Hey Hey Resto Cavers, less than a week away from May Camp. Where’s the time go? On Friday I received an update to the parks COVID mandate. As of Friday April 29^th, the park is no longer requiring COVID attestation for volunteers. This means that you will not be required to provide the attestation form or present a negative test. Looks like we may have that one behind us. Please let me know if you have any questions. Now the fun stuff, what are we doing?

On Saturday our primary objective will be to finish removing the concrete from the subsidence pit at the Historic entrance. This will require, jackhammering, hammer drilling, sledgehammering, and hopefully other hammer-related activities. We will also have a small group working on removing lint from the walls and of course, we have Bandit Hall rock if we get bored.

Sunday should prove to be fun. I have been informed that there was a small rock fall near the elevator that needs to be cleaned up. Sounds easy you say. Well, what if I said the elevator wasn’t working? That’s right, we will be cleaning up the rock at the elevator by way of the Carmichael entrance. I can’t wait!

Looking forward to seeing you all!

Brian

Selected photos (scaled-down, reduced size) from the March Resto weekend can be found at the following Dropbox link:

My apologies, but several pics that were shot at the end of Sunday were completely out-of-focus, due to 'photographer error' (--I inadvertently turned off the 'Auto Focus' switch on the lens... oops)

Our 'group photo' (the last one) is an example.

Oh well... we'll try it again at the May weekend. Don't forget that sign-up begins a couple days from now:? on Fri. Apr. 1, at 12:01am (Eastern), or Thur. Mar. 31 at 11:01pm

(An 'Eventbrite' invitation will be sent to all.)

Hello Resto Cavers, I hope you are all doing well. This message is to answer the questions I get most often, "When is the next Camp?" and "When is weeklong?". This can get a little tricky so I wanted to make sure everyone knows the secret so they can plan accordingly.

?

March Camp: March camp starts the FIRST SATURDAY in March.

May Camp: May camp starts the FIRST SATURDAY in May.

August Weeklong Camp: August camp starts the FIRST MONDAY in August.

November Camp: November camp starts the FIRST SATURDAY in November.

?

So for 2022, the camps are as follows.

May Camp: May 7th-8^th

August Weeklong Camp: August 1st-August 5^th

November Camp: November 5th-6th

?

Hope this helps...

?

Brian

Hello Mammoth Cave Friends and Family. First, let me apologize for the length of this message. There are some changes for the March camp, and I want to try and explain this as clearly as possible. As most of you are aware as volunteers with the park we are required to follow all applicable guidance presented to us from the NPS. As such, for the March camp, here is a simplified version of what will happen (full details of why will be at the bottom of this message).

Event Link:

To attend the March Restoration camp each volunteer will be required to either show a completed Certification of Vaccination (form provided by the NPS) or present a negative COVID-19 test result from within the 3 days immediately prior to the date of entry. As I understand it the final form will not be available from the park until February 5^th, as soon as it is available to me I will make it available to all people who have signed up through the Eventbrite page for the March Camp. I will also have copies of the form with me at camp for those who are vaccinated but were not aware or were not able to fill the form out before camp.

I will need to see the completed and signed form at our Saturday morning kick-off. I will not however be keeping the form. I will just be putting a checkbox next to your name to let the park know that the form has been completed. Once I see your form and have checked the box unless the form changes or the guidance is different you will not need to present the form again for future camps.

If you are unable or would not like to complete the form you will need to present a negative COVID-19 test result from within the 3 days immediately prior to the date of entry. This will need to be presented to me at the Saturday kick-off meeting so I can check that you are meeting the requirements of the park.

Any participant who is unable to show either a completed Certification of Vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result from within the 3 days immediately prior to the date of entry take a rapid test at the Saturday kick-off meeting. A negative result from a rapid test the morning of the start of camp will meet the requirements of the park. I plan on having a limited number of tests available for people who are not aware of the requirements. Keep in mind that I am doing this to help the camp run smoothly, if I run out of tests and a participant is unable to comply with the above-stated guidance they will not be allowed to participate in camp activities.

If you have any questions regarding this please reach out to me directly. As always I want to keep the comments here positive and focused on the enjoyment of the resto camp keeping in mind the mutual respect we have for all resto camp friends and family.

Requirements or not I can’t wait to get back to Mammoth and am looking forward to seeing all who can attend.

Below is the guidance provided to volunteers from the NPS.

** OFFICIAL GUIDANCE BELOW

The Department of the Interior’s COVID-19 mitigation??regarding access to federally controlled buildings for business visitors has been determined by DOI to apply to volunteers.?This guidance aims to help all business visitors, including volunteers, stay safe in our national parks.?Please read the below FAQs to familiarize yourself with this change.

Volunteers are an important part of the National Park Service and we are grateful for your continued service.

1. What must NPS volunteers do?
All volunteers accessing NPS buildings must:

• Complete and present a??(OMB Control No. 3206-0277). If they have NOT attested to being fully vaccinated, they must also possess and present a negative COVID-19 test result from within the 3 days immediately prior to the date of entry; and
• Maintain completed form (and test result, if necessary) on their person for the duration of their visit and present it to the volunteer manager or supervisor, as needed; and
• Comply with all public health protocols in place at the park or office.

Volunteers who do not access NPS?buildings, such as volunteers working outside only for a one day event, are only required to comply with other public health protocols in place, such as masking, social distancing, and hand washing.
?
2. What requirements must be met for COVID-19 vaccinations?
A person is fully vaccinated 2 weeks after their second dose in a vaccine that uses a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or 2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.?

