COVID-19 UPDATE

It is with a heavy heart that we must share the disappointing news that LifeCamp will not operate this summer. After much deliberation by the Board and staff, it became clear that we could not ensure the health and safety of our campers and staff. The logistics involved in transporting campers to and from Pottersville to spend the day in the company of more than 450 campers and counselors make social distancing impossible and present far too great a risk. Subsequently,  Governor Murphy announced his decision to keep NJ public schools closed for the remainder of this academic year which only reinforces our course of action. Nonetheless, it was a hard decision to make, knowing how much our campers and their families depend on the LifeCamp experience.

We are considering ways to remain connected to the campers this summer and we will keep you posted on those discussions. We also recognize that many of our families may be under financial stress and we had already offered to return camper deposits while still holding a place for those that signed up early. We will be returning all deposits in the next few weeks.

Financially, LifeCamp entered 2020 in stable condition. We intend to halt any fundraising activities until later this year so that we can all focus on the important work of moving past COVID-19 and returning to a new normal. We will not hold either the golf outing or the Hoedown in 2020.

The decision to close camp is a huge disappointment to everyone associated with LifeCamp and to those we serve. As we approach our 100^th anniversary, the health and safety of our campers and staff and their families remains our overriding concern and makes this the only way forward.

We look forward to re-opening LifeCamp in 2021 and providing an enriching summer day camp experience for Newark area youths for six weeks during June, July and August. We appreciate your understanding and, as always, we are grateful for your support.