“How Lucky I Am To Have Something That Makes Saying Goodbye So Hard.” – Winnie the Pooh.
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A Letter from the Director
Regarding the cancellation of 2020 programming.
Dear families and friends of Augusta,
For two months, we have waited and remained hopeful.
Like many of you, we have been adapting our lives to the new world we live in… trying to find the balance between camp time, work time, parent time and global pandemic time. With our 6 year old twins, shelter in place has meant homeschooling, and parenting while also navigating the pathway of Augusta’s present and future. We are so grateful to live in these magical woods with a small community and we are definitely glad kindergarten doesn’t include calculus yet!
We are now writing the letter that we didn’t want to write, and sending you a message that many of you didn’t want to hear.
The summer of 2020 has officially been canceled at Camp Augusta.
To open or not to open? This is the question that we have been grappling with for over a month now. Watching the curve, waiting for guidelines, surveying parents, and consulting with county officials…none of these avenues gave us the confidence that operating a summer camp and gathering children and adults from around the state and from literally around the globe was a good idea. It sure sounded like a great idea back in January and February. Yet the reality of what the consequences could be led to our final decision with our board of directors.
Along with concerns about everyone’s physical health and safety as well as the financial health and safety of camp many questions had no answers…
Could we bring all of our staff here and guarantee the well-being for all of our campers? What if all went well and we were shut down midway through the summer? What if we had an infection at camp? What if…? What if…?
With so many unknowns here in the middle of May, we put up the white flag and decided that this is how the summer must be. A summer without camp. As ‘unprecedented’ as it is, this is our new reality.
While the impact of this decision on Augusta’s future is not entirely known, we do know that this was the best choice we could make with the information we had. Not only for the health and wellbeing of our campers, families, and staff but also for Camp Augusta itself.
Your trust. Your love. Your support. Your families. Your children.
Our Campers.
This is why we are here and why Augusta has been full for the last many years. It is why we work a desk job for 6 months of the year… so we can play in the woods, be creative with, and inspire your children.
Whether this was to be your first summer or the next of many, thank you for trusting us with the safety and wellbeing of your camper. This means the world to us. We cannot thank you enough for your continued support and belief in Augusta.
We look forward to lighting the campfires again next summer.
Campingly and Sincerely Yours,
Randy and Kerry O
(…Clove and Annika too!)
We know parenting can be tough at the best of times, and we acknowledge that we’re all doing the best we can in these circumstances. Below are some resources you may find useful.
How to Support Your Camper About Augusta Being Cancelled
Partnering With Parents – Site created by Randy to offer many of our own philosophies to parents
To Reclaim and Foster the Beauty, Wonder, Awe, Potential and Innocence of Childhood
In these difficult times, and with the sad news that we won’t be able to open up the woods this year for some much needed play and time in nature, our vision statement feels as important as ever. Explore the links below to understand more about how we strive to follow our mission, and how you can continue to support and guide your campers through the challenges we all face.
Linger
Hmmm, I want to linger.
Hmmm, A little longer.
Hmmm, A little longer,
Here with you.
Hmmm, It’s such a perfect night.
Hmmm, It doesn’t seem quite right.
Hmmm, That this should be,
My last with you.
Hmmm, And come September,
Hmmm, I will remember,
Hmmm, Our camping days,
Of friendships true.
Hmmm, And as the years go by,
Hmmm, I’ll think of you and sigh.
Hmmm, This is good night
And not good bye.
Hmmm I want to linger.
Hmmm A little longer.
Hmmm A little longer,
Here with you.
Flicker
Flicker the campfire, Wind in the Pines
Stars in the heaven, the moon that shines
A place where people gather, making friends of all kinds
A place where all our troubles are always left behind
So! Give me the light of the campfire, warm and bright
Give me some friends to sing with, I’ll be here all night
Love is for those who find it, I found mine right here
Just you and me and the campfire and the songs we love to hear
“Thank you and your team for providing such a special place which my daughter has so loved. Camp has nudged her out of her comfort zone and allowed her to thrive but there, she also feels complete acceptance for who she is. She has saved all of her “badges.” We collected them all and reflected on who she was then and now.
May she always have a “Camp Augusta” in her life to return to.
My deepest appreciation and gratitude to you and your team.”
Parent
“Camp Augusta is a place that allows you to walk through your day without questioning yourself or the things you can do. It gives you a whole world of possibility and tells you that no matter what, you belong in that world with all of the wonderful, creative, and magical people who are there with you.”
Eric – Staff
“We receive these letters each year and they are always thoughtful and affirming – always appreciated and impressive.
The letter from Randy and Chris this year, however, particularly touched us. The description of our son was so beautiful and so spot on that it gave us an “ah-ha” moment about him. The way you described his skills, his spirit, his quiet, his ability to be the “glue”, his value of silence… you put into words our feelings about and for him. As parents, we, of course, always worry about silly things, “Why isn’t he joining student council like his sister? Why does he shy away from social events so much? Why is he such a great, confident athlete, but so shy when interacting with new people?” . Your words described the beauty of his character/personality in a way we haven’t been able to articulate ourselves.”
Parent
“Augusta is the first place I worked that made me feel like I mattered. I learned so much from my time there and met so many amazing people. Augusta isn’t just a camp, it is a family whether you’re there for 1 year or 20.”
Logan – Staff
“Dear Camp Augusta,
Thank you for letting my daughter grow up with you.
This photo is her first year at Camp Augusta during Family Camp, when she was four years old. This will be her ninth year going to camp with you.
I believe this year was her best year ever. She is discovering herself, her confidence has grown, and she is trying new things gaining new skills.”
Parent
“I’m so excited to share all the little moments that we can sometimes overlook or forget. I’m excited for the shyness and the ‘I’m-not-quite-sure-what’s-happening-but-I’ll-go-with-it’ness of the first Sunday afternoon. I’m excited for the moments waiting in line for Lazy Dog, discussing with your cabin what flavor to get. I’m excited for how absolutely peaceful the woods are while you’re falling asleep, and for the chaos of clinics being called while you try to finish one last game of Gaga Ball. I’m excited for moments of fear and growth and joy that happen all at once, for the overwhelming heat that can only be escaped in the icy cold waters of Lake Vera. I’m excited for the sprint with a flag down from Manzi, even though you know you might not make it. I’m excited for the songs that just don’t sound the same when they’re not sung on the woodchips with the people you love. I’m excited for all the small things, but mostly I’m just excited to share them with all of you guys.”
Lizzie – Staff
