Link to the full letter.
Dear Kandalore Families,
This year has brought about unimaginable challenges that have impacted every aspect of our lives, our families, businesses, and for many, our health and wellbeing. Last year upon our closure, we received hundreds of messages outlining the value and importance of Kandalore to our community. From that point on, our team has been unwavering in our dedication to bringing our community back together for the Summer of 2021. This has been our guiding light all year.
In a year where kids have been faced with much disappointment, we had so hoped that by this summer, the COVID-19 pandemic would have settled to the extent that we could once again provide them with the fun, connective and unforgettable experience they need now more than ever.
Yet sadly, several significant factors have continued to work against us. The COVID-19 situation unfolding in Ontario currently is very serious. The case counts are still high, schools remain closed, and variants of concern are affecting more youth. Overnight camps remain closed by order of the Province and have not yet been placed in the reopening framework, leaving a great deal of uncertainty as to if camps will be able to open at all this summer.
As a result, with the safety and well-being of our community foremost in our mind, we have had to make the extremely difficult decision to significantly reduce our program offerings for this summer. To the extent that Kandalore is permitted to operate and can deliver its programs safely and responsibly, we have developed updated 2021 Summer Programs that we believe provide the best odds to involve the most campers and staff, and to focus on sustaining and developing Kandalore’s future leaders.
By July, COVID-19 projections suggest that cases will not be low enough to operate a traditional in-camp program safely. To mitigate this risk, we will only be welcoming our LIT Hybrid and Explorer campers to camp as of mid-July to prepare for their Explorer trips.
For August, the modelling suggests that cases will be lower, hopefully sufficiently low enough to permit more campers on site. Conditions and space permitting, Kandalore will operate our LIT program, a four-week session for Senior and Inter campers, as well as a one-week session for our PJ campers (born 2010-2015).
We recognize this letter will be heartbreaking for many of you, particularly for those campers we are no longer able to accommodate, or whose summer schedule is not able to be shifted to include our new session dates. We share and feel your disappointment. We felt that we owed it to our campers, families and staff to make a plan that aligns with the information that is before us now. We are hopeful that we will be able to run these newly developed programs this summer. However, there still remain many uncertainties, and we may need to make a shift yet again as we get closer to summer.
Kandalore will be refunding families 100% of all fees paid, including deposits for those campers who we are no longer able to accommodate, or who wish to cancel their registration. An email specific to refunds will follow in the coming days. More information about our 2021 Summer programs can be found here.
It is the support of this incredible community that has kept us going this whole year. Your messages of hope, support and loyalty have provided our greatest source of encouragement. I am confident that we will continue to help each other through this challenging time and that Kandalore will be waiting for the return of our full community next summer.
Take care and be well,
Janice
…
Janice Greenshields
Director
Camp Kandalore
