Joey lifeguarding during swim lessons.
Camp Koinonia was very much impacted by the pandemic. I am certain you were as well. Our lives have changed. Our camp has changed. Camp ministry unlike congregational ministry relies heavily on participation in on-site programs and user group attendance. Covid-19 eliminated a lot of our income and devastated our planned schedule. This is how we responded.
In the early months of the pandemic it was kind of pleasant. We slowed down, knocked out small projects and enjoyed some quiet. We received multiple grants and several large donations allowing us to bring in our wonderful summer staff early to help with special projects. We worked together and were able to get to know each other too. We made a huge dent in a long list of projects and preparing to open the camp after winter. In June, we received news that all of our summer schedule had been canceled and any hope of normal income was now lost. Melissa (Food Service Director), Kent (Board President), Juliana (Camp Assistant), Donna (Summer Staff Director) and myself met in the camp office and began laying out the options. We shared ideas and brainstormed possibilities for people to still come to camp. (For about 1/10 of a second, we thought about shutting our doors and laying off our team until this was over.) Together we came up with a plan. We were going to offer RV/Tent Camping, swim lessons, private swim sessions and cabin rentals for families.
Melissa, Ahnna and Juliana working on sack lunches for our Mountain Harvest Weekends.
“It was the first time my wife and son visited a summer camp and they both loved the experience. All the campers were diverse and friendly. The free dinner and outdoor movie (popcorn and home baked cookies) blew our minds. By the cleanliness of the rest rooms, pool, and the general area, it was obvious that your crew takes pride in keeping the camp an absolutely lovely place for everyone. Please share our sincere appreciation for making our Labor Day weekend under COVID-19 pandemic a delight. ”
We couldn’t stop. We wouldn’t stop.
One of our trout heading to a better place. Caught by one of our guests this summer.
Melissa quickly transitioned into registrar. Donna began prepping swim lesson curriculum. Juliana and the summer staff began setting up the camping/RV park and opened the pool. We made sure to start slowly and implement best practices for a safe stay at camp. One at a time we rolled out each idea. Our first weekend we took 8 in RVs. Our second weekend had 12 and so on. Our plan was on the right track. We added BBQ dinners on Fridays and Saturdays and offered some of our camp programs such as slingshots, kayaks, fishing, and an escape room. We sold firewood, cleaned bathrooms like crazy and met hundreds of people. We began to feel more like a community center than a summer camp.
Swim lessons, adult swim sessions, and private pool time were next. We set fair prices and trained our instructors and added swim lesson assistants. Our lifeguards were very busy. The kids loved their new skills and we saw tremendous progress.
“I’d say swim lessons were worth it considering a week ago he wasn’t swimming [and now he is].”
Camp Koinonia was very blessed. Not only were we able to keep most of the staff on all summer, we were also able to meet an entirely new group of people who loved camp. Our small communities of Cle Elum, Easton and Roslyn have become regulars ,and our friends from Washington and surrounding states now have a place to consider for future family trips. While we hope to be back to normal soon, we won’t forget the lessons we learned this summer. We worked very hard and gave a lot of our time and energy.
RV Family enjoying some treats from our snack shack!
Now that we have had our first snow, camp is quiet again. As I look back at the past 8 months, I realize how lucky we were. We had a great team. We had wonderful, understanding guests. We got to know our own community and met dozens of new friends. This isn’t an accident and we know that there are difficult days ahead. I want to remind our camp family that we exist and work hard not for the compliments and fun times at camp, but because we are stewards of God’s creation and we take this job seriously.
In Christ’ Service, Kevin Eichhorn | Director of Camp Koinonia
