2021 Camp Closing Message from the Director
Dear Camp Jaycee Campers and Families,
First, I hope that you remain in good health during these challenging times. I want to thank you all for your patience this year as we have worked endlessly to navigate COVID-19 and its impact on Camp Jaycee. After tremendous effort and struggle, I am saddened to report that I am unable to secure the safe and timely arrival of our international staff for the summer 2021 camp season. As you know, international staff help fill our program with great counselors, support staff and friends to provide the vibrant community we all know. Despite months of work and planning, the uncertainties with international travel are still too great and because of this, Camp Jaycee will not operate for the summer of 2021.
As an organization, we know that Camp Jaycee is a second home for so many of you, as it is for me. I want to assure our community that this is not the outcome we had worked so hard for and wished to deliver. For the last year, Nicole and I planned, prepared, and took all possible steps that would allow us to provide both a safe and fun summer at Camp. We explored alternative sessions, schedules and developed protocols to meet the guidelines and suggestions set forth by the Center for Disease Control, the American Camping Association and the local and state governments. Camp Jaycee worked closely with local universities, a variety of hiring agencies and used creative new ways to try to recruit local staff to offset our staffing concerns. I promise you that we pursued every possible path and explored all potential mechanisms for finding staff to support our campers this summer. Ultimately, despite these efforts, international staff remain the backbone of our camp program, but the rules related to work visas and international travel, in combination with the many uncertainties of the virus and surges in other countries, has tied our hands when it comes to securing their arrival. These restrictions are beyond our
control to change, and we are very disappointed by this outcome.
However, we are confident that we will not let this put out our campfire and we will notify you at a later date with a time for you and your loved one to come up to camp this summer to visit, explore and keep the flame lit!
For our families and campers that have registered for the 2021 summer please find the following options below:
Tuition Roll over: For campers and families that registered and made full or partial payments prior to April 19th, we can hold and apply all or a portion of the fees towards the 2022 camp season.
Donations: Making a gift of some or all of the funds you have already paid is a generous way to ensure that Camp Jaycee remains strong and ready to re-open when it is safe to do so. Camp Jaycee aims to be here for our campers and families well into the future, and your gift helps preserves our mission to serve all. Thank you to everyone who is able to make this vital gift to Camp Jaycee during a time of extreme hardship.
Full or Partial Refunds: We know that many families are also facing their own hardships. We can process a full or partial refund in the amount paid or you may choose to take a partial refund.
Yours in camping,
Maureen “Mo” Brennan
Director of Camp Jaycee
Please Click on the link to view a vide message from Maureen “Mo” Brennan, Camp Director