Dear Camp Solomon Schechter Community,
We are writing to you today with a message that we so hoped we would never have to send. Over the past few months, we have held out hope and explored every available option to safely welcome our
chanichim (campers) and
madrichim (counselors) this summer. It has now become clear that it is not possible for us to run our traditional summer program in-line with the CDC health guidelines and the phases of reopening as set forward by Governor Inslee's office. And most importantly, we do not know if we can ensure the safety of our community, which is a risk that we are not willing to take.
After careful consideration, we have come to the painful decision that
Camp Solomon Schechter will not offer overnight Camp in 2020. This decision is guided by recommendations from the American Camp Association, the CDC, the CSS Medical Committee, and the State of Washington.
We understand that this message is just as painful to read as it was to write. CSS is more than just a summer camp. It is a
kehilla kedosha (sacred community) and a home away from home, where so many are able to be their best selves, make life-long friendships, and create their own unique Jewish identities. Rest assured, that when things improve, we will find ways to bring our community back to Camp, maybe even as soon as the end of this summer. If new information emerges and conditions change that lead us to be able to provide in-person gatherings, we will make it our top priority.
Financial Impact On Camp
With the cancelation of our summer season, we will be incurring significant losses as a result of money we have spent in preparation for Camp (from facility maintenance, recruitment, and operational costs) and in supporting our families that request refunds. We are making crucial financial choices to stabilize our finances, but the key drivers of our financial model are
camper fees and philanthropy. The loss of our camper fees means that we must depend more heavily on the generosity of people who love Camp Solomon Schechter. A full year without summer income will create a significant operating loss.
64% of Camp's budget is spent before the campers even arrive. To keep Camp financially solvent throughout this crisis, we will need to make deep cuts and raise more than
$500,000.
Credits, Refunds, and Donations to Camp
At Camp Solomon Schechter, we believe very deeply in making refunds available to all registered families. We are, first and foremost, a community organization, which means that you are not just a business client; you are a member of our Camp family. However, this will have a profound impact on our budget, as mentioned earlier. We ask you to kindly consider donating part, or all, of your tuition to Camp to help CSS through these extraordinary times.
We are so fortunate to have incredible community partners who recognize the urgency of our situation and have stepped forward with matching grants to encourage everyone who cares about Camp Solomon Schechter to act immediately. The
Harold Grinspoon Foundation and
Samis Foundation are working together to create a 1:2 matching grant for the first $76,500 of tuition converted to donations. That means that a gift of $1000 becomes $3000 to Camp. Additionally,
Carl and Joann Bianco have created a 1:1 match for the next $76,500 of converted tuition, stretching our pool of matching funds to $230,000. We cannot afford to leave any of these incredibly generous incentives on the table. There are also new beneficial tax laws through the CARES Act to help incentivize charitable giving (see below). It's at times like these, times of need, when we most feel the generosity, support, and unwavering love of this sacred community.
Please make a donation to help Camp through this crisis. Together, we can ensure that campers will gather on the hill in front of beautiful Lake Stampfer to sing Havdalah under the stars in 2021 — and beyond!
Knowing that many of our campers return year after year, we are offering the option to roll the tuition that you have paid for this summer to the 2021 season. You can roll forward any portion up to the full amount. We do not yet have the 2021 session dates but will make these available as soon as possible.
You can request a refund for tuition you have paid. Third-party scholarships and One Happy Camper grants will be refunded to those organizations directly. Please be patient with us as we will issue refunds based on availability and cash flow. We will try to work as swiftly as possible to honor each refund request. If you have an immediate need for funds, please reach out to
CSS Registrar Michaela Covner.
You may also "mix and match" from the options above. In order to make the most informed decision, current statements will be emailed to all families this week.
We will be calling all of our families starting this week so we can review these options and let you know that we are with you during this incredibly sad and challenging time. Please be patient as we make calls; we have many families to call and want to give each of you the time you need.
We will be hosting a community gathering online at 7pm tonight. We hope to have you with us during this time to share in this loss as a community and show our love for CSS. Simply click the link below to join, or enter the meeting into your Zoom app. We will continue to have our virtual programming on
Facebook and
Instagram as well.
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 850 1697 1672
As always, thank you for being a part of the Schechter Family. This will be the first time in 67 years that our campers will not be showing up for an amazing, life-changing summer at CSS. We are devastated. We work all year-round for those two sacred months of summer. And we know that our campers start counting down the days to get back to Camp as soon as they leave. Restarting that countdown now for Summer 2021 is a bitter pill to swallow. The memories that keep us going for ten months of the year, that get us from one summer to the next, will have to last a little longer this time.
We are especially thinking of our Odedim who will be missing their final summer as campers, and our first-time campers who were brave enough to start their journey this summer. Just know that we are thinking of you. We will make the start of your journey extra (EXTRA!) special next summer. And we will make sure that the end of any campers' journey is filled with all of the sacred camp rituals and traditions as well (even if we have to run two Oded programs next year!).
We cannot wait to welcome all of our campers again in 2021. We love this community. We love Camp.
With all the affection one can muster with a broken heart,
