Summer Camp 2021

Board and staff discussed at length the realities of COVID-19 on overnight summer camping and made the difficult decision to suspend overnight summer camps for summer 2021.
- LOMC did not have summer camp in 2020 and we felt that the risk for spreading infection had not changed and is likely to not change in Illinois for summer 2021.
LOMC board and staff considered facts and asked these questions:
- The state of Illinois is not allowing overnight camps until we reach Phase 5.
- When will vaccines be widely available for staff and campers?
- What restrictions might be in place by our local health department?
- Evaluating our facilities for best practices related to COVID-19.
The decision was that children and staff sharing common rooms (and bathrooms) carries a higher risk of spreading COVID-19.
- Overnight sleeping in shared rooms without masks increases the risk.
- Daytime activities and meals could be managed with very low risk.
- COVID-19 vaccines for children are not yet approved (as of early 2021) and we don’t have a good answer on its availability by summer.

LOMC is currently evaluating other possibilities for the summer season this year. Our current goal is to have plans by late winter.

Day camps, day events, household getaways and more will be available.
- Retreats in our Freedom Tree Village are available as guests can stay in their own room with their own bathroom.
- Retreats in our Retreat Cabins are available at only one person per room and with restrictions on transportation.
- Day camp opportunities (if provided) will only be onsite at LOMC.
We will plan opportunities that do not put more financial strain on LOMC.
We want to provide the best life-giving/changing EXPERIENCE for all who visit this summer…
- A place of SANCTUARY
- Practice COMMUNITY
- Explore CREATION
- Live by FAITH

We are diligently working to create some amazing possibilities for summer despite not having regular overnight summer camps.