“For I know the plans I have for you”, says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” Jeremiah 29:11
Camp Arrowhead made the decision to cancel our summer camp programming in response to COVID-19 and its implications on our ability to live in community as we have since 1954. We tried to anticipate some of your questions and answer them below.
COVID-19 Response FAQ's
What happens with the money I’ve already paid to camp?
If you did not receive an email about this on May 8th, you can read it by clicking here. We understand that this pandemic has greatly affected many families and want to be as supportive as possible. We will be offering FULL refunds (deposits, paid tuition, as well as store card deposits and care packages sales. You have a few options: a full refund, transferring your payment towards 2021 registration, as well as making a partial or full donation to offset camp’s operating costs. Please fill out the Refund Form in the email to let us know your decision as soon as possible.
How can we let you know what we decide and long will my refund take?
Over 1300 campers had registered for camp, so it will take some time. Please be patient. When forms are returned, our Registrar will begin the process and send you a confirmation email. Generally, debit and charge card payments will be credited back to the issuing card, and those who paid by check will receive a check. Receiving your Refund Response Form as quickly as possible will help expedite the process, however, we are not going anywhere and will always be here for you. Communication is imperative during this time, so if for some reason you feel there is an issue, please call or email and we will get back to you. Our goal is to have taken care of everyone by the end June.
What if my camper has scholarship as part of the tuition?
We will refund camper families only the portion of registration fees paid by the household. The scholarship portion will be returned to the donor.
Will you hold my spot for next summer?
If a family chooses to transfer their registration to 2021, we will match it to the closest date we are able for next season. You will then be contacted and informed of the dates. At that point we will work with you to find an alternate session if needed, dependent on availability. Tuition for 2021 will be set by summer’s end and transfer campers will only be charged for the difference in 2020 and 2021 fees. Our goal for this work to be completed is August/September.
What if we choose to transfer, but discover our camper can’t attend in 2021?
No worries here, we will provide full refunds until January 1, 2021. At that point, we will revert to our normal refunding policy.
What about Pathfinders and this being my camper’s last summer?
As we look ahead to 2021, we are working to create more Pathfinder camper options to accommodate this summer and next summer’s Pathfinder population. We generally encourage campers to camp as long as they can and to consider being a Pathfinder next year. Some Pathfinders will turn 16 before the end of June 2021 and may choose to apply to work at camp. Others may opt out of camping and working next summer to pursue other opportunities. All of these options are okay. We have time to navigate these uncharted waters.
What about the summer staff?
Are you going to offer any programs at all this summer? Will they be on site or virtually?
As of the posting of this document, May 8th, we don’t know being it is too soon for us to know what is possible. If at any point it becomes safe for groups to gather in small numbers, we hope to open the camp property for fun and creative events, programs, or worship. We will not run virtual camp, but we will work to foster connections with campers, their families, and the staff in meaningful ways, online or otherwise. Once we have fully absorbed and processed the decision to not run our regular camping program, we can turn our attention to what comes next. We trust that God will inspire us with new and exciting ways to draw us together, even if it’s not in the way we had originally hoped and planned.
How will we know what might be offered and how to sign up?
Any information about potential programs will be sent to all camper families that were registered this summer, as well as being posted on our website and social media. Clear directions will be included, and as always, you can call for additional information.
Will you be running Labor Day Family Camp and your fall retreat programs?
We certainly hope so. We are committed to Labor Day Family Camp and our Fall retreat schedule as long as state and federal guidelines are met and it is safe for all of our participants and staff. Once we know more about what will be permitted we hope to introduce new and creative ways for us to gather at Arrowhead in the fall.
Will Camp Arrowhead be okay financially? Is the ministry at risk with both summer and retreat cancellations?
The camp is not at risk for the time being, thanks to the full support of our Bishop and Diocese, our generous friends and donors, and our creative and resilient year-round staff. Many of our typical expenses will be greatly reduced, but not eliminated. We don’t yet know how the economic implications of COVID 19 will impact camp or our supporters. But we do know that God has always laid a path forward for Arrowhead. Making a donation to help offset our operating costs would certainly be a blessing! We are 110% committed not only to find creative ways to continue this ministry through this uncertain time, but to make sure camp as you know it returns next summer!
What can we do to support Camp Arrowhead right now?
We are constantly overwhelmed by the support of the Arrowhead community, and this time is no exception. We would welcome your help and support right now in a few different ways:
What about the Capital Campaign & the New Dining Hall planned for 2022?
Great question. The executive committee for the Council’s Capital Campaign for the new dining hall recently met an reaffirmed the project to move forward. Currently initial site design and engineering work is being completed so that we are able to finish plans needed to be submitted for appropriate permitting. Hopefully the fundraising needed for the project will formally begin in the fall allowing us to send out for bids in the Spring of 2021 beginning construction after next summer.
If you did not receive an email about this on May 8th, you can read it by clicking here. We understand that this pandemic has greatly affected many families and want to be as supportive as possible. We will be offering FULL refunds (deposits, paid tuition, as well as store card deposits and care packages sales. You have a few options: a full refund, transferring your payment towards 2021 registration, as well as making a partial or full donation to offset camp’s operating costs. Please fill out the Refund Form in the email to let us know your decision as soon as possible.
How can we let you know what we decide and long will my refund take?
