Good afternoon,
Premier Ford announced earlier today that overnight summer camps will be closed this summer in response to the COVD-19 pandemic our province and country is experiencing. Forest Cliff Camps fully supports the government’s announcement as we also hold the health and safety of campers and staff as paramount in all the camps we operate.
In addition to our overnight camp closing, we have also made the decision to not operate our day camps this summer. For the past 80 years Forest Cliff Camps has been trusted by parents to provide safe and fun camp experiences for their children. In the face of this pandemic we cannot provide that same level of safety for our campers, staff and their families at our day camp locations.
We understand the disappointment and sadness that this announcement will bring to all the campers we were excited to host this summer. We empathize with all the seasonal staff that were planning to spend their summer at one of our camps and serve as cabin leaders, activity staff or in support roles. We are so sorry that we won’t be able to meet around the campfire, splash in the lake, race through an inflatable obstacle course, sing, dance and meet new friends together.
Our mission at Forest Cliff Camps is to create unforgettable and life-changing camp experiences for each camper. Even though we won’t be seeing each other face-to-face this summer, we are already hard at work putting together creative and fun new ways to be part of our campers’ lives this summer.
The closure of our camps is unprecedented and it will take us a few days to communicate the next steps to the thousands of campers and hundreds of volunteers and staff that were excited to be part of the Forest Cliff Family again this summer.
Forest Cliff Camps has an 80 year history of being a “home away from home” for thousands of children each summer and our priority is to preserve that legacy but we will need your help. Forest Cliff Camps is a charitable organization that depends on the fees from camper parents and the donations of faithful supporters to cover our operational expenses, add new activities or update facilities.
We will be reaching out by email later this week to provide more clarity on our response, ways you can help and options for how to proceed with your child’s 2020 camp registration. In the meantime, we thank you for your patience and would appreciate your prayers as we navigate this very challenging situation.
God bless,
Tyler
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May 26, 2020
Dear camper family,
Even in the midst of the disappointment of not hosting your child(ren) at our day camps or overnight camps this summer, we are excited to see you in person next year. As we have talked to our Forest Cliff Camp Family over the last week, we are reminded that Forest Cliff is more than just camp. It’s a place to call home, a place to grow up and experience new adventures every day.
Because we know your kid(s) look forward to their week of camp all year long, we are pleased to offer you the opportunity to “roll-over” the fees you have paid this year, as a credit for our camps in 2021. Your child(ren) will be excited all year for the amazing week of camp they will be coming to in 2021 and you will be smiling because you have paid a portion of the registration fee already!
Choosing the “roll-over” credit would ensure that:
In addition to the benefits of the roll-over credit for your family, choosing to leave your paid fees with Forest Cliff would be a real help to us. As we make plans for a summer with no camp and no revenue, it would be incredibly valuable from a financial perspective to have funds available to continue to connect with our campers this summer and prepare for the 2021 camp season.
We need 1500 camper families (which is about 3 out of 4 current families) to support Forest Cliff by choosing the roll-over credit option. Reaching this goal will help us finish this year strong and build a firm foundation for our 2021 camp season. Some of our families have already reached out and asked for a credit, and we are very thankful for this great start!
The second option we wanted to offer you today is the opportunity to donate the fees you have paid toward your child’s camp registration in 2020 and receive a tax deductible receipt. This is a helpful option for you if you know your child(ren) cannot attend camp next summer and you also want to support Forest Cliff Camps in this challenging time.
To aid our Admin team with the large numbers of camper parents that will be requesting one of the options above, please indicate your choice of either a credit toward 2021 or donation of your payment toward Forest Cliff Camps (including a tax receipt) by clicking the following link:
Credit / donation form
Our Admin team will be processing these requests over the next week. Your account will be adjusted on or before June 5, 2020.
We will be sending an email on Thursday May 28 with other options, including an application for a full or partial refund if you are currently experiencing financial hardship.
Thank you again to the many parents that have reached out with encouraging messages over the past week. Our Staff Team is so looking forward to the privilege of caring for your children again in 2021 at day camp or overnight camp!
Thank you for considering these helpful options,
Tyler Shaule
Executive Director
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May 28, 2020
Dear camp family,
Thank you for your patience as we work diligently to communicate Forest Cliff Camp’s Next Steps plan in response to our camps not operating this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Part 1 of the Next Steps plan we laid out possible two options: a roll-over credit toward camp in 2021 or the opportunity to convert your paid fees to a donation. If your family would like to select either of these very helpful options please click HERE.
The remainder of this letter will provide details of the other options available for camper families to choose from.
The options we are making available today are:
The unprecedented nature of closing camp means that we are navigating uncharted waters and although we are working long days to respond to camper parent requests, it will take some time to address each request. There isn’t an automatic “refund all” button so each request is given personal attention by one of our staff members to ensure it is completed correctly.
As our Admin team coordinates this “de-registration” process for over 2500 campers we have encountered a number of limitations we want to make you aware of:
We recognize our cancellation policy indicates refunds will be processed within 4 weeks and we will work diligently to process refunds. However, due to the significant number of cancellations and factors beyond our control, it may take longer. We thank you in advance for your patience.
To check the status of your refund request you can log into your Forest Cliff account at https://forestcliffcamp.campbrainregistration.com/ to view your current statement.
Once you see the refund on the statement, the funds should be returned to your credit card within 7 days or a cheque mailed to the address indicated in your account.
To access the form and make your refund request please click the following link:
refund form
In the face of disappointment and sadness over camps being closed this summer, we hope your family will choose Forest Cliff Camps again next year as a trusted partner in caring for your child(ren) at either day camp or overnight camp (or perhaps both!).
Hoping to see you at camp next summer,
Tyler
Executive Director