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At a Camp Champions event in August, youngsters experienced all the amenities of the camp, primarily unfettered by stricter virus protocols seen in at least one other venue in the Hill Country. Contributed -
On Sept. 17, Selah Bamberger Nature Preserve posted photos on their social media page of a group of youngsters participating in one of their educational programs. Contributed
From a popular camping and outdoor education site to a sprawling nature preserve, venues in the Hill Country have taken different approaches to COVID-19 protocols as they continue to coax visitors to their activities.
Burnet County-based Camp Champions, 775 Camp Rd near Highland Haven, just ended a bustling series of summer camp sessions and are prepared to welcome youngsters back to their annual Outdoor School.
“During the summer we implemented strong pre-camp protocols such as testing and pre-camp quarantine so that we could go mask-free while camp was in session,” said Camp Director Erek Hillis in a Sept. 20 interview with The Highlander. “Many parents were thrilled with this, and we were able to navigate each of the last two summers without a single case of COVID at camp.”
The camp, located on Lake LBJ, conducts various programs catered for school districts from Marble Falls and Burnet to Dripping Springs and the Austin area as well as church and scout retreats.
Other camp protocols included heightened sanitation and personal hygiene measures and detailed cabin and bathroom restrictions.
The drafters of the written guidelines stressed spending as much time outside instead of inside cabins; hanging out with friends outside cabins and wearing face coverings if unventilated spaces in doors in close proximity to others.
The sleeping protocols included:
• All guests are required to sleep in their OWN bunks (no sharing);
• All guests are required to sleep head-to-toe or toe-to-toe to maximize distance between heads/faces. No sleeping head-to-head; and
• Anyone sleeping next to the fan will sleep with their feet to the fan, not their heads.
Despite such specific guidelines, camp officials keep the group size, time of year and program in mind when coordinating activities.
“We have a couple of advantages as far as being able to provide activities in a healthy way,” Hillis explained. “The first is that we are an outdoor facility, which makes a huge difference in reducing the possibility of COVID transmission.
“The second is that we bring in groups of participants and can, to some extent, cater to each group’s needs and create protocols that make sense for them.”
Officials have become mindful of what groups have become accustomed to as well.
“For the Outdoor School (fall and spring), we take guidance from school district policies and work with schools to accommodate their needs,” Hillis said. “The same is true of weekend retreats, such as for Girl Scout groups.”
In contrast to the Burnet County camp, another venue just outside Johnson City has taken a stricter approach with emphasis on vaccine recommendations.
On Sept. 14, officials of Selah Bamberger Ranch Preserve, 2341 Blue Ridge, drafted a statement for potential visitors to offer insight into their COVID-19 virus mitigation efforts.
“Our top priority at this time is the safety of our guests and staff,” according to a statement from executive director April Sansom.
With emphasis on CDC guidelines and an effort to protect “our guests, our staff, and the families that live on our preserve – including our 93-year old founder.”
“We respectfully request that all eligible adults acquire their vaccinations against COVID-19 before visiting us at the preserve,” the statement continued. “In the case of a non-vaccinated adult, we respectfully request a negative COVID-19 test accomplished no more than 24 hours prior to their visit to the ranch preserve.”
The letter asks non-vaccinating adults to “wear a mask at all times …”
“Please note that we will not be monitoring proof of vaccination. Instead, we will utilize the honor system.”
The preserve is described as a 5,500-acre nonprofit wildlife preserve, habitat restoration project and ranch whose mission focuses on conservation, education and land stewardship.
“Environmental education and scientific research are key to its inspirational mission,” a website statement read.
A response from preserve spokesperson was unavailable by press time on Sept. 20.
Meanwhile back at Camp Champions, owners Steve and Susie Baskin and their staff shared a vision that balances safety and organization with human development and fun.
“It is more important than ever to provide quality outdoor activities and education,” Hillis said, “so we continue to learn and improve our procedures as new information becomes available.”