Dr. Raphael Landovitz, UCLA Infectious Disease Clinician, will be providing a COVID-19 and Omicron variant update. 

We are also excited to share we will be adding a new face to this medical town hall! Dr. Vinita Dubey will be joining us! She works as an Associate Medical Officer of Health for Toronto Public Health specializing in Vaccine Preventable Diseases. She also works as an emergency medicine physician outside the GTA. Dr. Dubey holds an Adjunct Professor appointment with the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. 

Dr. Kaye Wagner, COCA-I President and a Pediatric Oncologist with Sanford Health will moderate this discussion. We encourage each member Camp to invite their medical team/staff to join in this discussion and get your questions ready for Dr. Landovitz and Dr. Dubey as we understand the latest variant information.

This is the first of three Town Halls we will host in our efforts to help prepare COCA Camps to return to in person programs.

Learn from your fellow COCA Directors about how they successfully offered in-person programming in 2021, and what policies they expect to implement in 2022. Topics include Meals, Communication/Staff Training, and Cohorting.

Speakers:

• EmJ Juszczyk, Camp Happy Days, Charleston, South Carolina
• Beverley Tidwell, Candlelighters Family Camp, Tucson, Arizona
• Kelsey Merritt, West Coast Kids Cancer Foundation, Burnaby, British Columbia

 Questions to consider:

Meals

• Did you change how you offered meals last year/will you make changes? Do you offer buffet style? Family style? Are you eating meals mostly outdoors?

Communication/Staff Training

• How are you communicating your policies to families, campers, and staff? Do you find yourself needing to communicate more frequently? Did you/will you try anything new (i.e. parent Zoom informational sessions)? Do you find that parents/staff understand the policies? Have you done Zoom staff training sessions?

Cohorting

• Did you cohort last year/will you this year? What did those cohorts look like? How did activities change to allow for cohorting?

Post-Session Files

Due to technical difficulties, the recording for this session is not available. Please access the following documents for our speakers' answers and a transcript of the session Zoom chat:

• Kelsey Merritt, WCK Answers
• EmJ Juszczyk, CHD Answers
• Chat Transcript

This is the second of three Town Halls we will host in our efforts to help prepare COCA Camps to return to in person programs.

The information provided will be valuable to Camp Directors and Medical Personnel. Learn about effective COVID-19 health policies from Medical Directors at three different COCA Camps. Topics include vaccination, key factors in determining to offer in-person camp, testing, medical staffing, and supplies.

Speakers:

• Mark Atlas, Sunrise Association, Multiple Locations
• Susie Burke, Camp One Step, Chicago, Illinois
• Corrine Hoeppner, Camp Goodtimes, Seattle, Washington

Please click the link below to register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAkceqprjguGdcPrXfc0Oaw_wFQFXV6fKtQ 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

(This session will be recorded and provided afterwards to each who registers).

Questions to consider:

• What factors do you consider when making the decision to hold camp this summer?
• Will you require vaccinations for staff? Campers? Will boosters be required?
• Will your camps test this year, and if so, how often and what type of test?
• Have you considered changing the population you serve (i.e. only programs for children off therapy)
• Do you believe camps will face challenges recruiting medical staff for in-person programs?
• What additional medical supplies will your camp need to reopen?

Let’s talk programming! Learn from COCA Directors about how they adapted their programs last summer and what changes they expect to make in 2022. Topics include schedule changes, pool time, adapting activities, and creating new traditions.

Speakers:

• Larry Geiger, Camp Periwinkle, Houston, Texas
• Carrie Pomeroy, Smile-A-Mile, Birmingham, Alabama
• Gretchen Loose, Kay's Kamp, Newark, Delaware

Questions to consider:

• Did you make any changes to your schedule (I.e. slower paced days, more time for cleaning, handwashing time built into schedule, etc)
• How do you maintain physical distancing/co-horting in the pool? Did you limit capacity at all? Did you allow pool toys? If so, how did you clean them?
• Were there any new activities that you offered last year that worked great?
• Are there any types of activities that you don’t recommend running during COVID (i.e. difficult to maintain distancing/co-horting)
• What type of reception did campers have last year? Did they seem more or less eager to be at camp?
• Did you have to adapt any traditions, and if so, how did you communicate that and what was the reception?

*THESE WEBINARS WERE PRE-RECORDED*

COCA is thrilled to announce our new partnership with AMSkier! As part of their support, AMSkier is giving COCA members access to their "What's Happening" webinar series. These sessions are normally exclusively for AMSkier Camps, but they have generously agreed to provide these valuable educational resources to our members at no cost. Please click the links below to access each webinar:

Have You Experienced Campers Questioning their Gender Identity?

