United Church of God

United Youth Camps 2020 Announcements

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United Youth Camps 2020 Announcements

July 9, 2020

Camp Seven Mountains Canceled

We are sad to announce that we, too, must cancel our camp. The location for Seven Mountains Pre-teen camp will not be open for us to use. We look very much forward to the camp season next year. Our dates for Seven Mountains Pre-Teen camp 2021 are August 1-4. Hope to see you then!
The Lewistown, Pennsylvania, congregation

 

June 11, 2020 Update

Cancellation of Preteen Camp Ironwood 2020

We are very sorry to report that we will not be holding "Preteen Camp Ironwood" this summer. We have looked at many different options and camp models that we could use to be compliant with the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control, and found that it would be very challenging to comply with all the guidelines and the governor's directives. Making adjustments to the camp program to comply with youth and summer camp guidelines would change the way the camp program is run and would not facilitate the close relationships and fellowship that campers and staff have had in the past. We also understand the uncertainty of the spread of the coronavirus and realize the safety of our campers and staff is of utmost importance. We will miss you and and pray for God's blessings on you and your family. We sincerely appreciate all the parents and staff as well as the home office and our legal advisor, who worked with us as a team to help arrive at this decision. We look forward to next summer when our camp family of campers, teens and adult staff are back together again.
David and Jolinda Schreiber, Camp Directors

 

Cancellation of Preteen Camp Buckeye 2020

Len Martin, Camp Director for preteen Camp Buckeye, has reluctantly made the decision to cancel the camp for 2020. Due to the many restrictions and regulations regarding Ohio summer camps, Mr. Martin indicated that it is "pretty clear that we would not be able to provide the wonderful camp experience our children have come to expect and enjoy. Therefore, I believe it is best to announce the cancellation of Camp Buckeye 2020, now, so families can have time to make other summer plans." Please make plans to attend Camp Buckeye in 2021!

 

May 28, 2020 Update

Northwest Camp Cancellation

Due to the State of Oregon not allowing overnight camps this summer we will not be able to hold Northwest Camp this year. We want to thank all of the campers who applied and staff who wanted to serve the youth of God's Church. We look forward to a great camp in 2021.
Rex Sexton, Camp Director

 

Camp Woodland Cancellation

Sadly, Camp Woodland will be canceled for 2020 due to the CDC mandate for Georgia. The camp facility managers have relayed that they have canceled all of their overnight June camps and will likely cancel their July overnight camps due to the current CDC requirement for all staff and campers to test negative for COVID-19 within 7 days prior to camp. This is a mandate that the camp facility and UYC do not want to require for our youth and staff and therefore we will not be able to hold camp this year. We'll deeply miss being together this year but will greatly anticipate next year!
Jay Ledbetter, Camp Director

 

Boundary Waters Adventure Will Be Held

We are pleased to announce that our Boundary Waters Adventure camp for young adults will be held this year. All of our participants have been given this good news and we look forward to seeing them in mid-July.
Frank Dunkle, Camp Director

 

May 14, 2020 Update

Cancellation of Camp Pinecrest

As everyone is aware, we have been watching the weeks and days go by as we have neared the various UYC camps' go/no-go dates with anticipation and hope for holding our summer camp programs. In relation to Camp Pinecrest, specifically, we have had conversations over the past two months with the camp's ownership and monitored restrictions and guidelines to determine if we could go forward with our UYC Camp Pinecrest program this summer. This week, our UYC Pinecrest camp leadership team came to the difficult conclusion that it is not feasible to hold Camp Pinecrest this summer in a way that satisfies safety standards while facilitating the closeness of relationships and fellowship that staff and campers love about camp. Thus, for the 2020 camp season, Camp Pinecrest has been canceled.

Looking forward to 2021 and having our Pinecrest family back together!

Mike Phelps, Director, Camp Pinecrest

 

April 30, 2020 Update

Cancellation of Hye Sierra, Camp Ococho, Camp Colorado (Excerpt from Mark Welch's Personal: https://www.ucg.org/members/news/personal-from-ministerial-and-member-services-april-30-2020)

This week we are announcing the cancellation of three more summer camps: one teen camp, Hye Sierra, and two preteen camps, Camp Ococho in the northwest and Camp Colorado. None of the camp directors wants to cancel a camp but, for many of us, we have little or no choice because of the decisions of the facilities in which we meet. I was forced to cancel Camp Colorado because that particular facility is not allowing any camps similar to ours to take place throughout the entire summer. To help everyone understand better why we might feel the need to cancel other camps where the facility has not yet "pulled the plug"—consider:

• The intimate nature of camp and the closeness required at any camp where children are constantly together for 3-7 days.
• How difficult would it be for our campers, especially in the case of preteens, to keep their hands off one another?
• How difficult would it be to practice physical distancing and proper cleanliness?
• Realize the fact that our campers come from many different parts of the country, and even from outside the U.S.
• What if one asymptomatic child arrived at camp and infected others who developed symptoms while at camp--or took the virus back home with them?
• Given the highly contagious nature of COVID-19, what type of challenges would we face with an outbreak while at camp?
• Realize that it takes much time and effort to plan and prepare for a camp and suitable lead-time for our Camp Directors is required.
• Some of our parents may feel torn about allowing their children to go to camp with the inherent dangers of doing so.

We greatly appreciate your understanding as we strive to consider all things and make the best decisions under the circumstances we are required to face.

Mark Welch

 

April 2, 2020 Update

Based upon the current situation, the decision was made by the United Youth Camps team to cancel four of our earlier-in-the-season camps, one teen and three preteen: Camp Cotubic, Camp Nacome, Camp Florida, and Camp Piney Woods. For those who have already registered and sent in payment to those camps, your funds will be returned shortly.

We plan to continue registration for our other camps, but have established decision deadlines for each one individually; on those dates, we will make a final call about whether to conduct that camp. We do not advise making non-refundable travel arrangements until after the date for your chosen camp.

We hope to conduct as many camps as possible this year, but the safety of our campers, staff and families is extremely important to us. In addition to that, the number of camper and staff applications for each camp will be a secondary factor in determining whether a camp is able to be held—so if you would like to attend camp this year, please register by May 1. This year we will waive late fees for payments, but are still asking for registration by May 1. You are welcome to delay your payment until it is confirmed that your camp will be held.

Some campers who applied to a camp that gets canceled this year may wish to move their application to a different camp. In that case, instead of starting a new application, it will save you time to contact uyc@ucg.org and email the camper name, the name of the camp you previously applied to and then the name of the new camp you wish to apply to.

A firm decision will be made for each camp on or before the following dates:

  • Already canceled: Cotubic, Florida, Nacome, Piney Woods
  • Ochoco: April 30
  • Colorado: May 7
  • Pinecrest, Hye Sierra: May 14
  • Woodland, Northwest, Boundary Waters: May 28
  • Ironwood: June 11
  • Buckeye: July 2
  • Seven Mountains: July 23