Living a healthy-lifestyle is the key to physical, mental and emotional well-being! 

I hope this message finds you and your family healthy and calm.  As a health professional who has dedicated my life to educating children and families about living a healthy-lifestyle, I know for certain that learning and putting this knowledge into practice is more important than ever.  When people ask me, “what I’m doing to stay healthy?” My response is, “I’m counting on my savings account filled with 15+ years of eating natural foods, exercise (hiking, yoga, gardening, etc), growing organic food, etc, to power up my natural defense system to battle this virus now, but all the potential health crises, such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease (in my family healthy history).  Health is wealth and the accumulation of this merit is what I’m counting on and eager to share.

Now more than ever, is the time to teach children (and the grown-ups who love them) how-to take personal responsibility for their health by making good choices and learning life skills such as cooking, organic gardening, outdoor play and more to build their confidence in facing this uncertain world.  This is what our healthy-lifestyle curricula is all about for Summer Camp, Seedlings and all of our programming.  It’s why I’m taking the following steps to ensure summer 2020 is safe and fun for kids (upon NJ government authorization to open):

• Opening dates:  Camp 2020 will open July 6 and conclude on September 4, 2020 (opening was scheduled for June 15); Summer Seedlings program, ages 3-5, will run an eight week session and will begin the week of July 6 through August 24 (not 5-week sessions);
• Social Distanced in Small Groups:  Camp is downsized to a maximum of 24 campers per week rotating in three groups of 8 with the same counselors (maximum was 35 as a specialty camp) throughout the camp activities mostly outdoor and indoor when cooking or raining (air-conditioned);
• Keep things sanitized and safe:  We uphold a high level of food safety and personal hygiene as a food establishment inspected by the Ridgewood Health Department and NJ State Health Department.  We also accommodate many children with food allergies and will be doing the following:
  • Utilizing the outdoor oven more often for cooking; but when cooking inside, the campers will be cooking one group at one time with gloves and masks;
  • Cubbies will have individual bins with lids for their personal items to be stored safely and separately;
    Bathrooms will be sanitized after each use;
  • Car drop-offs will be staggered by designated group and all campers will be temperature checked at drop-off and mid-day (we do not offer busing);
  • Sanitizer stations will be visible and accessible during all activities;
  • No sharing of any items, sunblock, etc. which is consistent with our current policy about allergies;
  • The playground on the 10-acre site will be closed to our campers; however, we will be in the garden, on nature hikes and utilizing the great outdoor space as much as possible;
• Professional team: I will be onsite throughout the camp day.  The team of aspiring health professionals and educators, will be trained and ready with the new protocol.  All team members have the food handler’s certification as well as CPR/AID; there will be no counselors in training (CITs) this year; the team will be temperature checked upon arrival at HealthBarn.
• CDC and local health department guidelines: we will adhere to CDC and Ridgewood Health Department guidelines as they become available.
• Deposits Only to Register:  Tuition balances will be taken by 6/26 or until we get the green light from NJ state to open.

I have built the HealthBarn USA experience to deliver a trusted learning and nurturing experience for all.  It’s so important for us to provide children with a summer experience as close to normal as possible.  Let’s work together to make this happen!

Please email me directly at st[email protected] with any feedback or to register, please click here.

Stay healthy and safe!