• With Umut Dursun, incoming Executive Director, Camp Aranu'tiq of Harbor Camps & Alan Cooper, Esq., AMSkier Partner, Nick Teich, Founder, CEO & Director, Harbor Camps

Legal Issues Surrounding Hiring & Firing

• With Alan Cooper, Esq., AMSkier Partner and Rachel Fendell Satinsky, Employment Attorney

International Staff - How 2022 may be different

• With Alan Cooper, Esq., AMSkier Partner and Matt Buczek, CEO, ARO, IENA

What's Happening? Conversations Around DEI – All are welcome!

• With Chris Hudson, Co-Founder & Co-Director, Camp Highlight and Alan Cooper, Esq., AMSkier Partner

Please visit their website at https://amskier.com/ to learn how AMSkier can help cover your camp!

It's time to meet and discuss your summer plans with peers who are running similar programs! This session will be participant-driven. Attendees will have the opportunity to join breakout rooms based on the types of programs they plan on offering in 2022.

Breakout rooms will be divided by the following modes of program delivery:

• Overnight Camp
• Day Camp
• Family Camp
• Virtual Camp

Please bring your questions and get ready to connect with your fellow COCA-I members! (Please note: in order to select the breakout room you enter during the meeting, participants must update to the latest version of Zoom. Click here to learn how to update Zoom.)

Please register in advance for this meeting by clicking the link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwscO6orz8vGNZf86uuuJOQVzuKTBc3YmCv

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Karen McAndrew joins us to guide attendees through the 2022 Care Camps Grant Application and answer any questions you have.

Below is a recording from the March 17th session. 

With Alan Cooper, Esq., AMSkier Partner and Rachel Fendell Satinsky, Employment Attorney

Brought to you by AMSkier

Phone: (570) 226-4571

www.amskier.com

With Chris Hudson, Co-Founder & Co-Director, Camp Highlight and Alan Cooper, Esq., AMSkier Partner

Brought to you by AMSkier

Phone: (570) 226-4571

www.amskier.com

With Alan Cooper, Esq., AMSkier Partner and Matt Buczek, CEO, ARO, IENA

Brought to you by AMSkier

Phone: (570) 226-4571

www.amskier.com

With Umut Dursun, incoming Executive Director, Camp Aranu'tiq of Harbor Camps & Alan Cooper, Esq., AMSkier Partner, Nick Teich, Founder, CEO & Director, Harbor Camps

Brought to you by AMSkier

Phone: (570) 226-4571

www.amskier.com

Karen McAndrew joins us to guide attendees through the 2022 Care Camps Grant Application and answer any questions you have.

This Medical Town Hall is appropriate for any COCA-I members looking to understand more about what happens when a child with cancer tests positive for COVID-19.

We are thrilled to be joined by Dr. Julie Wolfson, Associate Professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Dr. Wolfson is a member of the team responsible for the Pediatric Oncology COVID-19 Case (POCC) Report. The aim of the POCC Report is to "describe and disseminate, in real-time, the evolving clinical course of children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with cancer and infected with SARS-CoV-2 and/or have received a COVID-19 vaccine via two national database registries so that we can better help clinicians take care of these patients during an evolving pandemic." Click here to access the latest POCC Report.

Dr. Wolfson will share the results of the POCC Report so that our entire membership, from Medical Personnel to Camp Directors, can better understand COVID-19 outcomes for children with cancer.

Please register in advance for this meeting by clicking on the link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrc-CvrDkrGtRNRCdf-ndxxbVH6Hj2goFr

A recording of this session will be made available after the event.

Karen McAndrew joins us to guide attendees through the 2022 Care Camps Grant Application and answer any questions you have.

Please register in advance for this meeting by clicking the link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkcuCorj0qE9C4vkzk_KKaMp7yq2DXiHWG

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

A recording of this session will be made available after the event.

COCA Directors teach us best practices for hosting virtual camp that they've learned from experience. This session will cover activities, engaging campers virtually, in-hospital programs, and helpful tips.

Speakers:

• Rich Brundige, Camp Kids are Kids Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
• Dina Dattilio, Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, South Hero, Vermont
• Ashley Clinger, Camp Hobé, Utah

Please register in advance for this meeting by clicking the link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZElc-yrrjsjGdKsKBVHggIfyvtPzPuYVcbu 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

A recording of this session will be made available after the event.

