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Category Archives: Feral 2022
May 2022 News and Updates
Goooooood morning Feral Campers!
Registration is behind us, camp has sold out, and we can start looking forward to bright sunny days up at camp! As we get closer to heading up to Algonquin you can expect to see a few newsletters with pertinent updates, this being one of them! Please take a moment to read the sections below as this is some pretty good-to-know stuff. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to us at info@campferal.org
Deposit Cutoff Date
Our registration deposit cut off date is June 12th. If you opted to register using a deposit please note that your method of payment will be automatically billed the remaining balance of your registration on June 12th. Also note that this is when our refund policy changes. Any registration cancellations that occur on or after this date will be fully refunded less $80 CAD.
COVID-19 Policy
The COVID-19 pandemic is still shaking things up globally and while we feel confident in our ability to bring you a safe camp experience, we recognize that we face a lot of challenges given that we’re fairly isolated out in Algonquin, there’s a lot of shared spaces, and we provide the option of transportation to and from camp via the Feral Bus. This has raised a lot of interesting questions as to how certain situations may be handled, such as if a positive COVID case is confirmed while on site.
As agreed to during registration you already know that we require you to be fully vaccinated before attending camp, but we know that there will be more policies needed depending on the state of the pandemic when we get to camp. We have regular communication with Arowhon and are assessing the situation as it develops in order to determine what policies will be most appropriate. You will get updates regarding any new policy via future newsletters. We will also update our COVID-19 policy page on campferal.org.
Please remember that we want to do everything we can to let everyone have as much fun as possible, but safety must always be our first priority.
We would also like to take a moment to remind you that your vaccination status needs to be verified when you arrive at camp or the bus. Please ensure that you have a printed, non-digital, copy of your vaccination records handy as there is limited cell service in Algonquin Provincial Park. You may not be able to download digital copies and if you are unable to provide your vaccination records you will not be permitted on site.
Limited Spots on the Bus
There’s been heavy demand when it comes to bus transportation this year and are getting very close to full capacity. If you were planning on signing up for the bus at a later date please let us know now and we will do our best to accommodate you. If you would like to add bus service to your registration, please reach out to us at registration@campferal.org.
Volunteering
Several of you have reached out asking how you can give back to Camp Feral with your time while at camp this year. If you have an interest in volunteering at camp please reach out to us at info@campeferal.org. There is no minimum required amount of time when it comes to volunteering at camp and any amount of time you can offer is greatly appreciated.
Cabin Selection
We’re collecting your cabin preferences this year using this form! You can use this form to let us know what your needs are and who you would like to have in your cabin. Please note that if you are unsure as to who you would like to have in your cabin it would be great if you could still fill out the form so we know what your preferences are.
Thank you so much for taking the time to review all this info and remember that you can always reach out to us at info@campferal.org if you have any questions!
Advanced Registration is Now Open
Registration Info Update
Good morning Feral Campers!
We know that a lot of you are anxious to know how registration is going to work this year. We’ve been working hard to get everything ready for you and we’re ready to pass along the details of how everything is going to work.
As we’re sure you understand, we are facing some challenges this year, so this newsletter is going to be longer and more straightforward than most. We encourage you to read the whole newsletter as there is a lot of info here that you will want to know!
2022 Camp Date Reminder
Camp Feral will be held from August 25th to August 29th, 2022.
2022 Registration Cost
For Camp Feral 2022 we will have registration fees set as follows.
- Camper: $575
- Sponsor: $625
- Patron: $700
Transportation provided by the Feral bus will be $85, round trip.
We know this is a bit higher than previous years. Services and venues that serve events like ours have been hit very hard by the pandemic and as such we’ve seen our costs increase across the board. We’ve carefully reviewed our budget and have taken every possible measure to keep reg rates as low as possible.
Just remember that your reg includes access to camp activities and events, lodging, and food!
Deposits
Deposits will be accepted this year and will be $50.
Our deposit cut off date is June 12th. If you have not fully paid your reg by this date, our registration system will automatically bill you the remaining balance for your registration. We originally implemented this policy in 2020 in response to concerns that some registrants were holding spots with a deposit without committing to attending camp, which ultimately resulted in fewer folks being able to attend. It’s our intention to keep this policy in place for 2022 to give the best chance of attendance to those that wish to join us at camp!
Advanced Registration For 2020 Cancellations
Those that had their registrations canceled in 2020 will have access to advanced registration for 2022, which will open on Saturday March 19th at 7pm Eastern time and will close on Sunday April 3rd at 7pm Eastern time. Those that are eligible for advanced registration will be contacted via email with further information on how to register.
If you are eligible but do not register by April 3rd, you will need to register when public registration opens.
Public Registration
Public Registration will open on Monday April 11th at 7pm Eastern time and will close on Sunday June 12th at 7pm Eastern time.
Waitlist
If you unfortunately run into a situation where you register after we have sold out, you will automatically be added to a waitlist. We will continue to work through the waitlist even after registration has closed.
2022 COVID Cancellation Considerations
One of the big concerns in 2020 was what might happen with refunds if Feral was canceled. Thankfully we were able to refund everyone’s registration 100%, but you may be wondering what might happen this year.
The nature of our agreements with our vendors has changed substantially in the last 2 years. As such Camp Feral finds itself in a position where penalties can occur should we decide to cancel without government mandate or support from our vendors.
Thanks to the pledges of a handful of people we can guarantee that if Camp Feral is canceled without government mandate and without support of our vendors, registrations will be refunded at their expense. However, we’re asking the community for a little bit of support in exchange for this guarantee as we don’t think it’s completely fair to ask a small number of people to carry this large risk.
On our registration form you will find a place where you can designate what percentage of your registration you would like to have refunded in the event of cancellation. We understand that everyone’s financial situation is different. If you need 100% back, you’ll get it. But if you can help support feral with a partial or even no refund, you’re helping ensure that there will be Camp Feral in 2023. Keep in mind that you will get at least what percentage you designate. A larger refund will be provided if at all possible.
Frankly, looking at how the pandemic impacted the late fall of 2020 and 2021, we’re quite optimistic and confident that Feral will occur in 2022. This is just an added step we’re taking because we all know that we’re still living in uncertain times.
Please note that the above only applies in the event that camp is canceled. If you cancel your registration you will be subject to the normal refund policy.
2022 COVID Vaccination Policy
We’ve added a new section to our code of conduct for 2022 in regards to COVID vaccination requirements.
It will be required that all Feral attendees be fully vaccinated as defined by the province of Ontario on or before the first day of camp. Campers will be required to show proof of vaccination.
For those of you that are taking the bus to camp, your vaccination records must be reviewed prior to boarding the bus. Those that fail to meet vaccination requirements or fail to provide documentation will not be allowed to board the bus.
For those that are taking their own transportation to camp, vaccination records will be reviewed as part of registration. Those that fail to meet vaccination requirements or fail to provide documentation will not be allowed to attend camp.
2023 Camp Dates
Wait… what?! We’re announcing Camp Feral 2023 dates! Why yes! Well… not exactly. Just kinda.
In order to keep our rates as low as possible for as long as possible, we’ve made an agreement with Arowhon to move Camp Feral from late summer to Victoria Day weekend, which will be the weekend of May 20th, 2023. We’re not ready to announce specific dates, but given the big change that we’re moving it 3 months earlier, we wanted to give everyone as much notice as possible.
Whooo… that’s a lot
Yeah, we know! But we want to make sure you stay as up to date as possible. If you have any comments, questions, or concerns feel free to email us at info@campferal.org.
See you at camp!