As we continue to cope with the global crisis, I want to pass along my best wishes to everyone in the Netop community. This week we began a series of virtual activities and events for our campers and staff. It was great to see over 40 participants in the Zoom hangout on Monday. Stay tuned to our social media channels for more upcoming events.

Here is a brief update on our plans for the 2020 season:

Will there be camp this summer? We continue to plan with the expectation that we’ll have camp this summer. We are monitoring the current health situation and following the guidelines of the American Camp Association, the CDC, WHO and fellow partners in camping. If permitted to proceed, summer 2020 at Netop will be one of the most important summers in our campers’ lives. Never have genuine face-to-face interactions, connection to the outdoors, silly fun and the four spokes philosophy been so essential.

When will a decision be made about summer 2020? We expect plans will be more clear by mid-late May. We remain optimistic, but we’re taking this time to consider contingency plans should the season need to be modified, shortened or canceled.

Should I cancel my registration? Based on the reasons laid out above, we really hope that you don’t. However, we respect any decision that your family must make. We are extending the final payment date to June 8th. We will stay in close contact with you as we get into May regarding payments, credits and/or refunds.

We don’t want to cancel, but what about financial hardships? Families who are experiencing financial hardship related to the global crisis may apply for a “pay-what-you-can” arrangement this summer. Please contact us if this applies to you.

Will there be new health protocols at camp? Yes! We are reviewing all health and safety protocols, including temperature screening, hand-washing practices, illness and isolation plans, hygiene and more. Our open air atmosphere has many advantages, but we all need to be vigilant in guarding against viruses of any kind. The good news is that everyone is becoming more aware of how to stay healthy and safe and the American Camp Association is working on specifics for these new protocols.

When are camp forms due? Camp forms are posted in your CampBrain account and we are asking families to still continue to work on submitting them by May 15, including health history, incidentals, camper information, etc. We recognize the physician form may take longer this year, since many routine appointments have been postponed.

When can we order Netop apparel? Our supplier (MCO) is taking orders. Netop catalogs will be mailed out shortly. In the meantime, you can access the online catalog here or through the Camp Store link on our website.

Seeing all the smiling faces on our Zoom hangouts makes clear the powerful impact of our Netop community. We’ll stay in touch. In the meantime, stay safe and keep your distance.

All the best,
Steve Hallowell