Over 1300 campers had registered for camp, so it will take some time. Please be patient. When forms are returned, our Registrar will begin the process and send you a confirmation email. Generally, debit and charge card payments will be credited back to the issuing card, and those who paid by check will receive a check. Receiving your Refund Response Form as quickly as possible will help expedite the process, however, we are not going anywhere and will always be here for you. Communication is imperative during this time, so if for some reason you feel there is an issue, please call or email and we will get back to you. Our goal is to have taken care of everyone by the end June.
What if my camper has scholarship as part of the tuition?
We will refund camper families only the portion of registration fees paid by the household. The scholarship portion will be returned to the donor.
Will you hold my spot for next summer?
If a family chooses to transfer their registration to 2021, we will match it to the closest date we are able for next season. You will then be contacted and informed of the dates. At that point we will work with you to find an alternate session if needed, dependent on availability. Tuition for 2021 will be set by summer’s end and transfer campers will only be charged for the difference in 2020 and 2021 fees. Our goal for this work to be completed is August/September.
What if we choose to transfer, but discover our camper can’t attend in 2021?
No worries here, we will provide full refunds until January 1, 2021. At that point, we will revert to our normal refunding policy.
What about Pathfinders and this being my camper’s last summer?
As we look ahead to 2021, we are working to create more Pathfinder camper options to accommodate this summer and next summer’s Pathfinder population. We generally encourage campers to camp as long as they can and to consider being a Pathfinder next year. Some Pathfinders will turn 16 before the end of June 2021 and may choose to apply to work at camp. Others may opt out of camping and working next summer to pursue other opportunities. All of these options are okay. We have time to navigate these uncharted waters.
What about the summer staff?
- Anyone already hired for the summer of 2020 will have a position available for them in 2021. There will be a short re-application form posted in the winter to acknowledge continued availability and position preferences.
- If you were in the pipeline to interview – you can contact the Director, Teri at tvalente@camparrowhead.net and still finish.
- If you were waiting for all of your references to be completed, the Director will count your current ones towards next summer, but you will need to reapply this winter.
Are you going to offer any programs at all this summer? Will they be on site or virtually?
As of the posting of this document, May 8th, we don’t know being it is too soon for us to know what is possible. If at any point it becomes safe for groups to gather in small numbers, we hope to open the camp property for fun and creative events, programs, or worship. We will not run virtual camp, but we will work to foster connections with campers, their families, and the staff in meaningful ways, online or otherwise. Once we have fully absorbed and processed the decision to not run our regular camping program, we can turn our attention to what comes next. We trust that God will inspire us with new and exciting ways to draw us together, even if it’s not in the way we had originally hoped and planned.
How will we know what might be offered and how to sign up?
Any information about potential programs will be sent to all camper families that were registered this summer, as well as being posted on our website and social media. Clear directions will be included, and as always, you can call for additional information.
Will you be running Labor Day Family Camp and your fall retreat programs?
We certainly hope so. We are committed to Labor Day Family Camp and our Fall retreat schedule as long as state and federal guidelines are met and it is safe for all of our participants and staff. Once we know more about what will be permitted we hope to introduce new and creative ways for us to gather at Arrowhead in the fall.
Will Camp Arrowhead be okay financially? Is the ministry at risk with both summer and retreat cancellations?
The camp is not at risk for the time being, thanks to the full support of our Bishop and Diocese, our generous friends and donors, and our creative and resilient year-round staff. Many of our typical expenses will be greatly reduced, but not eliminated. We don’t yet know how the economic implications of COVID 19 will impact camp or our supporters. But we do know that God has always laid a path forward for Arrowhead. Making a donation to help offset our operating costs would certainly be a blessing! We are 110% committed not only to find creative ways to continue this ministry through this uncertain time, but to make sure camp as you know it returns next summer!
What can we do to support Camp Arrowhead right now?
We are constantly overwhelmed by the support of the Arrowhead community, and this time is no exception. We would welcome your help and support right now in a few different ways:
- Pray for us. You can do this with a spoken prayer or in your own creative way.
- Keep memories fresh! Wear a camp bracelet to remember us, drink out of an Arrowhead mug, wear your camp swag and think of your camp friends and staff. Have an evening campfire (real or engineered), sing camp songs, tell ghost stories and make a s’more. Be sure to take a picture and tag us or share it with us so we can post it for our camp community to see! Keep remembering the love we share in our community, for we will be together again for sure!
- Communicate with us! Make a short video of what camp means to you, how you miss your friends or the sing your favorite camp song. Write a message, draw a picture or create a poem. With parent permission, we will post them throughout the summer.
- Make a donation by clicking here. Not only will it help support our operating costs for the rest of the year, it will continue to support our projects meant to make camp the best it can be! We putting the finishing touches on the new Pioneer Shower House, and Bishop Wright Activity pavilion, and they both are amazing. All Pathfinder and Pioneer site have a permanent dining fly frame, with new grills in #5 and #7. The camp alumni bought a second nine holes for the disk golf course and we have a new shed to store all our summer program materials! We will continue on this path as long as we are able!
What about the Capital Campaign & the New Dining Hall planned for 2022?
Great question. The executive committee for the Council’s Capital Campaign for the new dining hall recently met an reaffirmed the project to move forward. Currently initial site design and engineering work is being completed so that we are able to finish plans needed to be submitted for appropriate permitting. Hopefully the fundraising needed for the project will formally begin in the fall allowing us to send out for bids in the Spring of 2021 beginning construction after next summer.