Writing as a Pathway Through Grief, Loss, Uncertainty and Change: A Weeklong Retreat

As you’re aware, COVID-19 is a serious virus with potentially life-threatening consequences. It mutates rapidly, and new strains are evolving all the time. For this reason, neither we nor anyone else can guarantee a 100% COVID-19 free environment. The risk of contracting Covid or any other communicable or contagious disease is an inherent risk of social exposure and travel, even for those who have had Covid and/or have been fully vaccinated and boosted.

That said, we want to do everything possible to protect and care for our community of retreat participants, especially those with greater vulnerability to the virus. We ask that you follow these guidelines, not only to reduce your own risk of infection, but also to protect our retreat community as a whole.

If you test positive the first day of the retreat (or at any time thereafter), you will no longer be able to attend, and we will not be issuing refunds for any portion of the retreat that you miss as a result. So, following these policies will not only safeguard your health and the health of others, but also minimize your chances of losing your financial investment in the retreat.

We also recommend that you purchase travel insurance with a Covid rider to protect your financial investment—more on that below.

Here’s what we’re asking from you:

• We ask everyone to be vaccinated for Covid or have a medical reason why they can’t. We’ll collect this information from you when you register.
• Take extra precautions in the week leading up to the retreat. Mask in public settings, avoid large gatherings, commit to using a N95 or KN95 mask the entire time you’re utilizing any form of shared transportation (shuttles, airports, security lines, flights, trains, buses) en-route to the retreat.
• Bring half a dozen home Covid tests with you to Mount Madonna.
• Take and turn in a negative Covid test as soon as you arrive on campus. If you test positive, you will not be allowed to participate in the retreat. (It may be possible to quarantine at Mount Madonna and eat your meals separately, but this option depends on the availability of limited housing stock and cannot be guaranteed.)
• Everyone will do a rapid test in their room for the first four mornings (or if symptoms arise) so we can quickly isolate any outbreak that may arise.
• Masks will be optional, but we ask everyone to bring a few N95 or KN95 masks should they become necessary.
• All meals will be served buffet-style in a large indoor dining hall. Our group will have our own private room for eating with good ventilation. Outdoor seating will be available if you prefer.
• We ask you to disclose to us before the retreat starts whether you have exhibited any Covid or flu-like symptoms or been directly exposed to anyone with Covid in the prior week.
• Requirements for additional testing or other changes to this policy will be determined closer to the retreat or as needed on site.

Key to our success will be our partnership with our participants. We appreciate your cooperation.

Travel Insurance: We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance with a special rider for Covid to protect your investment in the retreat since we will not be issuing refunds beyond the dates delineated in our written cancellation policy. Be sure to do your due diligence to know exactly what your policy will and won’t cover.

You can purchase travel insurance whether or not you fly to the retreat. We’ll send information about this in your confirmation packet. If you want pre-existing conditions covered, most insurance companies require that you purchase insurance within two weeks of paying your initial deposit.

We will stay current with changing circumstances and may amend these policies as required by authorities or in response to conditions that arise. We will update you regarding any modifications in our COVID policies before your arrival.

Please contact Laura at lauradavis@lauradavis.net if you have questions.

We’ll look forward to our retreat together next August.