03/31/2020
31 March 2020
From: Southern New England Conference Administrative Committee
To: SNEC Membership
Subj: CAMP WINNEKEAG OPERATIONS GOING FORWARD DURING COVID19
Camp Winnekeag, one of the greatest blessings to the members of the Southern New England Conference, is being affected by COVID19. Camp is currently not hosting any public or private events. All camp operations will cease from April 15 through August 15. This, of course, means the Summer Camp season is cancelled. All campers who registered for the children, youth, and family portions of camp will receive a full refund.
Summer at Camp Winnekeag is a joy for many children and families. It is a huge evangelism tool as many children make their lifelong decision to follow Jesus at summer camp. Thus, it was with great emotion and pain the Southern New England Conference AdCom made this decision.
Before the campers arrive great efforts of time, energy, and financial offerings are invested. Approximately 50 summer time employees are looking for their contracts. Planning and programming development needed to start now. Contracts with suppliers need to be signed in the next couple weeks. By mid May the wranglers needed to be sent to training. By the end of May the senior staff members would arrive for in-service and training. A week later all the staff would be on-site for their in-service and planning.
The camp advertising brochure needed to be at the print shop this week. The summer staff needed to start their CORI, SORI, and child protection training by mid April. Equipment and normal maintenance to the facilities needs to start soon. The totality of the work that has to be done before the summer is huge.
All this work could be done, and the investments of time, effort, and money expended — without knowing how the federal, state, and local governments will treat summer camps this year. As was asked in our meeting, what would happen if during the first week of camp a lingering COVID19 case happens at camp? Do the local, or state authorities quarantine the camp with all the children told to stay in place for two weeks? This would be a nightmare for each family with a child at camp, and the summer camp workers.
Every decision which is made is a balance of risk and opportunity. AdCom believes this season the risk outweighs the opportunity. Thus, the camp operations will be closed from April 15 through August 15, 2020. We are sorry for the disappointment this causes the children, youth, and families who look forward to their week at Camp Winnekeag. This is sad.
Early plans are being made for a couple weeks of Digital Camp Winnekeag. We hope to put two weeks of evening live streaming programs together; one week for the young children, and one week for the youth. What we are thinking is an evening program like the camp fire time at camp, where we sing camp songs, and hear a message from God’s word. We are looking for a way for Camp Winnekeag to impact the lives of our young people in some manner this summer.
May God bless the members of the Southern New England Conference, and grant us wisdom as we all learn to adapt to the new reality.
Truly yours,
David
