Summer 2020 Safety & Fun

The first four weeks of summer have flown by! Even in the midst of a pandemic, campers are enjoying being outside, connecting with friends, swimming, playing sports and participating in all the amazing and fun activities at camp. The safety and social distancing changes have not affected the Banner experience! The biggest one is campers and staff wearing masks – never would we have imagined camp and masks in the same summer. Our small group size and pod structure has allowed us to keep the campers safe while enjoying all the outdoor activities camp has to offer. Additional hand washing stations, hand sanitizer galore, social distancing between other pods, wearing masks and staying within our small groups have kept campers and staff safe. We are so proud of how our Banner community has come together in the midst of COVID-19 and have thrived returning to normal activities and socialization.

Parent feedback has been overwhelming – we are so grateful to hear about your camper’s summer experience. Here are a few parent emails – keep sending them our way. It makes our hearts full and acknowledges the happy campers and summer memories we are helping create.

• I just wanted to write a quick email telling you what a wonderful job I think the camp has done navigating these uncharted territories. Gavin and Colette have had such a wonderful camp experience, and this has really felt like the taste of normalcy that these kids needed! We’re so grateful that Banner has continued to run, despite hitting a few obstacles – our kids are thrilled.
• Thank you Madison and all the other leaders at Banner that are making Hunter, Tyler and all the other kids feel somewhat “normal” if not extraordinary in a time when these poor kids need it the most! We appreciate you so much! Thank you for being so enthusiastic and making these kids have the best summer ever hope you have a fabulous fourth!
• Lucy and Simon are getting home with the biggest smiles on their faces! They are having the best time meeting new friends, trying new activities, singing, eating, etc etc! I am not surprised as I know how special Banner is. I feel so lucky that my children can experience the same joy as I did as a kid.
• With that said, I would like to take this opportunity to THANK YOU and the TEAM. I forgot what Valentina’s smiling face looked like, and you and your team made it happen! Never once have I heard that she disliked something at Banner! She packs her bag every night and is eager to wait for the bus in the morning. She comes home every day elated that she has made a new friend. We could not be happier in our decision to send Valentina to Banner. The team’s dedication to FUN, CLEANLINESS, Safety, Starfish awards, and weekly check-ins goes well above and beyond any other summer camp experience we have ever had. My daughters smiling face during these unprecedented times brings us much joy and confidence that we made the right decision. THANK YOU!

Our STARFISH Program is helping campers focus on skills that are so important right now and developing life-long skills – Sportsmanship, Teamwork, Appreciation, Respect, Friendship, I Believe in Myself (Perseverance), Sensitivity and Health Habits encompass everything we do at camp. Be sure to ask your camper if they have earned a STARFISH award at camp today. You will be proud of their many accomplishments.

We are working on finishing up the summer with the final two weeks ahead. The weather has been beyond amazing and we are so grateful to be able to play, swim, dance, run, enjoy friends and be at camp this summer. Be well and thank you for being a part of summer 2020 – social distancing and all!