While it saddens me to share this news, in these complicated times, we have decided to cancel our youth camps at Camp Palisades for Summer 2020. We have been consulting with a number of officials, organizations, and other camps, and it has all pointed toward this conclusion. Our camp committee was meeting weekly to try and exhaust all options, and it eventually became clear that closing was the best decision.
Beyond the uncertainty, health risks, and major liabilities of holding a camp in the midst of Covid-19, our usual activities began to be eliminated by cancellations and restrictions. We held out for a while, and as far as I know, we are the last conventional Christian camp in our wider region to make the decision to cancel. In that time of waiting, we were able to glean wisdom from those who made these decisions before us as we watched our plans became increasingly untenable.
My hope is that this decision will not only be a cessation, but will be received as a sort of year of Jubilee—a time of Sabbath rest after 62 years of camp. Yet rather than just let camp lie fallow, I hope this is a time where we can breathe some new life into this place. I think this is a perfect time for us to renew some of the resources we have at our camp, replacing and repairing things and caring for the things that need our attention. If you have ideas for projects, you’d like to donate toward the improvement of our camp grounds, or you would like to support our future camps by giving to the camp programming Committee, please be in touch with me.
We trust that God will continue to use this camp, and we pray that we will steward this heavy blessing with the care it deserves.
Kevin Chupp – Director – Camp Palisades, Pastor – First Mennonite Church (Aberdeen, ID)
Family Camp
Date: September 5th-6th, 2020 (Labor Day Weekend)
Cabins are limited and reserved on a first-come-first-served basis. Only a handful of cabins are equipped with electricity, so please specify whether you need electricity.
Private Dates Reserved
July 3-6, July 30-Aug, Aug 5-10, Aug 11-16
