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Dear Aloha Community Members,
We are closely monitoring Coronavirus (COVID-19) developments and have created an Aloha Foundation task force to plan for and manage possible disruptions in our programs, implement recommendations, and communicate with our community. Serving on the task force are representatives from across the organization including programs, operations, health services, communications, finance and human resources, food services, buildings and grounds, and administrative staff—as well as external consultants.
At this time, we do not plan to cancel any camps or programs for summer 2020. Since the situation is changing rapidly, however, we will be following developments closely and will post any updates on our website here. Please check the site to stay current on related news. We will also continue to email directly the parents of 2020 campers enrolled at Aloha, Hive, Lanakila, and Horizons with any information that affects their children’s summer.
Because our camps and programs occur in a close community, we have always taken great care to develop and maintain medical practices to address a variety of communicable diseases, both common and rare. The safety and health of our campers, participants, and staff is—at all times—our first priority.
Each of our six flagship camps and programs is accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA). This means that we undergo rigorous evaluations and accreditation visits, and successfully adhere to about 300 specific standards to ensure safety and program excellence. To offer some context on ACA accreditation, of the more than 14,000 day and resident camps in the U.S., only 2,400—or fewer than 20%—are ACA accredited. The Aloha Foundation also maintains licenses in the state of Vermont that focus on regulations related to the environment (e.g., drinking water quality), sanitation, protecting public health, food service, and emergency management safety.
We will continue to work closely with the local public health department to maintain effective protocols for the identification and appropriate treatment of any illnesses that may occur at camp, including COVID-19.
If you have any questions, please contact one of these members of our COVID-19 Task Force:
Karen Danforth, Associate Director of Enrollment, karen_danforth@alohafoundation.org or (802) 333-3400 ext. 3101
Kristina Choquette, Director of Operations, kristina_choquette@alohafoundation.org or (802) 333-3400 ext. 3134
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Aloha,
Chris
