Health & Safety Updates

The safety of our campers, guests, staff, and volunteers is always the first priority of Silver Lake. We are continually reviewing our policies and procedures to ensure we are following the best practices of the camping and retreat industry, as well as applicable state and federal guidelines.

We are following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Camp Association
(ACA), and CT Office of Early Childhood (OEC) guidance which may change, so please check back here for the most up-to-date information.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to bring you a safe, fun, and fulfilling summer camp experience.

Page updated 6/8/2023

Click on the section header below to read more.

Together with our Medical Director and our team of Camp Nurses, we have put together a
comprehensive Communicable Disease Plan that will allow us to respond quickly to any communicable
disease that appears at camp.

To ensure the safest environment for everyone, please follow all applicable CDC guidelines and
monitor your health in the weeks before camp.

If a situation arises at camp, Silver Lake will follow best practices for disease mitigation, which may include testing, cohorting, and masking.

Campers who become ill, begin showing symptoms or who test positive for a communicable disease after arriving at Silver Lake will need to be picked up within 6 hours (unless parents are notified after 6 p.m. and live 3 hours or further away, in which case the camper will be isolated overnight). Campers will be housed separately until they are picked up by a parent/guardian or Authorized Pickup.

Silver Lake follows the immunization requirements for students and staff in Connecticut schools.

In addition, Silver Lake requires all guests to our site to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

If your camper has a medical exemption, please contact us for more information.

To ensure the safest environment for everyone, we encourage you to follow all CDC guidelines for travelers.

Proof of a negative rapid (at-home) Covid-19 test administered the day of arrival will be required for all attendees.
Proof consists of a photo (on a smartphone or other device) of the negative test result shown to camp staff upon arrival.
- The test result does not need to be emailed to staff or uploaded to your online registration account.
If someone arrives without proof of a negative test, we will have rapid tests available to administer upon arrival on site.
- They will have to wait in the vehicle until the test is complete and a negative result is achieved. Then the vehicle can continue with the check-in process.
In the event anyone on site becomes ill or shows symptoms of Covid-19 we will administer a rapid test on-site and follow health guidelines for isolation and further testing.
- Anyone showing symptoms or who test positive for a communicable disease after arriving at Silver Lake will need to be picked up within 6 hours (unless parents are notified after 6 p.m. and live 3 hours or further away, in which case the camper will be isolated overnight).
- Individuals will be housed separately until they are picked up by a parent or guardian.

Masks may be worn by anyone at any time, but masks are not universally required.
Some staff, volunteers, and campers may choose to remain masked, some may not, and we support those individual decisions.
There may be situations where everyone on site will be asked to wear a mask, such as in large indoor group settings. Expectations will be clearly communicated by signage and staff.
Our recommendation is for everyone to pack at least 2 masks. Masks should be surgical-style or higher quality, including 4-ply masks, KN95s, and/or N95s.

Upon arrival to camp, all campers will complete a health screening including temperature check.
During the camp session, volunteers and staff will check in with campers to ensure they are feeling well and symptom-free.

Please observe arrival and departure times, as these are busy days when the camp must be cleaned and prepared between the time one group leaves and the next arrives.
Please arrive on time. Campers who arrive early will be directed to return to Silver Lake at their scheduled time.
To help the arrival check-in process be as smooth as possible, please submit all forms, pay your balance, add money to the store account, etc. through your online account before you arrive.
You may want to bring a paper copy of your forms in case they are missing online. There will also be a health screening questionnaire for each camper to fill out upon arrival.

A full-time nurse is on site for medication administration and minor medical needs. In addition, all Silver Lake staff are certified in First Aid/CPR/AED. If there is a medical emergency, every effort will be made to contact the parent/guardian immediately.
Your camper’s medical insurance will be used first by the physician or emergency medical service. Silver Lake provides limited medical coverage for accidental injury, subject to the group policy terms and conditions. Pre-existing conditions must be covered by the camper’s medical plan.
Campers who are not medically restricted are expected to participate fully in all activities, programs, meals, worship, and recreation

Campers showing symptoms or who test positive for a communicable disease after arriving at Silver Lake will need to be picked up within 6 hours (unless parents are notified after 6 p.m. and live 3 hours or further away, in which case the camper will be isolated overnight).
Campers will be housed separately until they are picked up by a parent or guardian.

Our programs are held outside as much as possible, which brings us into contact with various biting insects. We recommend sending a non-aerosol insect repellent (make sure that it works against ticks) with your camper with instructions to apply daily. Staff and volunteers will help with reminders.
As in all parts of Connecticut, ticks can be found at Silver Lake. Please instruct your camper in how to do a tick check. Campers are encouraged to do a tick check daily, and we have mirrors with posted reminders in every bathroom. If your camper is bitten by a tick, they will be taken to the nurse, who will remove it. You will receive a “tick letter” when you pick up your camper with information on after care.

Mental health is as important to a camper’s success as physical health. Staff and volunteers are trained to recognize signs of campers needing support and to refer them to the Camp Nurse, Director, or another appropriate staff person.
If your camper is being treated for mental health concerns ahead of camp, please be in touch with the Program Director about a plan to ensure their success at Silver Lake.

As part of the CT Public Act No. 21-64, all Connecticut Youth Camps are required to share with camper families the Connecticut Safe Sport Policy: Child Abuse Prevention.
A copy of the Connecticut Safe Sport Policy will be emailed to you ahead of camp.
You can read the policy here.

If Silver Lake or the State of CT cancels camp, we will encourage families to roll their money forward to next year or convert to a donation. Partial or full refunds will be available.
If a camper becomes ill in the 7 days before camp, every effort will be made to move the registration to an upcoming session, or a full refund may be available.
A non-refundable $150 deposit is required to process your registration, with final payment due by June 1.
If a family chooses to cancel a registration before April 30, all fees minus the $150 non-refundable deposit may be refunded. If they cancel after April 30, a family may receive a refund of up to 50% of the total camp fees, minus the $150 non-refundable deposit.

Health & Safety Updates

Communicable Disease Plan

Immunizations

Preparing for Camp

Testing

Face Masks

Health Screening

Check-in and Check-out

Medical Care at Silver Lake

What Happens if Someone Gets Sick?

Insects

Mental Health

Connecticut Safe Sport Policy: Camper Abuse Prevention

Refund Policy

Additional Information

Silver Lake Camp & Retreat Center