Thankful for rising attendance, ‘working hard’ to fix problems

Attendance at Holston Conference summer camps continues to rise. This past sea-son, attendance increased by eight percent over 2000 figures, from 2,851 to 3,103.

Nonetheless, Holston Conference Camping and Leisure Ministries faces a financial crisis that has conference leaders “working very hard” to remedy, says Camping Coordinator Rev. Randy Pasqua. The leadership is also examining its mission, “preparing for a vital future.” In a nutshell: “We’re on the threshold of change,” he said.

About 100 conference leaders, including the camping board and Discipleship Team, are reviewing preliminary results of a study commissioned by the conference in 1999. The study will address a cumulative camping ministry deficit of more than $250,000, as reported in the “Conference Journal 2000.” The 2001 budget for Holston Conference Camping & Leisure Ministries is $1.8 million.

Rising attendances at summer camps shows the program “has quality,” Pasqua said. “We’re delighted that we’re meeting our campers’ needs.”

But aging facilities, rising expectations from kids and parents, and a decline in adult retreat attendance put the squeeze on camp budgets, forcing directors to spend more money on campers each year while upgrading buildings and infrastructure.

Built more than 30 years ago, the majority of Holston’s seven camps “do not meet contemporary needs for comfort and convenience,” the study found, negatively impacting adult retreat participants.

“Our facilities were built to be summer camps. They’ve lagged behind in keeping up with standards for adult retreats,” Pasqua said.

As childcare industry standards rise, summer camp ministries also must meet higher requirements for training, supervision, space and facilities.

According to the study, suggested changes include offering camp ministries through fewer sites and revamping financial and leadership structures. No dramatic changes are expected before the 2002 summer season.

Pasqua said the preliminary results of the study are being treated as a “working document. We’re working it into a plan that everybody can get behind. Whenever you propose change, that scares a lot of people. But we need to be poised for future ministry. It costs significant dollars to have a quality program.”

Camp Stats
Total 2001 summer attendance: 3,103
Total 2000 summer attendance: 2,851
Percentage of campers from United Methodist churches: 71
Number of churches represented: 308
Dollars spent by Holston groups on scholarships: $190,557
Camp with largest attendance increase:
Camp Dickenson, from 508 last year to 601 this year
2001 theme: With Open Arms
Next summer’s theme: In the Majesty of the Earth

back to The Call home