Wow. What we have experienced – are experiencing – is truly unprecedented in our lifetimes. There is a tremendous amount of fear, uncertainty, and doubt. Yet there is kindness, generosity, and hope. As much as has changed in the last 7 days, it’s important to look forward.
To that end, we’ve got an update.
Is Camp Happening?
Right now, yes, we are planning as if Camp is happening this year. However, we are paying close attention to federal and GA state guidelines and working with Woodland to keep up with the latest on COVID-19 and best practices for residential camping programs as we enter the spring. The health and safety of our Campers, our volunteers, our contractors, and our friends at Woodland is paramount.
This decision is an ongoing process. We will provide an update on April 16th.
What’s the status on the waitlist?
Last week, we took the first batch of students off of the waitlist. All on-site beds are booked at this point. We did not book any spots in the new cabin yet. With Woodland canceling their spring retreat season, they will not be able to complete the on-site cabin before June. That’s a huge bummer, but it is totally understandable.
Until we are certain that Camp is happening, we will not be booking any off-site locations this year. No further moves from the waitlist will happen until April 16th at the earliest. If it appears that Camp is still happening at that point, we will fill any vacated on-site spaces with registrations from the waitlist.
What if I need to cancel?
Please let us know ASAP if you need to cancel either a confirmed registration or a waitlist spot. We understand that lost work may make Camp a financial impossibility for some families this year, and we’re going to go easy on the refund policy this year.
Do we still need to make deposits?
In a word, yes, it helps if you are able to do so. Again, we will have a further update on April 16th. If you want to wait until then, that’s ok. As we get closer to Camp, the deposits and pre-payments are necessary for us to purchase supplies, pay our agreed payments to Woodland, and secure everything we need to make Camp awesome. Right now, if you need to wait until our next update to pay your deposit or next payment, that will be fine.
Any other questions, please email info@campvineyard.com.
Next Update: April 16th
Until then, be praying. Pray for the healthcare professionals on the front lines, the families grieving, the people who are scared, the people who are helping, the leaders making difficult decisions. Pray for wisdom, pray for safety. We know we live in an Already/Not Yet world – and at times like this the “not yet” seems overwhelming. Yet we serve a living God, a God who took death upon himself and won the victory over it on Easter Sunday. We serve a God of new creation, of things being set right within his cosmos, his good creation. The most famous scripture tells us that we serve a God who loved the world so much that he sent Jesus – the word that spoke creation into existence, made flesh to dwell among us – to save the world, including us. Fear sells, and we are being sold fear every minute – yet we are a people of new creation and of hope. We are created to be image-bearers which means, in part, reflecting the goodness, care, and love of God into his creation. So, let’s do that.
May we be, as St. Francis said, instruments of peace. Faithful in prayer, gracious in our interactions, generous with our resources, and steadfast in love.