top of page

Camp Wilmot Summer 2020 FAQs

​

If I already paid for the 2020 summer camp, can I get refunded?

Yes, you can get a full refund by contacting Barb LaTour at admin@campwilmot.org. If you would like and are able, you can also donate all or a portion of that payment to Camp Wilmot.

 

What is Camp Wilmot on the Road?

Camp Wilmot on the Road is a 4 to 5 week long plan to take our Camp on the road and engage as many of our families as possible in social distancing Camp activities at their homes/churches, respecting current public health ordinances. There will be two phases to Camp Wilmot on the Road, an MA phase and a NH phase. We will be ministering to our families through Camp on the Road in July.  

​

Massachusetts Phase: In this part of the summer, Robin and Kayla hope to travel to our different MA churches and hold “parking lot parties” to connect with our campers. We plan to mark off zones for each family unit we expected in the parking lot before anyone arrives, and put out the snacks, activity supplies, etc in each family’s zone. These parking lot parties will include a Bible lesson, activity, and singing and dancing. They will allow campers to see one another and get a taste of some of what makes Camp special. Our parking lot parties will be open to all youth affiliated with the church, even if those kids hadn’t come to camp before. We will adjust our plans to meet the needs of different churches. More information to follow about dates.

 

New Hampshire Phase: In this part of the summer, Robin and Kayla plan to be up in the Camp Wilmot area. We will be partnering with the middle school and the congregational church to help distribute meals and supplies to our local families. We will also drop off Bible study and activity packets, art supplies for crafts, and say hello to our campers (from a safe distance). We will socially-distantly play games, sing favorite songs, act out the passage from the Bible study, and have time to catch up. 

 

Specific details will change and emerge based on local public health ordinances as we approach July. 

 

What is Camp Quarantine and how is it different from Camp Wilmot on the Road?

Camp Quarantine is our virtual camp gathering opportunity. Over the past two months, we have been gathering on Zoom in weekly Bible study and game times. We will continue to provide these opportunities for campers and staff to gather virtually each week. The offerings for Camp Quarantine may expand as we get closer to the summer, based on survey and family feedback.

 

Our game and prayer times are held every Thursday from 12:00-12:45. Contact Kayla or Robin (campwilmotdirector@gmail.com) for the link.

 

What are Parking Lot Parties?

Camp Wilmot is so excited to get to gather for a socially distant "parking lot party" at various churches over the course of the summer. All parties will be about an hour in length. We'll ask participants to drive into the parking lot, where we'll direct them to a chalked out zone where they can either drop off their child or park in that zone. We ask that families stay in their zones for the entirety of the program. Each zone will have all the materials needed for the party's activities, ready and waiting! Our program will include a Bible study lesson, craft, game, some individually packaged snacks, and singing and dancing! There is no cost to participate and the event is open to all church youth, including those who were not registered to attend Camp Wilmot this summer.

​

What are Camp at Home Drop-Off Bags?

Camp Wilmot is dropping off free camp packets during the first three weeks of July to families in NH. These drop offs are kind of a remote camp - our staff will bring by activity boxes, drop them by families doors and ring the doorbell, and then wait far away to hopefully get to briefly greet the campers (if people not at home though, that's totally fine too)! The boxes themselves will contain a couple of crafts, activities, science experiments, etc, themed around a Bible verse, as well as a couple of recipes. All of the materials and ingredients needed for the activities and the recipes will be included in the boxes, so no extra trips to the store are necessary. While we can't provide archery or ropes course this summer, our hope with the camp boxes is to give a taste of camp through other camp activities like cooking class, arts and crafts, and STEM. The activities are designed to be completed independently by the camper, although some campers might benefit from parent supervision when cooking! Each week, you can check our social media accounts and the website to watch videos of our staff doing the activities and making the recipes too!

​

How can I give feedback and ideas for what would be helpful this summer?

We encourage everyone to fill out the survey attached here about this coming summer. Even if you were not planning on sending a camper this summer, we would love to hear your thoughts and considerations as we continue to plan and prepare for this adapted summer.

 

Who do I contact if I need food or supplies this summer?

For information on receiving support from Camp, contact Kayla McKinsey & Robin Loewald (campwilmotdirector@gmail.com) or fill out the survey linked here.

 

Can I volunteer this summer?

