At Piedmont Wildlife Center, campers enjoy outdoor adventures year-round, and this summer, our Executive Director, Nick DiColandrea, set out on one of his own! He traveled to Newport Beach, California for the Association of Nature Center Administrators (ANCA) Annual Summit, where more than 120 leaders from across the country gathered to share wisdom and resources, build meaningful connections, and dream big about the future of nature centers.
This probably goes without saying, but...it's been a year. One for the books. At Piedmont Wildlife Center, some things have changed: we've gone virtual for our Animal Encounter programs, and camps continue to operate under COVID-19 protocols. Some things have remained the same: our box turtle study is going stronger than ever, and the turtles in the park are blissfully unaware of any sort of chaos taking place in the world.
We created our Running Wild virtual race as a safe, fun way to involve everyone: to engage folks all over the world who like to run, race, be outside, support nature and wildlife, or dabble with data analytics.
With the summer winding down, we wanted to take a moment to reflect and express our gratitude to our community.
A lot can happen in a few months, but kids still love getting outside!
Thanks to a massive effort from staff, parents, medical professionals, donors, and countless other hardworking people, we were able to offer camps at Piedmont Wildlife Center this summer!
Grandmother Cedar welcomes campers back with open arms.
Kids searching for the perfect materials to build fairy houses
It’s hard to describe our nervousness back in June - choosing masks, stocking up on hand sanitizer, building hand washing stations, and calibrating infrared thermometers. We weren’t sure if it would work, would kids be able to wear masks all day? How could we still play the games we all loved so much?
Two days into the first week of camp, we knew it would be a special summer. There was a particular light in the kid’s eyes as they chased frogs through knee deep water and an extra yell of excitement when they dashed through the woods hunting for pine cones. After a few weeks, I remember having lunch (distanced with masks off) and a boy exclaimed, “Woah! Look at how big this grasshopper is! Hang on! Put your masks back on and come check this out!” It was all a big reminder of how vital outdoor education is.
Forest camouflage at its finest!
We are lucky to have an amazing opportunity this fall. With many schools going completely virtual, kids and parents are looking for opportunities where they can explore and socialize safely with other families. Outdoor programs are the perfect way to do this with reduced risk. We particularly want to thank our donors, whose contributions make these programs available for the families that really need them.
Above all, remember the value of outdoor exploration. Turn off your computer for a couple hours, and take some time to go for a walk. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find a frog or two in that knee deep water!
-The PWC Team
We are excited to report that we have received permission from Durham and Orange County to operate camps in their parks! Starting June 15, we will have camps in Leigh Farm Park and Blackwood Farm Park. We are continuing to work with the NC Division of Parks and Recreation to offer programming at Umstead State Park this summer, which we anticipate beginning once NC moves to phase III of reopening. If further cancellations are necessary for our Wake County camps, we will make sure to inform you two weeks prior to the camp.
While we are excited to welcome campers back to our in-person programs, we want to make sure that everyone is aware of and willing to abide by our new protocol relating to COVID-19. Please review this protocol with your campers and make sure they understand what we are requiring of them, such as that they must wear masks all day.
We emailed all registrants a waiver acknowledging the risk of attending camps during this time and confirming that you have read and understand our protocol relating to COVID-19. We will continue to update this protocol according to the latest information from the Center for Disease Control and NC Department of Health and Human Services. Please fill out this waiver and upload it to Active at least two weeks before camp begins.
We did want to offer a few clarifications on policies we have received a number of questions about:
Drop off: Campers can be dropped off between 7:45 and 9:00 am. In all locations, we will direct cars to park in a few designated spaces. Everyone should remain in their cars until a staff member approaches, at which point only campers should exit the vehicle. Staff will ask a few questions about COVID-19 symptoms, exposure, and testing, and they will take campers’ temperature. Anyone who exhibits symptoms, may have been exposed, or has tested positive for COVID-19 will not be allowed to attend camp.
Pick up: Campers must be picked up between 2:45 and 3:05 pm. Please have your child(ren)’s name clearly printed on a piece of paper on your dashboard and be prepared to show your ID to camp staff. Parents/guardians should remain in their vehicle and we will bring your campers to you.
To avoid mixing groups, we are not offering aftercare this year. If you have not yet requested a refund for your aftercare tuition, please complete this form.
Backpacks: To minimize the potential of viral spread, we will not be gathering lunch boxes or other belongings in a central location. To avoid squirrels stealing our lunches, we will be taking our backpacks with us everywhere we go. We ask that campers bring a backpack that they are comfortable hiking with.
High risk: Unfortunately, your camper is strongly encouraged to not attend our camps if they or someone they live with is high risk as defined by the CDC. The safety of our community is our top priority, and while we wish we could welcome everyone back to our camps, the current CDC and NCDHHS guidelines recommend implementing this policy.
If you have any questions about our COVID-19 protocol or camp plans, please do not hesitate to reach out. We look forward to a safe and fun summer full of nature connection!
Best of health,
The PWC Team
P.S. We are also excited to announce a new virtual program offering, Camp Critter Club! Check out our website for more information.
