Summer Camp Oo-U-La

The wait is over, it is time for Camp Oo-U-La! We excitedly look forward to a fun and meaningful camp week.

As we plan and prepare for a fantastic camp, there are important and difficult changes made to ensure a safe, healthy, and effective program. The first goal of all GFBF programs is to create a safe and healthy environment for everyone.

Due to changing CDC guidelines and emerging best practices, the following information is to assist each family’s informed decisions prior to applying for camp. We strive to be transparent and open; as we get closer to camp, there may be additional changes that will be communicated clearly and efficiently. This following list is not exhaustive.

For Camp Oo-U-La 2022:

• No camper transportation will be offered, all campers must be driven to camp by a parent/guardian
• Camper and volunteer staff numbers are limited (there may be a waiting list for applicants)
• Campers and volunteer staff will be in cohort/pod groups during the week of camp, where they will be limited to close interactions with a small group
• Campers and volunteer staff will be required to wear a mask at indoor common areas
• Campers and volunteer staff will be required to submit to COVID-19 testing when arriving at camp, during camp, and before leaving camp
• Campers with COVID-19 symptoms and/or a positive COVID-19 test will need to be picked up from camp immediately
• Campers and volunteer staff with a fever within 7 days prior to camp may be required to obtain a negative COVID-19 test before admittance to camp
• There may be a limit on the number of campers per family
• Campers and volunteer staff may be asked to submit a daily symptom checklist up to 14 days prior to camp
• Currently, there is no requirement for COVID-19 vaccinations for campers or volunteer staff

We are eager for camp to begin again and hope you are too! In consideration of families who are not comfortable with current changes or guidelines, we respect your decision and will have a Camp-In-A Box mailing available for your camper(s).

For questions or concerns, contact McKenzy Williams at mwilliams@gfbf.org or 404-320-6223.

Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation provides camp at no cost to burn­‐injured children and their sibling(s).

Eligible campers are Georgia residents age 7 to 17 who sustained a burn injury that required treatment or hospitalization at a burn center, or non­‐Georgia residents who were treated in a Georgia burn center, and their siblings. We partner with Camp Twin Lakes to host camp at their Will­‐A-Way facility in Winder, GA.

Camp offers burn-­injured children and their siblings opportunities to grow together in their recovery—both physical and emotional—and in their relationship with one another, all while experiencing the fun, friendships, and freedom that you can only find at camp!

Campers can bond and reconnect with siblings and friends while gliding down the swirling waterslide, fishing or paddling in the lakes, trying their hands at the pottery wheel or archery, roasting marshmallows, and so much more. Campers also have opportunities to connect with a support group of peers who have similar stories and similar scars—both seen and unseen—to learn ways to process, talk about, and cope with their challenges and feelings.

Though it may be easy to forget about what brings them to camp while having all this fun, campers truly have “fun with a purpose,” as we acknowledge, validate, and honor the experiences of children affected—directly and indirectly—by traumatic burn injuries.