the country will need to have been in Canada a minimum of two weeks to complete the mandatory federal quarantine and our requirements for this will follow federal and provincial decisions.
• Campers may not exit their vehicles at camp unless a screening has been completed and all members are clear.

At this point we have made the decision not to test people upon their arrival or require that you present a negative Covid-19 test.  You are coming to Red Pine like you would go to a hotel or campground.  It will be expected that you and your family or group will keep yourselves and others safe by following the rules and guidelines we have been practicing for almost a year; by maintaining safe physical distancing in and around camp and wearing masks where required.

Regarding our operations:

Masks will be required inside all public buildings including washrooms and in outdoor situations where physical distancing is difficult.

We have new cleaning and safety protocols and there will be hand sanitizer throughout as well as reminders to mask up or stay socially distanced where appropriate.

Our staff will be trained to maintain physical distancing of 2m both inside buildings and outdoors and we expect campers to do the same with all of those not in your bubble.

We will not, however, be policing campers about social distancing.  This as this up to you as individuals and families.  Of course, for all camp organized activities we will have signs and reminders about distancing.

Programming will also be different this summer as group gathering sizes will likely be regulated.  Not to worry, though, we have incredibly creative staff hired and they are ready to challenge you and keep you entertained with variations of our traditional programs and some that are entirely new.

All programming will be held outside so if you have not already invested in great rain gear or a good umbrella, this would be the time to do that.

What if someone gets sick at camp?

Should anyone develop new symptoms or become ill while in camp we will have clear procedures outlined in each cabin and the expectation is that you will leave camp for assessment and isolation.  Red Pine has hired a full summer RN to care for our staff and support our campers, but we do not have the resources to isolate or test campers.

We have done a lot of planning, and there is still more to come, but we do not have all of the answers.  Red Pine will be different this summer.  Our campers will need to go “back to basics” doing more together with your family unit and in small groups.

We all need the benefits of Camp right now.  We need the change of scenery and the ability to be outdoors participating in activities in the place we all love.  We want to breathe in the fresh air, look up at the trees, hear children’s laughter, watch the sun set, listen to the waves and feel the sun on our faces.

I wish you all peace of mind and good health as we move through these worrying times and will be in touch again soon.  Have a great day!

Hello Campers!  Further Updates from our Executive Camp Director about camp and the coming season.

Follow this LINK

Happy January Campers.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel the same way I normally do when a new year begins.  Normally I feel like January is a fresh start but this year, it just feels different.

When it comes to camp, however, we are moving ahead full speed.  We have hired an incredible Senior Staff team to lead us through the summer of 2021 and we are so excited to begin working with them to prepare for a great summer at Red Pine.

February 1^st Junior Staff applications open; one month later than usual with the deadline being February 28^th.  We look forward to connecting with the amazing young leaders in our Camp community.  All information about applying is on the website.

And, February 1^st is the opening of registration for 2021 for all shareholders and returning campers!  I can understand if some of you are shaking your heads at me right now, having a hard time imagining yourselves at camp but remember, July first is 5 months away and a lot will change in Canada and around the world between now and then.  We are also doing everything we can to plan a summer that will be safe for all those who are able to attend Red Pine Camp.

For those of you who know that the summer of 2021 at Red Pine is out of the question PLEASE do not worry.  We know that everyone’s first priority right now is to stay healthy and keep themselves and their families safe.  When we can resume our “normal” summers at Red Pine we will look back to the cabin bookings made for 2020.

We also want to reassure all of our campers that we have adjusted our cancellation policy to ensure that those who are at camp are healthy and safe.  If you or anyone in your family is not well the day camp begins or in the days leading up to camp please do not come.  Your camp fees will be refunded.  No one wants to be “patient 0” and we need YOU to help us ensure that only those who are healthy come to camp.  Our updated cancellation policy is on the website if you would like more details.

