The safety and well-being of our campers, their families, our volunteers, and our staff are of the utmost importance to us at The Painted Turtle. We are taking all possible and appropriate measures to ensure everyone has a safe experience at The Painted Turtle. 

As we continue to monitor developments regarding COVID-19, we are reviewing updates from the CDC and LA County Department of Public Health frequently. We understand the concern surrounding the impacts of our programs and are paying close attention to local guidance and are following all preventive measures to protect the vulnerable population we serve.

Program Update

The Painted Turtle is pleased to share the 2022 Fall Calendar of programs! While we will continue the select Camp at Home Programs, we are also thrilled to welcome children and families back for in-person Family Weekends and Holiday Gathering Programs!

Camp at Home: Cabin Chat Series

Cabin Chat Series

Back by popular demand, we are pleased to launch another round of TPT’s Cabin Chat Series, an opportunity for campers and siblings, ages 6-18, to connect with other Painted Turtle friends! The Cabin Chat Series will include six (6) Cabin Chats throughout the fall led by Cabin Counselors and will include time to connect, reflect, learn about others, yourself, and participate in fun activities together. Join us every Tuesday evening from October 4th – November 8th and invite an old friend from Camp to sign up too! Your cabinmates and cabin counselors can’t wait to see you there!

Please note, TPT acknowledges there are a number of factors that may restrict a camper from participating in on-site, in-person Camp events this year. These factors may include but are not limited to camper capacity limitations, medical condition eligibility, travel restrictions, and the dynamic nature of the COVID-19 pandemic. TPT strongly encourages all families interested in the Camp program to participate in the Camp at Home Family Weekend as it is accessible to all children and families and is an engaging, impactful, and FUN weekend with Camp!

Please note, the Camp at Home Cabin Chat Series requires 1 device with a reliable internet connection per family. The Painted Turtle offers a device loan program, please contact Camper Admissions for more information.

Family Weekends in Lake Hughes

This fall, we are pleased to offer Family Weekends onsite in Lake Hughes. These programs will uphold COVID-19 policies and protocols, including testing upon arrival, wearing masks, vigilant handwashing, and staying physically distant from other Camp families.  Eligibility for this program is limited and we encourage caregivers to carefully consider how you share this opportunity with your children.

Highlights of this program include:

• Welcoming a limited number of camper families to Lake Hughes for a Friday – Sunday program
• Medical condition specific sessions. Click here to review CAMPER ELIGIBILITY

The Painted Turtle Outpost – In-Hospital Program

Outpost is following each individual hospital’s policy regarding visitor groups in response to COVID-19 and is pleased to return to in-person visits at select hospital sites. In addition, the Outpost team continues to deliver Camp to hospitals in a virtual way. This includes sending activity bags to our hospital partners to distribute to patients in their rooms, running virtual playroom sessions via Zoom, and posting videos to our YouTube page.

Policies and Procedures to Keep our Camp Community Clean and Safe

Because of the very nature of the children we serve, we have policies and procedures in place that deal with communicable diseases. We feel confident that our current policies and procedures are in line with our partners across the industry & will continue to help us keep our campers, staff and volunteers health safety at the top of our mind in light of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

• COVID-19 Participant Precautions and Protocols
• FAQ for Staff and Volunteers
• FAQ for Campers and Families

The Painted Turtle Staff and Offices

In terms of The Painted Turtle staff, any work-related, long-distance trips, as well as conferences and larger group meetings, have been suspended until further notice. While our offices remain open, we are encouraging all staff who are able to work from home to do so and ask that they take the necessary steps to ensure their safety and the safety of those around them.  

Moving Forward

As new information comes in, our medical team will continue to monitor the situation and adapt plans as needed. We will be in touch with any significant updates in a timely manner. Please feel free to reach out anytime to our Director of Camp Programs and Initiatives, April Tani at aprilt@thepaintedturtle.org.

For additional information regarding COVID-19, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

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