??????????????3. Where can I find out more about COVID-19 vaccinations?
You can find a vaccination location near you on?, or?by texting your ZIP code to 438829 to get a text with the closest COVID-19 vaccination?location.?If you have concerns about the vaccine, learn how you can find?, identify?,?and get answers to?.?

4: Will the park or program where I volunteer collect, copy, or record information from my completed??
No. Volunteer managers and volunteer supervisors should read the responses on the form, but they should not take possession of the form or make any record of the information reported on the form.

5: What type of test is acceptable for entry to facilities in situations where evidence of a negative test is required?
Any viral test that detects infection that is authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and produces a dated result is acceptable. An antibody test result is not acceptable. Test results from a pharmacy or a lab should be from FDA-authorized tests. If you have any doubts, please consult the FDA website to see lists of authorized??and?.

6: Are there exemptions for the requirements for volunteers to attest to their vaccination status and/or provide documentation of a negative test result?
Medical and religious exemptions are not?accepted in place of the requirements for volunteers to attest to their vaccination status and/or provide documentation of a negative test result.

7. Are volunteers under the age of 18 impacted by this policy?
Volunteers below the age of 18 should have a parent / guardian sign the Certification of Vaccination on their behalf, noting this on the "Your printed name here" line. Example: [Printed Name of Parent] signing on behalf of [Printed Name of Minor].? Everyone age 5 years and older is currently eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.

Volunteers consistently embody the spirit of service, engagement, and stewardship present throughout our national parks. Thank you for your service and for your help ensuring the safety of park visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners.

Hey MACA Resto cavers!

The report of our August Camp activities is published in the Fall newsletter of the ACCA (American Cave Conservation Association --the folks over at Hidden River Cave, in nearby Horse Cave KY).

The newsletter is attached to this message.

If anyone is wanting to help, the ACCA will be hosting two cleanup events in November:? one is to clean up construction debris and remove ivy from the entrance area of Hidden River Cave, and the other will be the removal of trash from a shallow cave pit (see page 7 of the newsletter).

Regardless, please mark you calendars for the first weekend of November, which will be our next MACA Restoration weekend. Signup for this event will begin at 12:01am Eastern time on Fri. Oct. 1.

see you then!

- Brian & Gary

Hi Brian:

When could we talk?? Hope your trip was wonderful!

Best, TOR

On Sun, Oct 17, 2021 at 9:57 AM Brian <macarestocamp@...> wrote:

I have just been given updated guidance as it relates to the NPS COVID mitigation policy. My current understanding is that the policy outlined below will be enforced starting on November 22^nd. This would mean that the policy should not be in force for our November camp but would be starting with our March camp. In summary, volunteers for the NPS must show a completed Certification of Vaccination (link below) or present a negative COVID-19 test result from within the 3 days immediately prior to the date of entry. These forms will not be collected but must be presented at the beginning of camp (during our initial meeting in the park) and must be kept on your person during the stay. I will also say that this guidance may change as could the date of execution.

I know that many of us have strong feelings about this and ask that if you have questions, please send them to me privately. Resto camp has always been a family to me and just like Thanksgiving we try and keep discussions of politics and religion to a minimum. This camp is inclusive to everyone and a lack of respect for anyone will not be tolerated. Let’s keep the comments here the same.

Regarding what follows, volunteers to the park are considered business visitors and buildings include Maple Springs, and all indoor spaces including the caves on the park property.

Hope to see you all in November.

*NPS Guidance***

All business visitors accessing NPS buildings must:

·???? Complete and present a??(OMB Control No. 3206-0277). If they have NOT attested to being fully vaccinated, they must also possess and present a negative?COVID-19 test result from within the 3 days immediately prior to the date of entry; and

·???? Maintain completed form (and test result, if necessary) on their person for the duration of their visit and present it to any NPS staff person who requests to see it; and

·???? Comply with all public health protocols in place at the park or office.

***

Here is a link to the Certification of Vaccination form.

I have just been given updated guidance as it relates to the NPS COVID mitigation policy. My current understanding is that the policy outlined below will be enforced starting on November 22^nd. This would mean that the policy should not be in force for our November camp but would be starting with our March camp. In summary, volunteers for the NPS must show a completed Certification of Vaccination (link below) or present a negative COVID-19 test result from within the 3 days immediately prior to the date of entry. These forms will not be collected but must be presented at the beginning of camp (during our initial meeting in the park) and must be kept on your person during the stay. I will also say that this guidance may change as could the date of execution.

I know that many of us have strong feelings about this and ask that if you have questions, please send them to me privately. Resto camp has always been a family to me and just like Thanksgiving we try and keep discussions of politics and religion to a minimum. This camp is inclusive to everyone and a lack of respect for anyone will not be tolerated. Let’s keep the comments here the same.

Regarding what follows, volunteers to the park are considered business visitors and buildings include Maple Springs, and all indoor spaces including the caves on the park property.

Hope to see you all in November.

*NPS Guidance***

All business visitors accessing NPS buildings must:

·???? Complete and present a??(OMB Control No. 3206-0277). If they have NOT attested to being fully vaccinated, they must also possess and present a negative?COVID-19 test result from within the 3 days immediately prior to the date of entry; and

·???? Maintain completed form (and test result, if necessary) on their person for the duration of their visit and present it to any NPS staff person who requests to see it; and

·???? Comply with all public health protocols in place at the park or office.

***

Here is a link to the Certification of Vaccination form.