A new year means new opportunities to connect with the community and continue to bring one-of-a-kind camp experiences to campers near and far.  Last year, Camp One Step was able to reinvent a new “normal” for campers, sending exciting care packages to engage individuals and their families in virtual programming on Zoom and in their homes.  Now, the chance to continue reaching campers who cannot physically attend programs continues, as well as the hopeful return to in-person programming sometime later this year.  The entire Camp One Step community is waiting in eager anticipation as the early 2021 programs are slated to bring even more virtual fun to campers.

The decision to return to in-person programming will be focused on the ability to maintain the health and safety of campers and staff, attained primarily through control of the COVID-19 virus and the achievement of widespread vaccination in the United States.  Strategies for returning to in-person camp safely will be guided by recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and the American Camp Association.  With the hope that widespread COVID-19 vaccination could occur by early summer, planning to return in person for Summer Camp 2021 is an exciting potential!  Campers would have the option to join in person, virtually, or both during Summer Camp.  A task force has been convened, and the strategies to safely return are continually being planned and adjusted.  Though programming may look different at Conference Point Center this year, Camp One Step is committed to bringing happiness and joy through the continuation of year-round camp spirit.

Looking forward to the excitement of the spring and early summer programs, exploring new and creative opportunities is important to the success of virtual programming.  Chicago Day Camp, Brain Tumor Family Camp, and Sibling Camp were all huge virtual hits last year, and planning for even more at-home engagement is underway for this year!  What kind of virtual field trips will Chicago Day Campers take, and where around the world will those trips lead them?  What family activities and parent support will Brain Tumor Family Camp Virtual provide for the community?  Will there be another program-long, connection-building competition during Sibling Camp Virtual?  Join in for these respective programs to see how virtual camp can be elevated to a new level of fun in 2021!