Camp Lakeside

Through deep waters of loss, fear and disappointments, know the Camp Lakeside staff has been praying for you each day. We hope to find you in good health, and we pray that you continue growing your relationship with Christ through it all. After weeks of thoughtful prayer and considerations, Great Plains Camping Inc. voted unanimously to suspend 194... 8 summer camp programs. This decision includes traditional programming at Camp Lakeside, Camp Horizon, Camp Chippewa, Camp Norwesca, and Camp Fontanelle. Find a link to that announcement here. We know this is difficult to hear, even heartbreaking for many. After all, it is hard to imagine a summer passing by without spending a week at camp. Many individuals have been wrestling with this decision and the possible outcomes since the middle of March. The decision to suspend our summer camp season was made with the full support of the site directors of the five camps. Staff from Camp Lakeside and the Great Plains Conference consulted experts in the medical and camping fields, as well as county and state health officials to attempt making the best decision possible. With all the factors known and still unknown regarding COVID-19, we ultimately know that we must first and foremost keep our campers and communities safe. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, outlined "Do No Harm" as his first rule for all Methodists. We hope you understand how difficult this decision is and how it weighs heavily on all of us, as a time of great loss. This is the first time since 1948 that anything like this has happened at Lakeside. We can assure you we considered multiple operational models, including a shortened summer season or working within the social distancing & sanitary restrictions. After weeks of deliberation and research, we determined we could not realistically reduce the overall risk to our campers, our staff, and their home communities. While we know that the decision of safety is always the correct choice, it does come at a financial cost to our families and the camp. We ...Read More