Questions to consider:

• What are some activities that you've offered that worked really well virtually?
• How do you keep campers (and staff) engaged during virtual sessions?
• Do you offer virtual programs for children in the hospital? How do those programs work (i.e. access to technology, orientation with hospital staff, etc.)
• Have you needed to provide a child with technology to access virtual programs?
• What helpful tips do you have for facilitating Zoom sessions?
• Do you provide staff training for virtual sessions and, if so, how do you facilitate the training?

Click the link below to access materials from The Camp Show including activity ideas, Zoom backgrounds, camp songs, and more!

The Camp Show Guide

This is the second presentation of our three-part Medical Town Hall series featuring Dr. Raphael Landovitz and Dr. Vinita Dubey.

Dr. Raphael Landovitz, UCLA Infectious Disease Clinician and Dr. Vinita Dubey, Associate Medical Officer of Health for Toronto Public Health return to provide us with a COVID-19 update. 

Dr. Kaye Wagner, COCA-I President and a Pediatric Oncologist with Sanford Health will moderate this discussion. We encourage each member Camp to invite their medical team/staff to join in this discussion. Get your questions ready for Dr. Landovitz and Dr. Dubey as we aim to understand the latest variant and vaccine information.

Please register in advance for this meeting by clicking on the link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAoduuopzIiGNSi9ZDshCL0O37flBRcdSEk

 A recording of this session will be made available after the event.

Invite your entire medical team! All COCA members are invited to join and hear what medical protocols other member camps will be using. This session is an open forum in which medical personnel can meet and discuss policies for the 2022 camping season. This session will be completely participant-driven and discussion-based.

Topics to consider:

• Vaccination requirements for campers and staff
• Health Center protocols
• Population served (will you host children on active treatment?)
• Supplies needed and where to find them
• Recruiting volunteer medical staff

Please register in advance for this meeting by clicking the link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwscO6orz8vGNZf86uuuJOQVzuKTBc3YmCv

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

A recording of this session will be made available after the event.

*This session was pre-recorded*

Check out Region 4's Open Forum as they discuss their plans & policies for Summer 2022!

Click the link and use the password below to access the Zoom recording!

https://us06web.zoom.us/rec/share/ZmkVC20fIUhUzsmutPOHqmtG6bzFkvP64BzPcOB836q7BwJS1VFXfGzD9_CyyK43.VDk2H68SOWrDmrlS

PW: 5h!tv2RB

This Medical Town Hall is appropriate for any COCA members looking to understand more about the mental, emotional, and social health (MESH) of children with cancer.

We are thrilled to be joined by Dr. Karen Long-Traynor! Dr. Long-Traynor is a clinical psychologist at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey where she leads an interdisciplinary psychosocial team. This team is focused on delivering direct psychosocial care to children/adolescents with cancer or a blood disorder as well as their families. Dr. Long-Traynor is also an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Dr. Long-Traynor will discuss MESH factors of children with cancer, the impact of the pandemic, and the type of support camps can offer. Click here to read an article featuring Dr. Long-Traynor about the emotional health of children with cancer and psychological support for parents of a child with cancer. 

Please register in advance for this meeting by clicking on the link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwtd-Chqz8iHtbot_HseBKUSg70mHQkCYbg

A recording of this session will be made available after the event.

After leading our 2021 COCA Academy, Dave Malter returns to guide Members through creating a robust, impactful staff training program! Learn best practices for finding staff/volunteers, communicating before arrival, training, onboarding, and evaluating. Whether your staff training is in-person or virtual, one day long or a week, Dave will provide you with industry best practices and helpful tips to ensure your staff/volunteers carry out your mission to the fullest extent.

Please register in advance for this meeting by clicking on the link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIsde-hrD4vH9Hrm2SJmd_ASYVbDW9Zx33o 

A recording of this session will be made available after the event.

Hear how COCA Camps have already successfully hosted in-person programs in 2022!

Speakers:

• Jamie Ekstrom, Camp Sunshine, Georgia
• Edith Tomasetti, Camp Sunshine, Georgia (on chat)
• Brandon Briery, Camp CAMP, Texas
• Jennifer Benton, Camp Mak-A-Dream, Montana

Topics to discuss:

• Type of programs offered
• What policies were used
• What went well
• What didn't work well/what needed to be adjusted
• Reaction & buy-in from families & participants

Please join us to hear how your families can benefit from Flashes of Hope visiting your Camp this summer!

