Dear Scouting family,
First and foremost, we hope that this email finds you and your family well. It goes without saying that we continue to live through an unprecedented and concerning time.
As always, your safety and the safety of all of our members, volunteers, and employees and their families is the Suwannee River Area Council's top priority. Since the spread of this pandemic, we have been continually monitoring the situation, and consulting with health experts, government officials and other youth serving organizations.
In May, we had to inform you of the unprecedented move by the Council Executive Committee to cancel all Council programs through August 31, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In it's regularly scheduled meeting on August 18, the Suwannee River Area Council's volunteer Executive Board took up the topic of the program cancellation again.
After careful and thoughtful deliberation and in accordance with current local government guidelines (e.g. Gadsden County Resolution 20-42 limits camping groups to ten (10) people), the board has decided to extend the suspension of Council program activities through November 30, 2020. The board's vote included a complete cancellation of all programs through September 30, with no exceptions.
However, after September 30, the board also made provisions for the council's volunteer Executive Committee to either rescind the suspension, if situations allow or to allow exceptions to the suspension, based on the program being provided and it's ability to ensure the safety of the participants in the program, again so long as it's in accordance with the then current local government guidelines.
The September cancellation, includes the OA Summer Fellowship, Lion Grrrrrowl, 3rd Sat Shoot, Council sponsored participation in the Coastal Cleanup, OA Fall Fellowship and Tiger Prowl.
Individual small group Wallwood work weekdays were exempted from the cancellation, but will continue to follow the stringent guidelines set forth by the Council Properties committee. Over the next month, the Council Program Committee will be reviewing these important programs and as the situation permits, we'll inform you of newly scheduled dates for any or all of these programs.
If you have paid a camp fee or deposit for any of these events, you will be given the opportunity to transfer your fee or given a full refund. Please see the
Refund Policy Statement for Covid-19 for your available options. We hope that you will consider helping our Council through this difficult financial time by considering one of the alternate options available.
Our council and staff are saddened that we are not able to serve you via these programs. This is an extraordinarily challenging time; unlike anything we have experienced. Our hope is that we all emerge from this challenging moment stronger than before.
Most importantly, we look forward to providing the full range of Scouting programs, including outdoor adventures, as soon as we can and as the situation allows.
Please note: The Scout Shop remains open from 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Monday through Friday. No more than five customers will be allowed in the Scout Shop and front counter area at a time, including children. Face coverings are mandatory and all other social distancing protocols will remain in place.
We hope all our Scouting families stay healthy and positive in our current environment and join us in preparing for future great camp experiences.