Yes! We would love any volunteers to support us in our efforts to stay connected and meet the needs of our campers and families. We would ask volunteers to help communicate with families to coordinate parking lot parties, contactless distribution of supplies and Bible study activities, and other things! Please contact Kayla McKinsey & Robin Loewald (campwilmotdirector@gmail.com) to learn more about volunteering.

 

What can I do to help Camp Wilmot?

Right now, Camp Wilmot is in need of donations. We make most of our money through our summer camps and summer rentals, but because we are unable to gather as we usually do this summer, we would appreciate donations of any amount so that we can ensure that we can remain open throughout the year and resume youth camp next summer.

 

Where can I donate?

You can donate on our website here through Paypal, Venmo, or by sending a check to Camp Wilmot. 

​

We are also holding a Camp Wilmot on the Road Tshirt fundraiser! If you donate $30 and fill out this form, you will receive a Camp Wilmot on the Road tshirt, and know that your donation is going towards supporting Camp this summer and keeping us open until we can gather again for summer 2021.

 

Stay tuned for another Camp Wilmot fundraiser - the Camp Wilmot Cookbook! We will post more information about this project as it emerges. 

 

Will there be any in-person camp this summer?

No, there will be no in-person camp at Camp Wilmot this summer. Through our Camp Wilmot on the Road programming and Camp Quarantine programming we will attempt to gather as much as possible virtually and socially distanced, but we will not be gathering at Camp Wilmot. While there will not be camp, our site is still available for rental. Until May 31st this rental option will be open to New Hampshire residents only but we are hoping that throughout June and July we will be able to welcome guests from other areas. We encourage you to reserve your spot and we will update as guidelines change. You can rent a cabin for $500 for 5 week nights or $250 for a weekend (cabins hold up to 10 people) or large groups can rent out the whole site for $6000.  We are eager to offer our site as a safe haven and place of rest and renewal after a difficult year. Camp staff will take steps to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all staying at Camp and we will continue to follow the guidance of the CDC and New Hampshire state government.  We are offering these reduced prices to try and make renting accessible for families who are feeling the financial burden of the past few months. Please contact Rachel Allen at admin@campwilmot.org for more information. 

 

What do I say to my child who is upset about Camp not opening?

First, take care of yourself, sharing this type of news with your children is not easy. We have all been in a season heavy with disappointments. It makes sense to feel a sense of grief about all of these changes, even if it feels like it should be “no big deal.”  Give yourself a moment to process this new disappointment, and acknowledge what, if anything it’s bringing up in you before talking to your child because whatever peace and self awareness you can bring to that conversation will help them process the news themselves. Acknowledge your child’s feelings and experience of this closure. They might need some time to sit in the sadness of it all instead of diving right into the reasons why or the bright sides. All feelings are valid and acceptable here. Share with them how you are feeling and join in solidarity with them about the pain that this is causing. And remember, in this day and age, you child might very well have heard the news through social media by the time you are able to process together. 

 

Take some time together to pray for each other and for our Camp community and reach out to the supports available to you. Check out Camp Quarantine for an online Camp Wilmot community and Camp Wilmot on the Road for a distanced one. Reach out to us at Camp Wilmot at any time (campwilmotdirector@gmail.com), we are here for you and are holding you all in our hearts and prayers.

 

Why did Camp Wilmot decide not to open this summer?

It was only after long and careful consideration and consultations with many other camp directors, New Hampshire camps, the American Camping Association, and the CDC, that we decided not to open for regular programming this summer. Many factors influenced our decision, including the age and wellness of our staff, our ability to truly uphold the CDC’s mandatory camp safeguards, and the guidelines of our denomination, the ACA, and the decisions of neighboring camps. Furthermore, New Hampshire has issued guidance that all out of state visitors are barred from visiting NH campgrounds, in the hopes of keeping the virus from entering new communities. We are compelled to honor these guidelines. With half of our campers and almost all of 2020’s summer staff from out of state, we could not honor this NH guideline and still staff and populate a camp. 

 

Overall, we are committed to protecting the health, safety, and well-being of our staff, campers, families, and local community. Based on the information we have today, closing Camp Wilmot for summer programming was the most responsible decision. Many of our staff and leaders have spent over a decade attending Camp every summer. We are devastated too. But we have decided to prioritize the health of our entire Camp family, trusting and praying that, because of prudent decisions made today, we will have many more summers to gather together at Camp in the future. 

 

Who do I contact for more information?

bottom of page