Dear Lions,
We hope that all of our Lions friends and families are staying safe and healthy during this difficult COVID -19 pandemic. This pandemic is not something that any of us expected or were prepared to handle, including the camp. It is with a heavy heart that we announce that for the first time in camp history, the Colorado Lions Camp will not be holding summer camp. This decision to close did not come lightly. As this pandemic continues to grow, our utmost concern is for the health and safety of our campers and staff. A large population that we serve are the most vulnerable when exposed to COVID-19 and we do not want to potentially compromise their health. We are still waiting for guidance from the CDC, American Camp Association, and our local and state government to provide guidelines to prepare camp and open in a safe manner. It saddens the staff here at CLC because we love camp just as much as the campers, and it hurts our hearts to not be able to share these incredible experiences & milestones with them. So, what does this mean for the camp moving forward? And how can our Lions help? Well, we are glad you asked! We have some great news to share!
We are happy to announce that we are offering NINE three-night respite weekends starting in August! We will host one camp session every month from August 2020 - April 2021. Our campers can still have that same camp experience, but it will just be on a smaller scale, so we can stay safe and follow social distancing guidelines. Respite weekends are limited to 16 campers at a cost of $300 for each session. Dates and applications will be available on our website by next week. We have been calling our campers, families, and agencies, and they are all excited about getting the opportunity to be able to return to a camp they call “home”.
What happens to the camperships and donations that our amazing Lions Clubs have sent in? Well, we will still be assisting campers to attend our respite weekends. Those funds, along with club donations, Pennies for People, and Dollar-a-Month contributions, will also help offset the cost of keeping our doors open. Donations are still needed during this difficult time as we prepare for our upcoming respite camps, finishing up maintenance projects, and knocking items off our never-ending “to do” list. We will be cutting back our hours and trimming our expenses so we can hit the ground running in August
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UPDATE: $50,000 for 50 Years Giving Tree Challenge”: There is still time to donate! We have extended the date to receive donations until July 15th. Our celebration luncheon and Giving Tree unveiling will be on Saturday, August 8th. We will send out more details as they become available. Please call the camp if you have any questions or need more information. Michelle will be contacting everyone who has donated to verify your engraving preferences. Thank you to all of those who have donated. We are excited to see this project come together, and be able to honor our generous donors.
The Colorado Lions Camp has faced many obstacles in the past 50 years and we continue to be strong. We will get through this, not alone, but together! Your support for our powerful mission is what makes this all possible for the incredible campers and families we serve.
We leave you with these words… “Hard times don’t create heroes. It is during the hard times when the “HERO” within us is revealed.”
Lion Erin Newport, Camp Director and Lion Michelle Werner, Executive Assistant