We are excited to introduce you to Lisa Cencula, Outreach Manager for Flashes of Hope, a program of Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, provides childhood cancer families with free photography sessions in local hospitals, pediatric oncology camps and special events around the country. Award-winning volunteer photographers capture smiles and forever preserve images of courage, beauty, and dignity. The uplifting black and white portrait packages are keepsakes for families to honor the unique life and memory of their child.

Lisa Cencula, Flashes of Hope and Outreach Manager for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, has 16 years of experience serving childhood cancer families with Flashes of Hope and is honored to continue the mission to create free uplifting portraits to honor the unique life and memories of every child fighting cancer with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. 

This is the first of two sessions that Jennifer will be hosting. The same information will be shared in both sessions.

Jennifer Mercer, Director of Development at Care Camps joins us to walk Camps through the marketing requirements of receiving Care Camps funding. Jennifer will also provide tips, tricks, and techniques for gathering the proper marketing materials!

Click here to register for the Zoom meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0scuusqzIoEtP6JtyFtChcLcfh_ZIW_cgs

This is the second of two sessions that Jennifer will be hosting. The same information will be shared in both sessions.

Jennifer Mercer, Director of Development at Care Camps joins us to walk Camps through the marketing requirements of receiving Care Camps funding. Jennifer will also provide tips, tricks, and techniques for gathering the proper marketing materials!

Click here to register for the Zoom meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYqceqtrzgpHt2FwvWnYoqvIY6hs5DOX2wy

Speakers:

Cindy Cohen MS, CCLS, Global Program Director, cindy@kidskickingcancer.org

Leigha Shellhaas, Program Coordinator and Martial Arts Therapist, LShellhaas@kidskickingcancer.org

Kids Kicking Cancer is a 501(c)(3) that offers evidence based non-contact martial arts therapy to kids. Our focus is on pain and stress management for pediatric patients, as well as creating resilience and support for otherwise healthy children. Classes are delivered in person and virtually throughout hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient centers and camps both nationally and globally. Learn more about our fun therapeutic techniques and how you can offer this type of safe physical activity to your kids both virtually and in-person.

Other Resources:

Summer Camp Flyer

Healthcare Partner Booklet

Super Power Kit

This is the third and final installment of our three-part Medical Town Hall series featuring Dr. Raphael Landovitz.

Dr. Raphael Landovitz, UCLA Infectious Disease Clinician returns to provide us with a COVID-19 update. 

Dr. Kaye Wagner, COCA-I President and a Pediatric Oncologist with Sanford Health will moderate this discussion. We encourage each member Camp to invite their medical team/staff to join in this discussion. Get your questions ready for Dr. Landovitz as we aim to understand the latest variant and vaccine information.

Please register in advance for this meeting by clicking on the link below

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcpcOCqqDgvE9AiL2DGNpLCSut8ZB__SJZW 

A recording of this session will be made available after the event.

RESOURCES

Dr. Raphy's Slides

Join us to learn how you can extend your campers’ summer with an all-new Virtual camp eXperience, brought to you by the Sunrise Association. We are thrilled to invite all COCA campers to register for this incredible opportunity that will extend their summer with additional camp fun!
NOTE: This program could also be good for those Camps who may have chosen or are still deciding on not having Camp this summer.  

This amazing program for children ages 3 1/2 to 16 offers:
• Flexible summer schedule: from just 1 day to all 8 weeks....you choose! Beginning June 20th
• LIVE and INTERACTIVE arts & crafts, music, drama, S.T.E.A.M, yoga, dance, fitness and so much more
• Fully monitored internet based activities that are open only to registrants

Our speakers will be:

• Deanna Slade- Sunrise Association’s Regional Director for NY Camps and Camp Director of Sunrise Day Camp -  Long Island 
• Athena Levesque –Sunrise Association’s Director of Sunrise VX, Virtual Programming.

If you can't make the webinar, contact SunriseVX director Athena Levesque at athena.levesque@sunriseassociation.org or visit sunrisedaycamp.org/VX for more information!

Please register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcrduytrzwvGN2KxYWtsIGZ2RJl6GwIIQX9 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

A recording of this session will be made available after the event.

RESOURCES

• SunriseVX Site
• SunriseVX Trailer
• Athena's Presentation
• Athena's email: Athena.Levesque@sunriseassociation.org
• Deanna's email: Deanna.Slade@sunriseassociation.org

Let's talk about how your programs went! We'll discuss enrollment, staffing, programming, COVID-19, and much more. This is our last time to connect before Conference!

Please register in advance for this meeting by clicking the link below:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYscO6vqjgqEtSo4lueRuL2U10wG0MVLSSj

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.