As the situation in Ontario is still uncertain, we are planning various scenarios that will enable you to come to camp this summer.  What this will look like in the end, however, we can’t know.  The Ontario Camps Association is working with a team of specialists from Sick Kids in Toronto as well as Public Health to develop a comprehensive set of standards to guide us towards opening safely.  And, with these we may be able to function very close to “normal” while eating outside, wearing masks in buildings and participating in different programming.  OR, we may need to scale everything back and provide our camper families with a cabin, great meals, a guarded waterfront, a great facility full of activities to enjoy with your family and minimal programming that will be family focussed.

Regardless, we know how badly you all need a change of scenery and a change of pace and that our children need to be outside playing this summer.  Our goal is to make that happen some way or another.

For those of you who are registering we are anticipating that there will be openings at camp this summer due to regular campers who are unable to attend.  Please consider speaking to friends (and people in your family’s bubble) who might be interested in joining you at Red Pine for the first time; encouraging them to register on March first as a new camper.  We cannot guarantee that there will be space in future summers when camp returns to “normal” but what a wonderful opportunity to introduce Red Pine to others.

We look forward to watching the registrations start to fly in on February 1^st and to begin feeling the sense of anticipation that always happens at this time of year.

Thank you for your continued support and please stay well.  2021 is bound to bring sunshine and warmer days, we will just have to be patient.

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy holiday season and New Year.  Please watch this special message from our Executive Camp Director, Janet Cottreau.
Click on the winter dining hall photo to be linked to the video.

The full script is found here:
Hello, I hope that you and your family are healthy and happy. We wish to thank all of those campers who sent us wonderful photos and videos about how they brought RPC home this summer, and shared their happy memories and photos of Red Pine Past. Thank you to those campers who are participating in the 100 for 100 campaign which helped us work on many infrastructure projects this summer. We are very grateful.
The next month will be a challenge trying to balance the traditions we have always carried out in December with the limits in place due to Covid-19. We are having to create new special moments for our families and friends and find new ways to celebrate that still have meaning to us all while being in different households and only mingling closely with a small, consistent bubble of people.
Right now, our Advisory Committee and I are working to figure out how to balance the traditions of Red Pine that so many people hold so dear with (or alongside?) the health restrictions that will be in place this summer. Our mission will continue to be to provide a safe, engaging environment where campers make memories and grow together.
Camp is only six months away! It is likely that a lot will change between now and then but no one can predict the timing of mass vaccination or exactly what course this virus will take. What we do know, however, is that we will have to take precautions and implement new procedures to ensure our staff and campers are as safe as possible. Such as:
• Screening campers and staff before arriving at camp
• Ask campers and staff to be honest about their health, and, if necessary, leave camp should they display symptoms of Covid-19
Our primary objective needs to be to keep everyone safe and healthy, and we can do that with our camper family help.
Over the next six months we will be providing regular communication about the new Covid practices being put in place for everyone’s safety. As we receive updated standards from the Ontario Camps Association and Public Health, we will provide you with information to keep you up to date.
 
A message that is consistent from all levels of Public Health at this time, is that we will need to limit the number of people in close contact with each other while at camp. This will reduce the spread of a possible Covid-19 case and, should there be a need for isolating or contact tracing, we will know exactly with whom our campers and staff were in close contact.
Based on our association recommendations, prior to camp, we will be asking you to identify who will be in your “bubble or cohort”. We hope to incorporate that aspect into the online registration system. Your bubble would be those, outside of your immediate cabin, who you might sit with while eating, relax with on the dock or play cards with each evening. All other interactions will have the necessary precautions as directed by our local Public Health department.
We don’t yet know the recommended group or bubble size, but we know this will most likely be a part of our day-to-day life at Red Pine.
As you celebrate over the next month in all sorts of safe, social distanced, creative ways, please remember that there can still be magic in the new ways we have to do things…just a different sort of magic. Happy Holidays to you all and I hope that 2021 brings you all great health and happiness!