fROM the desk of our fearless leader
Previous updates....
Summer 2020 safety guidelines and procedures
I am happy to announce that, as of 11:03 am, Koinonia Camp has officially been approved to open for residential camps during the summer of 2020!
Below you can view our approved plan for opening. This includes guidelines set by the State of Ohio and the way that Koinonia plans to adhere to these guidelines this summer. We are overjoyed to be able to run camp this summer, but as it always has been, the safety of our campers is our number one priority. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact our office, either by phone at 440-466-1278 or by email at offmgr@christiancampohio.org, and Amie will be happy to answer any questions you may have (or pass them along to Randy if they are above her pay grade!).
Please continue to keep Koinonia Camp, our summer staff, our counselors, our directors, and our campers in your prayers as we embark on a summer like we have never had before. Pray that our leadership would be led by the spirit in wisdom and discernment, and that our staff would be given the energy to take on all that is being asked of them above and beyond the exhausting job they already do. We appreciate your prayers and support more than words can accurately express!
Below you can view our approved plan for opening. This includes guidelines set by the State of Ohio and the way that Koinonia plans to adhere to these guidelines this summer. We are overjoyed to be able to run camp this summer, but as it always has been, the safety of our campers is our number one priority. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact our office, either by phone at 440-466-1278 or by email at offmgr@christiancampohio.org, and Amie will be happy to answer any questions you may have (or pass them along to Randy if they are above her pay grade!).
Please continue to keep Koinonia Camp, our summer staff, our counselors, our directors, and our campers in your prayers as we embark on a summer like we have never had before. Pray that our leadership would be led by the spirit in wisdom and discernment, and that our staff would be given the energy to take on all that is being asked of them above and beyond the exhausting job they already do. We appreciate your prayers and support more than words can accurately express!
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I knew I should have taken that class, “Leading a Camp through a Pandemic” while I was in seminary, but the “How to Use a Fax Machine” class seemed more relevant at the time. Yes, I jest, in the face of what has turned out to be the craziest start to any summer camping season that I can remember. Proverbs 17:22 says; “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” In the midst of this serious situation, we at Koinonia Camp have maintained our sense of humor and our desire to serve the Lord with all of our hearts.
Laughter, has been vital as I, the Koinonia Staff, and Board of Directors have been navigating this pandemic. We have spent countless hours in prayer. We have suffered through Zoom meetings, as we learned how all of the buttons worked. We have cried some; and we have laughed at ourselves, each other and all that has happened. And through all of this, we have been seeking the Lord and His guidance on what Summer 2020 should look like at Koinonia.
It is with a joyful, yet very cautious, heart that we have decided to delay the start of summer camp to June 28 this year. This “delayed start” will allow us the needed time to put into place and implement needed safety precautions throughout the camp. We will also be rethinking and adjusting how we run many of the amazing activities the campers have come to love. We will also be afforded the time to monitor the situation within our state and nation as our lives begin to bloom like the crab apple trees around camp.
Camp will be different this summer; of this there is no doubt. But different does not mean good or bad. It simply means change. On the schedule you will immediately notice major changes. Many camps have been shortened in length, some have had date changes, and still others are missing completely for this year. These changes have been made for safety, time constraints, and to offer the best camp experience possible during this craziness. Our hope and dream would be to return to our regularly scheduled program by fall.
As you look at the adjusted schedule, think and pray about what is right for your camper(s) this summer, please know that we are praying for you and your camper(s). We always want what is best for each family. If you have already registered your camper(s) for the summer, and for whatever reason they are unable to attend, I ask you to contact our office through email (offmgr@christiancampohio.org) so that we can work out details.
This decision to reopen camp was not made lightly. Over the years, your children (and grandchildren) have been precious to me. I have enjoyed watching them grow up physically and spiritually and their safety has always been my number one priority. This will not change. We have been discussing how to meet all of the recommended guidelines to stop the spread of this virus and still offer camp. As we move forward, we will be sending out an update on any changes we are implementing. If at any time you have questions, please contact our office through the email address listed above and we will contact you as soon as possible.
With all of that said, I want to leave you with this: Why do cows lie down together when it rains? To protect all the udders! Remember to laugh today. Remember to rejoice today, for today is the day the Lord has made. Hug your camper(s) for me and tell them they are loved. Please pray for the camp, the staff, the Board and me, as we continue to seek the Lord through this summer. Know that I am praying for you and your camper(s).
Eyes on The Prize,
Randy L. Brookes
Executive Director
Koinonia Camp & Center
Laughter, has been vital as I, the Koinonia Staff, and Board of Directors have been navigating this pandemic. We have spent countless hours in prayer. We have suffered through Zoom meetings, as we learned how all of the buttons worked. We have cried some; and we have laughed at ourselves, each other and all that has happened. And through all of this, we have been seeking the Lord and His guidance on what Summer 2020 should look like at Koinonia.
It is with a joyful, yet very cautious, heart that we have decided to delay the start of summer camp to June 28 this year. This “delayed start” will allow us the needed time to put into place and implement needed safety precautions throughout the camp. We will also be rethinking and adjusting how we run many of the amazing activities the campers have come to love. We will also be afforded the time to monitor the situation within our state and nation as our lives begin to bloom like the crab apple trees around camp.
Camp will be different this summer; of this there is no doubt. But different does not mean good or bad. It simply means change. On the schedule you will immediately notice major changes. Many camps have been shortened in length, some have had date changes, and still others are missing completely for this year. These changes have been made for safety, time constraints, and to offer the best camp experience possible during this craziness. Our hope and dream would be to return to our regularly scheduled program by fall.
As you look at the adjusted schedule, think and pray about what is right for your camper(s) this summer, please know that we are praying for you and your camper(s). We always want what is best for each family. If you have already registered your camper(s) for the summer, and for whatever reason they are unable to attend, I ask you to contact our office through email (offmgr@christiancampohio.org) so that we can work out details.
This decision to reopen camp was not made lightly. Over the years, your children (and grandchildren) have been precious to me. I have enjoyed watching them grow up physically and spiritually and their safety has always been my number one priority. This will not change. We have been discussing how to meet all of the recommended guidelines to stop the spread of this virus and still offer camp. As we move forward, we will be sending out an update on any changes we are implementing. If at any time you have questions, please contact our office through the email address listed above and we will contact you as soon as possible.
With all of that said, I want to leave you with this: Why do cows lie down together when it rains? To protect all the udders! Remember to laugh today. Remember to rejoice today, for today is the day the Lord has made. Hug your camper(s) for me and tell them they are loved. Please pray for the camp, the staff, the Board and me, as we continue to seek the Lord through this summer. Know that I am praying for you and your camper(s).
Eyes on The Prize,
Randy L. Brookes
Executive Director
Koinonia Camp & Center
From the desk of our slightly more
fearful under-leader....
2020 Check In and Check Out Processes
From the desk of our shaking in her boots equestrian leader....
Howdy from the Horse Barns at Koinonia!
The horses are practicing their hand-washing skills, as we prepare for COVID-19 summer camp. They are all bathed and moved to summer pastures with all the green grass!
We still need to work on some of their social distancing skills, but most of them are doing a good job and we still have a few weeks to practice before the campers get here.
Lori Brookes
Equestrian Director
The horses are practicing their hand-washing skills, as we prepare for COVID-19 summer camp. They are all bathed and moved to summer pastures with all the green grass!
We still need to work on some of their social distancing skills, but most of them are doing a good job and we still have a few weeks to practice before the campers get here.
Lori Brookes
Equestrian Director
