2023 Memorial Day All Comers Weekend

Registration Information:

Participants are welcome to arrive anytime after 7:00 p.m. EST on Thursday, May 22nd and are welcome to stay through lunch on Monday May 29th. The cost of participation is $75 for anyone 13 years or older and $40 for anyone ages 12 and under. Refunds will not be offered for any cancellations after April 22nd. Registration is first come-first serve, and we will cap it at approximately 32 participants. Please be sure to include your tentative arrival and departure times in your registration. Contact vcoordinator@nazarethfarm.org with any questions.

COVID-19 Policy

Nazareth Farm, Inc. takes Covid-19 very seriously. We feel a responsibility to protect our community and continue with our mission and ministry in a responsible manner.  We understand that volunteers likely will be coming to the Farm with a wide spectrum of thoughts and feelings, personal stories, and personal impacts, as a result of Covid-19 experiences. We firmly believe the Farm has provided a space of safe expression and compassion, of hope, of healing, and growth in faith.

As part of our community, we expect you to be responsible and cautious in the days leading up to your group week, your travel to the Farm, and your time with us. These policies are for all volunteers this summer including chaperones, students, and family week participants. Our staff, sojourners, and other visitors are following the same vaccination and testing guidelines. Guidelines for Summer 2023 will be reviewed and potentially modified in spring 2023.

1. Vaccination

   • All volunteers (ages 5+) are required to be fully vaccinated per CDC guidelines. This includes booster shots at this time.

2. Testing

   • Volunteers are required to get a test (rapid, home antigen, or PCR), 24-48 hours before coming to Nazareth Farm. You should have the results of this test before you come to the farm. The only exception to this policy is volunteers who have tested positive for Covid-19 in the past 3 months , recovered, and show no new symptoms of Covid-19. More information about accessing testing can be found on the CDC website.

3. Quarantining Before arrival and Masking

   • After you are tested for Covid-19, you should quarantine from everyone outside of your volunteer group. This means limiting social interaction to the greatest extent possible, and when absolutely necessary to be in a public space or around others, masking around everyone who is not on your trip. It also means not eating in public spaces, as you can’t wear a mask in this scenario. This includes dining halls, no matter what your university’s policy is. You should wear a high-quality mask, ideally a KN95 mask, or a surgical mask and a cloth mask together, to minimize your risk of infection. Read more from the CDC here.

4. Traveling to Nazareth Farm

   • Your group should make as few stops as possible, for food and bathrooms, and always mask while inside stops. This means you should only eat food outside or in your car. Make sure to have hand sanitizer for your group.

5. Symptomatic Individuals

   • If you show symptoms of Covid-19 leading up to your time at the farm, you likely won’t be able to participate in the group week. We wish it were different, but we need to make decisions that protect our community and homeowners. Even if you have a negative test it may be too soon to test positive, especially if you are vaccinated.
   • If a volunteer or staff member becomes symptomatic during their time at the farm, they will be taken for testing at a local urgent care. They can be isolated from the rest of the group in our staff house while we await results. Depending on the situation, a volunteer and their group may be sent home. This decision will be at the discretion of the farm staff, and volunteers are expected to respect the decision we make.

ALLERGY INFORMATION

Nazareth Farm is not a peanut-free environment. However, we will do our best to create a safe environment for participants with allergies. If you do have allergies, please contact us at vcoordinator@nazarethfarm.org well before your trip so we can best prepare our facilities.

CELL PHONE POLICY

Cell phones do not receive service in the valley where Nazareth Farm is located. Volunteers and chaperones should not expect that they will be able to use cell phones while they are here. Nazareth Farm’s office phone number (304-782-2742) will be available in case of emergencies. Otherwise, please do not plan to contact participants during the retreat week to help create an immersive experience for all.