Aloha Beach Camp Summer Camp Blog 2020

Not a day goes by when we don't try to figure out how we can safely and feasibly run camp amid the coronavirus pandemic. We know parents are desperate for their kids to enjoy a camp experience because they say so all the time. In fact we hear from families every day asking to put put on our mailing list so we can notify them if and when camp opens. 

My wife Teri and I (along with our kids Josh, Noah and Sarah) will continue to brainstorm ways it might be possible to run camp, but as of now it just isn't the safe or responsible thing to do.

Not only would opening camp cause us to present a program that wouldn't come close to resembling the program your kids have come to know and love over the years (let alone meet your high standards or ours), coronavirus cases are rising in L.A. to such a significant extent our Mayor is warning of the possibility of  the city  being locked-down again.

We refuse to put your child's or our staff's health or safety in jeopardy.  A summer camp in Missouri just got shut down after 82 cases of coronavirus circulated throughout camp.

A local beach camp here in L.A. tried to operate its program while conforming to all the new modifications camps are required to make in order to operate with the pandemic going on. They learned the hard way it wasn't doable, and shut down after just one day of trying.

We'll continue brainstorming how we might be able to run camp this summer, just as we always do. But the fact is, opening camp right now just isn't possible due to the coronavirus pandemic. It simply be unsafe and the wrong thing to do.

Dear Friends,
 
After months of waiting, we finally received guidance from L.A. County with requirements for reopening camp amid the coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, after reviewing the new guidelines, we have not been able to find a way to safely operate at a level that meets both your standards and ours. Accordingly, Aloha Beach Camp will remain closed this summer.

We Were Willing to Make Every Reasonable Modification

 We knew from the very beginning we’d have to make modifications in order to reopen camp. We were prepared to make every reasonable adjustment to make camp happen. But as we've said from the start, we would only operate camp this summer if doing so would be safe and feasible. And we would never be willing to make modifications so drastic that they could potentially:  

1. Jeopardize your child’s (or our staff’s) health or safety in any way; and/or
2. Force us to present such a “dumbed-down” version of our program that it would not resemble the same fun program, or operate with the same high standards, you (and we) have come to know and expect from Aloha Beach Camp the past 20 years.
   

As we reviewed the guidelines for opening camp, all of the required modifications presented unique challenges, although many seem relatively workable. One, however, in particular stood out:  the requirement for campers to wear cloth face masks at camp.

When you send your child to Aloha Beach Camp, you are entrusting us to protect your child’s welfare. We don’t take that responsibility lightly. Under the new reopening guidelines, kids are required to wear cloth face masks during the entire camp day, except when swimming or eating. This requirement is something we (and other parents and health professionals we’ve spoken to) deem potentially unsafe.

Campers would be incredibly uncomfortable, taking their masks on and off all day, playing with them, burying them in the sand, all of that.  This is completely understandable, because it's what kids do. But since masks are a legal requirement to operate, we’d be spending most of the day managing masks, reminding kids to keep them on, etc. This is not something we think campers should be concerned with in the first place.

We have a saying at camp that goes like this: “If it’s not safe, we aren’t going to do it, and if it’s not fun, we aren’t going to do it for very long.” In our view, wearing cloth masks at the beach is unsafe, and would seriously diminish the fun of camp.

RELATED: Rising coronavirus cases in Los Angeles another reason to keep camp closed.

We’ve heard some camps intend to combat the face mask issue by keeping campers in the water for longer than normal periods of time. In our view this creates a new potentially dangerous health and safety issue, such as hypothermia (overexposure to the cold ocean water), among others. But let’s say for a minute we could actually find a workaround for the face mask issue.

