Dear Camp Colley Foundation Supporters, Partners & Friends:
We had hoped it wouldn’t come to this. But sadly and with much regret we have made the difficult decision to suspend our camp programming this summer as a result of COVID-19 and to minimize the exposure and spread among our campers, their families, and our staff.
The City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department announced earlier this month that they were making changes to their community center site-based summer programs, including the cancellation of all off-site “field trips”. Because we transport large groups of campers and staff twice weekly, Camp Colley was included in this designation.
With this in mind and with the White House and Center for Disease Control’s explicit social distancing guidance for schools, childcare centers and camps, we had no other option but to cancel our 2020 summer season.
We are saddened that we will be unable to host Phoenix’s underserved children at Camp Colley this summer at a time that they most certainly need it most. Unfortunately, our program operations do not allow us to “wait and see” what the state of Arizona’s COVID-19 data will look like in mid-June.
Our staff has invested significant time in developing a robust and impactful program for these children. And although we will be unable to implement these programs this year, we look forward to putting things in place for next year’s Camp Colley season.
Because many of our campers will still be participating in Phoenix Recreation Center site-based programming throughout the summer, we are working with city staff from those locations to bring elements of our program to campers here in Phoenix. Much like what our participants would experience at Camp Colley, our team will provide activities like archery, handicrafts, and nature games woven together with environmental education programming at a minimum of four community centers citywide.
We are heartened by the fact that we can continue to make a positive imact on more than 100 Phoenix-area children’s learning and growth opportunities this summer.
However, as a result of scaling back our camp program this summer, we expect to see a significant loss of income. With the future of Camp Colley at the forefront of our minds, we are asking you to consider your continued support by making a financial investment in our adapted summer program and the after-school programs scheduled to start this fall. Your sustained support will ensure we are prepared to deliver the highest quality programs for 450+ Phoenix campers throughout our 2021 Camp Colley season.
We would be happy to meet with you to discuss the important role you can play in making sure these kids have access to the foundational programs that Camp Colley is known for.
If you have any questions, please contact our Executive Director at (207) 356-8933 or via email at richard@campcolley.org. We would enjoy hearing your ideas of how we can remain responsive to the needs of our campers and community during this challenging time.
Sincerely,
Richard Berg, Executive Director &
Camp Colley Foundation Board of Directors