Phantom Lake YMCA Camp

& COVID-19 Summer 2022

Like many of you, we would love to know what the future looks like and how COVID-19 will impact our summer plans. COVID-19 has been a continually changing situation and it is too early to predict the situation in June, 2022. However, we will be prepared to run camp in various capacities, depending on COVD-19’s impact. 

Thanks to the cooperation of our camper families and staff, our multi-layered COVID-19 procedures worked effectively for the 2021 summer season. As we continue to monitor the status of the COVID-19 pandemic, we plan to implement similar procedures to those that contributed to a successful 2021 season (found below). We anticipate guidance from the CDC, American Camp Association, the Wisconsin Department of Health and the Waukesha Department of Health and Human Services in the coming months and will adapt our policies and procedure to be in line with the vaccination rates, transmission levels, and knowledge of the virus. Like every year Phantom Lake YMCA Camp will keep the safety and well-being of our campers and staff as our top priority. 

We recognize that recommendations and guidelines will change and commit to updating our programming and protocols accordingly. Please understand that, as last year, the situation is very fluid and COVID-19 policies will be updated whenever a change is made. This document is NOT our operations manual for 2022 but an overview of some procedures we are intending to implement. We intend to release our complete COVID-19 policies for Day and Resident Camp in the coming months.

  • Planned 2022 COVID-19 Policy

    ● We strongly encourage all eligible campers and families of our camp community to be fully vaccinated (including receiving available booster shots for those eligible) prior to arriving at Camp.

    ● We are requiring all staff and volunteers to be fully vaccinated.

    ● Individuals who display COVID-19 symptoms will need to be tested for COVID-19 as determined by our onsite medical professional.

    ● Bubble groups may be required ro reduce COVID-19 transmission

    ● Mask wearing may be required in settings where bubble groups interact and social distancing is not possible for their protection and the protection of the camp community.

    ● Temperature checks and health screenings at drop off.

    ● A focus on outside eating and activities whenever the weather permits.

    ● We will maintain our enhanced cleaning and sanitization procedures throughout camp.

  • Reflection on Summer 2021

    After a year in 2020, with only day camp operating for part of the summer, in 2021 camp – and our hearts- were once again filled with campers, laughter, songs, square ceremonies, and joy. We made Summer 2021 a huge success! We were able to run both Day Camp and Resident Camp, providing kids with an unforgettable summer!

    Returning to camp brought so much to the campers and staff. It brought back connection with ourselves, connection with the outdoors and most importantly a reconnection with each other. Though, we could not have done it without YOU! We appreciate all our campers’, families’, alumni’s, staff’s, neighbors’, volunteers’ and donors’ support. Through our ability to reconnect, we supported each other. We overcame many challenges and provided many new opportunities. And we returned to the Phantom Lake YMCA camp life that we all needed in so many ways.

    To our wonderful camp families and campers, we thank you for sticking with us, following our protocols and guidelines, and sharing in good times. To our incredible staff we thank you for being so adaptable, resilient, and doing more than ever to serve our campers. Your dedication to your campers was outstanding and has made lifelong impacts on the hearts of all who attended Phantom Lake YMCA’s 2021 Summer.

  • What we learned:

    ● Kids are resilient and adaptable!

    ● Staff and campers, alike, were eager to be back at camp

    ● Washing hands and mask-wearing helped cut down on regular camp illnesses that have been seen in past summers

    ● Many campers tried new things that they typically would not have tried due to bubble groups being scheduled to go to all activity areas through the week

    ● Bubble groups helped form tighter bonds between cabins as campers spent more time together in smaller groups

    ● Camp is better with YOU here!

  • What we can’t wait to get back to:

    ● Free-choice activities in the afternoons

    ● More specialties

    ● More campers

    ● Community gatherings without masks

    ● International campers and staff

    ● All camp meals and games