Even then, we'd still have to contend with the fact the additional modifications would cause us to deliver a program that looks, feels, and operates differently from anything you’ve come to know and love about Aloha Beach Camp over the years. We'd be facing all kinds of additional issues, such as:

• The inability to provide transportation (which we know many parents rely on);
• Cancelling ALL field trips including boating and jet skiing at Castaic Lake, ocean kayaking in Oxnard, and Hurricane Harbor days;
• Trying to help kids apply sunscreen from 6 feet away;
• The inability to offer food service or purchased lunches;
• Helping our staff feel comfortable at work (many of whom prefer not to work in the COVID-19 environment)
• The list goes on and on
  

As the only accredited beach camp by the American Camp Association, licensed by the L.A. County Dept. of Beaches and Harbors, permitted as an Organized Camp by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and with an immediate family member in a high-level position at the CDC in Atlanta, we're sad about this decision but know it's the right one.

If anything changes and campers are not required to wear cloth face masks later this summer,  and additional requirements and modifications loosen allowing us to provide the camp experience you expect and deserve, perhaps we’ll operate for a few weeks down the line. Please join our interest list and we’ll keep you posted about that going forward.

We also have some exciting new programs coming up, such as our new Camp Counselor Academy where kids who want to become counselors (at Aloha or elsewhere) can learn everything they need to know about the job interview process, how to lead camp activities, child development and more.

We're also offering surfboards and boogie boards for rent if you need any equipment for your own day at the beach.

We look forward to staying connected with you. Rest assured Aloha Beach Camp will be back next year better than ever. We can’t wait to see you then. Meanwhile, we hope you and your loved ones stay healthy and safe. Thank you for supporting Aloha Beach Camp.
 
All the best,
 
Eric Naftulin and Family
Teri, Sarah, Josh and Noah
Aloha Beach Camp

After months of uncertainty as to whether or not we will be able to have camp this summer, we have finally been given the preliminary green light by L.A. County to open camp this summer, subject to our ability to conform to various modifications and safety protocols.

Here's where things stand now.

We have submitted to the L.A. County Department of Beaches and Harbors (the government agency who licenses and permits us) a written proposal detailing how we plan to conform to the new guidelines. Once they've reviewed our proposal, we hope to receive official approval from them we can reopen camp. At that point - which we hope will happen this week -  we hope to open registration to campers!

Regarding operating dates, our hope is to open camp sometime between mid-July to early August while operating for at least 4 to 6 weeks this summer. At the same time, please remember protecting the health and safety of our campers is our top priority,  so we will only open camp if: 1) we get final approval from the County (hopefully this week or next), and 2)  we feel we can operate camp safely and feasibly in light of COVID-19.

We will keep you updated as further details become available. If you would like to be notified if and/or when we are permitted to open, please email us at info@alohabeachcamp.com to let us know you want to join our interest list. At that point, we expect a large enrollment rush, so please be prepared to act quickly. Thank you!

Dear Friends, just a quick update, even though the beaches are open for "active use," youth camps such as ours are still currently prohibited from operating our programs on the beach due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.  Accordingly, we are not accepting new registrations at this time.
We hope to open camp July 6. We are waiting for the official green light from LA County Department of Beaches and Harbors and the LA County Department of Public Health, the two government agencies who license and permit us. If you would like to join our interest list, please email us at info@alohabeachcamp.com to let us know. If and when camp is permitted to open this year, we will let you know immediately. At that point, we expect a large enrollment rush so please be prepared to act quickly.

We hope you and your loved ones are healthy and safe in these uncertain times. We recognize you may have questions as to whether Aloha Beach Camp will be able to operate this summer amid the coronavirus public health outbreak and, if so, in what capacity.  You will be glad to know we hope to operate as planned. At the same time, even though the beach has finally opened for "active use," unfortunately it remains  closed to youth camps like ours. So,  we still awaiting the official "green light" from government and public health authorities. Protecting the health and safety of our campers, staff, and customer families will always be our top priority, so we will only open camp this year  if it's safe and feasible to do so. Please continue reading so you have the most updated information.

You will be glad to know we hope  to provide children with a much-needed, fun-filled summer camp experience year, even it means an abbreviated season.   

