Camp Wilmot's COVID-19 Plan & Response

Check here for the most recent communication about the COVID-19 response at Camp Wilmot. Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

Communication with families and donors 5/21/2020:

Dear Camp Wilmot Friends and Families,

It is with heavy hearts that we write to you that we will not be able to safely open programming at Camp Wilmot this summer in our regular fashion due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our first priority, always, is the physical, mental, and spiritual health and well-being of our campers, families, staff, and many volunteers. Although we have been hoping and praying for the opportunity to safely host programming this summer, we cannot see a scenario in which this would be possible. We made this decision prayerfully after consulting CDC and New Hampshire guidelines, recommendations from the American Camp Association, and the decisions of other camps and organizations in the area. In taking this step, we hope to demonstrate our concern for the health and safety of our campers, our staff, our families, and the broad extended network that we all connect with.

We know how much Camp Wilmot means to us, and so also know how much it means to you all. We, like you all, feel the deep disappointment in not being able to gather in person this summer and have been looking forward to an opportunity for recovery and renewal in the midst of this challenging time. We are hurting now and we know that many in our community and outside of our community are too. We are incredibly fortunate to be a part of a supportive and loving community, one that bonds together in times of trial through our relationships built at Camp Wilmot, a place many of us call home. We know that future summers will bring joy of reunion and reconnection that we all so desire now.

That being said, we are hoping to be able to still connect with one another and build community even in these less than ideal circumstances. So, we will be running our very first Camp Wilmot on the Road where we hope to host parking lot parties at churches and visit families to drop off food supplies, arts & crafts, bible studies, and other supplies. In that time, we hope to sing, dance, and laugh together, even while we are distanced from one another and respecting local public health ordinances. Our intention is to build community, support our families who are in need, and continue to strengthen our relationships with God and with each other. As we continue to organize our plans for the summer, we want to hear what you want and need as members of our Camp Wilmot family; we ask that you please fill out this survey attached below so that we might be able to meet your needs in the most genuine and impactful way possible. You can find more information about Camp Wilmot on the Road on our website. While we are not hosting any programming, our beautiful site is still available for rental. If you are interested in renting out a cabin, which can sleep up to 10 people and gives you access to our waterfront and many trails, please contact Rachel Allen at admin@campwilmot.org, or see our FAQ page at campwilmot.org for more information.

Without the income generated from our normal summer programming, we find ourselves in need of raising sufficient funds to keep our camp open until we can all gather again next summer. We know that we can depend upon the generosity of our families and donors to overcome this challenge, as we have overcome past challenges! We recognize, however, the deep financial burden many of our supporters have been handed this year. We ask those of us in our community who are in the position to give, to do so, knowing that there are many who would like to give but cannot. Any and all support is gratefully welcomed and you will hear more from us in the coming weeks about continued fundraising efforts. As always, you can donate to us through our website or you can contact Evelyn French with more information about fundraising efforts. All of this being said, if you have already paid for the summer and would like a refund, you can contact Barb LaTour (admin@campwilmot.org) for assistance with that.

We have felt the love and generosity already in our camp family. From gathering for Zoom Bible study calls, to weekly check-ins, to emails flying back and forth, we have already soaked up life-giving energy and joy from you all. We are looking forward to many more years of enjoying this type of community in person, but until then, we will keep you all in our prayers. We hope that you will keep Camp Wilmot in your prayers too.

We are here for all of you in any way that we can be. So again, we encourage you to fill out the survey regardless of the nature of your connection to Camp, to get in contact with us about what we can do to support your family, and consider donating to keep the mission and ministries of Camp Wilmot alive for many summers to come.

Survey Link: https://forms.gle/zsgQFWkc3GL64T6UA

For more information, see our FAQ page, or feel free to get in touch with us directly.
- For information on site rentals, contact Rachel Allen admin@campwilmot.org
- For information on donations and fundraising, contact Evelyn French admin@campwilmot.org
- For information on summer camp refunds, contact Barb LaTour admin@campwilmot.org
- For information on Camp Wilmot on the Road, contact Kayla McKinsey & Robin Loewald campwilmotdirector@gmail.com
- For pastoral support, contact Kayla McKinsey & Robin Loewald campwilmotdirector@gmail.com or Rachel Allen admin@campwilmot.org
- For information on receiving support from Camp, contact Kayla McKinsey & Robin Loewald campwilmotdirector@gmail.com

Communication with families and donors 4/27/2020:

Dear Camp Wilmot Family and Friends,

We write to you in the midst of very uncertain times. We understand that personal circumstances are changing rapidly as well of that of our beloved camp. As of now, we are still preparing and planning to open Camp Wilmot this summer for our summer camp programs and to welcome our rental groups. Please be aware, however, that things could be changing rapidly in the upcoming months.

