The revival of the Los Altos Community Volunteer Fair came as pandemic- and economic-related woes drove down volunteerism nationwide in the past few years and efforts to increase participation in
The Japan Society of Northern California held its 35th annual Award of Honor Gala, with Los Altos Hills resident Nobuko Saito Cleary serving as chairperson, at the San Francisco War
Camps around the Bay Area are planning for summer programming with many unknowns still in place, one year into the pandemic: Will local case rates remain low? How will reopening
Courtesy of Hidden Villa
Campers returning to Hidden Villa this year will reunite with familiar creatures, this time with all humans masked.
Camps around the Bay Area are planning for summer programming with many unknowns still in place, one year into the pandemic: Will local case rates remain low? How will reopening continue to roll out? Will campers adjust to a regime of new limitations on how they learn together?
Marc Sidel, senior director of programs at Hidden Villa in Los Altos Hills, answered the Town Crier’s questions about how overnight camp is resuming this year at the nonprofit organic farm and nature preserve after 12 months of extremely limited in-person programming. The conversation was edited for brevity.
Hidden Villa engages families with virtual classes, socially distanced hikes
Megan v. Winslow/Town Crier file photo
Children meet a goat at Hidden Villa, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the 1920s, Hidden Villa in Los Altos Hills has been a hub for wildlife education and exposure to the natural world, inviting schools, families and other members of the public to explore its farm, garden and trails.
When the pandemic hit, the Hidden Villa staff had to find ways to connect visitors with nature while keeping them safe.
In June, Hidden Villa switched to a reservations-based system, with the hope that a phased approach would bring a return to normalcy. While other parks may face the complications of visitor limitations, the online reservation system employed by Hidden Villa aims to ensure social distancing to keep staff and visitors safe, along with the capability of doing contact tracing, if necessary.