As mentioned, youth camps such as ours are currently prohibited from operating our programs on the beach due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Accordingly, we are not accepting new registrations at this time.  We are waiting for the official green light from LA County Department of Beaches and Harbors and the LA County Department of Public Health, the two government agencies who license and permit us. If you would like to join our interest list, please email us at info@alohabeachcamp.com to let us know. If and when camp is permitted to open this summer, we will let you know immediately. At that point, we expect a large enrollment rush, so please be prepared to act quickly. Thank you!

If you have already registered for camp and it later turns out we can't operate, you can get a full refund or apply your payment to summer 2021 for a full credit with a guaranteed spot. If you decide to cancel your enrollment but camp operates this summer, you can transfer your deposit to summer 2021 for a full credit. We will save a spot for you. 

Please feel free to call us at (818) 932-4600 or email us at info@alohabeachcamp.com. It may take us a few days to get back to. Thank you again and stay safe!

Despite the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus, all of us here at Aloha Beach Camp want you to know we have every intention of operating camp this summer.  

But we also realize advance planning is difficult in the current environment, not to mention the financial strain coronavirus has caused for families.  We understand paying for camp this summer might be more challenging than ever for many parents.

If you're considering a beach camp experience for your kids this summer but apprehensive about committing, rest assured we've taken every step possible to make sure your camp registration experience is as easy and stress-free as possible. Now you can sign up for Aloha Beach Camp with confidence because we've removed all the risk for you.

• We're discounting our normal tuition rates by $52 per day. The previous price was $125 per camper per day. With our new "coraonvirus buster" rates, tuition is just $99 per day instead. This price includes free transportation and a full refund of your camp fees if you change your mind about attending before June 1
• Our flexible day-by-day enrollment feature enables you to create your own child's own customized camp schedule of any duration or combination of days with no minimums.   Pick a day here, a day there, and come and go to camp whenever it's convenient for you.  Not only that, you don't need to set your child's camp schedule in advance.  You can reserve any number of days you want now, then name the specific days they'll be later whenever you're ready as summer goes along
  
• Aloha Beach Camp has a long waiting list every year because we're only a small camp with a limited space and a high camper return rate. We expect the fight for available space to be more fierce than ever this year  caused by so much pent-up demand for kids to get outside after being cooped up in their homes for so long; the lack  of people traveling this summer; and the "wait and and see" approach many parents are taking before signing up for camp this year.  If you want to beat everyone else to the punch and guarantee your child's spot while everyone else fights over leftover limited space, now's the time to get registered for Aloha Beach Camp and guarantee your camper's first choice  of days
  
• We know your apprehension over sending your kids to camp isn't just limited to finances or schedules.  Now more than ever, choosing a camp with the proper licenses and certifications is more crucial than ever. This means you need to pick a camp with a permit from the Los Angels County Department of Public Health and accreditation from the American Camp Association.  When you choose Aloha Beach Camp, you'll enjoy peace of mind knowing you're choosing L.A.'s only officially licensed, permitted and accredited beach camp for kids. Programs like Aloha who've earned these official credentials are operating their programs from a place of confidence, competency and knowledge unavailable from other camps

All of us are in the same boat. We're doing the best we can with the information we have. Fortunately we have an immediate family member  in a high-level position at the CDC in  Atlanta giving us up-to-the-minute  information before it's available to the general public, enabling us to make informed decisions to the best of our ability.

In these stressful and uncertain times, children need camp more than ever. After all, when all of this finally blows over, your kids will be desperate to get outside! And there's nothing like a safe and  fun day camp experience at the beach where your kids can run, play, swim and socialize with their friends in a healthy outdoor setting to make up for all the lost time they've been cooped up inside for so many months on end. (And as much as you love your kids, you'll probably be ready for a break from them , too!)

Can't wait to see you at beach camp soon!

- Eric