We have been closely monitoring the situation concerning the coronavirus (COVID-19) and following guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Camp Association (ACA). For the moment, as we process what is feasible and the right decision for everyone, we ask for your patience. If the circumstances dictate it is in the best interest of our camp family to not open this season, we will do so and everyone will be eligible for a full refund. If camp remains open for the season, we will only do so if the Federal, State, and controlling agencies advise us that it is safe to do so.

Summer Camp:

With this in mind, we want to encourage everyone who is able and is planning on sending their young people to camp this summer to please still continue to register through Campdoc. It is important for our camp staff to have an accurate count of campers when planning for the youth weeks. If you would like to hold off on your payment for the weeks that you register for, we absolutely understand. That being said, in the case that we are not able to open for camp this summer, we will refund any and all payments that have already been made.

Rental Groups:

The Board of Directors have made the decision, given the current circumstances, that we will fully refund (including the deposit paid) any groups who decide not to stay at Camp Wilmot this year due to Covid 19. If you would like to reschedule your event, please do so as soon as possible to secure your dates.

Scholarships:

We are extremely grateful for the numerous scholarships that we have received once again to enable young people to attend our summer camps. In the event that summer camp does not go ahead the board would like to propose some options to our donors. We would be most grateful if scholarships could be transferred over to the camp to use as needed to get us through the financial hardship that this season will present if camps are unable to run. We would also use some of the scholarship funding to offer young people a place in weekend camps in the fall/winter and support our families throughout the summer. This designation would only occur if we were to close for the summer season. If you would like your funds to be more specifically designated in the event of a summer closure, please contact us at admin@campwilmot.org. You can alternatively request your money back if camp is unable to run. We understand that these are difficult times for everyone and that people’s financial circumstances may have changed. Please contact us (admin@campwilmot.org) if you would like to arrange for your money to be refunded.

Whatever happens, whether we open or not this summer, it will not be an easy decision and one that may not have to be made by our Board as it may very well be mandated on a Federal or State level. We assure you that we will not rush into this, but when the decision is made it will be the right one for Camp Wilmot and our supportive families. Once a decision is made, every family and rental group that have enrolled for the 2020 season will be directly contacted by email or phone.

We have all been witnessing how rapidly this situation has been changing, almost on a daily basis. Our promise is to provide you with updates as often as they come, so please monitor our website (www.campwilmot.org) and Facebook page for latest updates. Please also feel free to email and ask any questions that you may have or to share your concerns (admin@campwilmot.org).

Camp Wilmot Board of Directors

Communication with families 3/19/2020:

Dear Camp Wilmot Family,

We are writing to you now in a time that feels very unsure and definitely unprecedented. We are praying for you all and are considering deeply how you and your families are being affected by the COVID-19 right now. We wanted to reach out to say that we are here to support you all in any way that we can and to share some important information about our summer programming.

As of now, and of course things will be changing rapidly in the upcoming months, we are still preparing and planning to open Camp Wilmot this summer for our summer camp programs. With this in mind, we want to encourage everyone who is able and is planning on sending their young people to camp this summer to please still continue to register through Campdoc. If you would like to hold off on your payment for the weeks that you register for, we absolutely understand and that is completely fine with us. That being said, in the case that we are not able to open for camp this summer, we will refund any and all payments that have already been made.

Our goal is to provide you all with the security of knowing that you will not lose your payment, while also being able to prepare for camp and provide you all with the most consistency as possible. Having campers register as soon as possible helps us to ensure that we are preparing for the summer as best as we can in our hiring and programming.

We are so grateful for all of you. We know that in tough times like these, we have family and friends at Camp Wilmot who will support us in prayer, love, and with their time and that means the world. Please reach out to us if you have any questions, concerns, or are in need of anything. We are here to help in any way that we can.

Sending love and prayers,

Robin, Kayla, and the Camp Wilmot Family