BCH Center courtesy photo
This year’s summer camp programs at the Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center in Greenfield, N.H., have been suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The center’s executive director, John Koch, and board president, the Rev. Natasha Stewart, announced the suspension on May 13.
“In making this very difficult decision, we consulted with other New England summer camps as well as the State of New Hampshire, the American Camp Association and the national Episcopal Camp and Conference Center Association. Ultimately, we realized that the health and safety of our campers, staff and volunteers needed to be our priority and the decision was made to suspend programming,” they said in an e-mail announcement.
Families with registered campers may choose to have their paid fees fully refunded or applied to next year’s camp season. They can also designate those payments as a donation to support the center’s operations.
In their announcement, Koch and Stewart asked for prayers for campers and staff, as well as for the financial health of the camp and conference center. It has been closed since mid-March and, with the decision to cancel summer camp this year, will be facing at least five months with no income. Some staff members have been furloughed, and others are working reduced hours.
The center has set up a COVID-19 Operating Fund, and it is open to receive online gifts here.
“These may be tough times, but we continue to have confidence in our future,” Koch and Stewart said in their announcement. “The Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center community is resilient and strong. With lots of prayer and lots of creativity, we will get through. We are already looking forward to summer 2021!”