Troop, read below, we can meet again in person. We will be at the barn on Tuesday. I hope it will be warmer than Sunday will be. Holy cow, brace for impact on the weather!
It’s Time to Restart Unit Meetings, Day Activities and Outings in Pikes Peak Council!
Colorado has authorized El Paso County to move to Level Yellow (Concern) as of 9am Saturday 6 February 2021.
- Unit meetings, day activities, and overnight activities allowed with groups of 25 people or less including adults.
- Use of outdoor venues maximized for all unit/family/household-based activities.
- Indoor activities should be avoided if at all possible. Use of the social distancing calculator is required to determine capacity for any indoor activity.
- As of 6 February 2021, El Paso, Park, Teller, Kit Carson, and Elbert Counties are all at level Yellow (Concern)
- As of 6 February 2021, Lincoln and Cheyenne Counties are now at level Blue (Caution).
It is incumbent on each and every leader to ensure all meetings and activities are conducted in a safe manner with all required COVID mitigation measures in place. Youth Protection criteria take precedence in all activities. Prior to commencement of meetings and any further activities or outings, the unit leadership team shall:
- Review all of the guidelines and resources available at http://www.pikespeakbsa.org/News/SAFERestart
- Review records to ensure completed forms for all parents and scouts are on file with the unit:
- Consent & Hold harmless
- Parent-Guardian guidelines acknowledgment forms
- Unit Certification Form (Submit this form only to Council if not done previously).
- Incorporate the Council and Colorado guidelines, BSA SAFERestart checklist, and BSA Health Screening Checklist into all meetings, activities, and outings
How this COVID level affects your unit:
- Under level Yellow, unit-level outings, activities and meetings with 25 person limits may resume including adults, socially distanced and no interaction between cohorts. The limit for Blue Level counties is 50.
- Transport to and from events should not exceed the 10 person/2 household limit. Families are encouraged to transport their own youth only to and from events.
- Unit meetings will now adhere to the same limits as unit outings and activities (Group sports and camps, 25 person limits for Yellow and 50 for Blue levels).
- Implement the BSA SAFERestart Checklist and BSA Health Screening Checklist for all unit meetings and activities
- Review all of the contents of this page and the posted materials as well as refer to the state and respective county guidelines for planning.
- For unit planning, District/Council Indoor and outdoor activities are limited to 50% capacity but no higher than the number determined by the distancing calculator and/or the percentage of the published capacity limit for the venue and in the Colorado COVID level restrictions table.
- Whenever possible, consider retaining a virtual component to meetings and activities for inclusion of any ill, high risk or otherwise restricted youth.
- Implement the BSA Digital Safety and Online Scouting Activities for safety guidelines for using online forums for any virtual or hybrid in-person/virtual events and meetings.
How this affects your unit activities as well as district and council activities and events:
- Unit/event leadership should continue to monitor state and county health sites for the most current information and potential changes, then exercise sound judgment for adapting or canceling unit events.
- Ensure family transportation to/from outing location (no unit carpooling).
- Transport should be limited to the 10 person/two household limit shown under personal gathering size
- Individually prepared meals
- Individual tent use for outings
- Units with scheduled outings at Glen Aspen or Camp Alexander can continue as long as all activities remain outdoors and group size limits are adhered to.
- Mandatory mask usage
- Minimum 6’ social distancing at all times
- For Yellow and Blue Level Counties, maximize outdoor activities and minimize indoor activities.
Guidelines for Pikes Peak Council Units, district and council for meetings activities and events remains per the Colorado six level restriction guide.
- Event and Unit leadership should reference the Colorado COVID 19 Dial Dashboard (https://covid19.colorado.gov/data/covid-19-dial/covid-19-dial-dashboard) for the current status of their county and the chart below to determine the capacity for their event.
- The limits apply for indoor event only up to the limit determined by the social distancing calculator at: https://covid19.colorado.gov/distancing-calculator . In most cases, the actual indoor limit will be lower than the Protect our Neighbors, Safer at Home or Stay at Home category limit depicted.
- Utilize the Groups Sports and Camps row for longer duration, primarily outdoor events (overnight camping, all day events, outings/events at Camp Alexander or Glen Aspen, etc)
- District and Council event coordinators utilize the indoor or outdoor event rows for district/council events. Note that event limits are to be determined using the social distancing calculator up to the limit of the current phase for your county
- Guided events, such as Ice Climbing at Camp Alexander, utilize the Outdoor Guided Services line.
- Incorporation of a virtual (Zoom or other) capability for joining events should be considered whenever possible to ensure inclusion for individuals/families who are not able or not comfortable with participation in group venues.
- COVID-19 resources for Commissioners (and units) can be found here: https://www.scouting.org/commissioners/covid-19-resources/
