At Ferncliff, we believe kids need space where they can be outside and just be kids. Kids need a place where they can expand their independence, learn more about themselves and connect with the natural world. Ferncliff is that kind of place. And camp at Ferncliff just might be the best place for kids to be this summer.

The Ferncliff leadership staff have been and will continue to monitor health and safety conditions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. At this time we feel good about offering a limited day camp program this summer with a few significant modifications to our typical summer routine:

Daily Health Screenings: Each camper and staff member will need to pass a health screening, including a temperature check, to attend each day.

Small Independent Groups: Each small group of campers will be 10 or fewer and will stay independent of one another as they rotate through activities.

Maximized Outdoor Time: Each group will have an indoor space as their “home base,” but campers will be outside as much as possible, including during lunch and snack breaks.

Increased Cleaning and Sanitization: We will clean and sanitize all spaces, supplies and equipment between uses.

Activity Modifications: We will adjust all of our activities and games to be as socially distant as possible.

By modifying our program in these ways, we were able to operate a limited day camp program last summer; we served nearly 150 campers in 5 weeks of the Summer of Jubilee Day Camp in 2020. We have also been operating a small-group nature day school program, LearnCliff, since September 2020. Sure, things are a little bit different and we miss some favorite Ferncliff traditions, like s’mores, campfire cooking, all-group worship, and Capture the Chicken. But we have found that kids are resilient and the magic and fun of camp and outdoor programming remains. Through these programs we have learned a lot about how to reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19 for our staff and participants, while still making the camp experience fun, exciting and engaging.

We have also modified our refund policy so that families can have more flexibility as they make decisions about their summer plans. This spring we have a no-risk registration policy; cancel anytime before April 1st and receive a full refund. And like any summer, you can cancel any time up to 14 days before your scheduled program and only forfeit the deposit.

This is what we feel we can offer our community at this time. Our staff will continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic in our area and follow directives from the Arkansas Department of Health as we make future decisions about summer 2021, including the possible inclusion of overnight residential camps for a portion of the season, most likely in the second half of the summer.

Thank you so much for your support through your gifts, kind words and service. We will do our best to keep families informed of any changes to our summer schedule. Know that we will continue to prioritize the health and safety of our campers and staff as we consider how we can work towards our mission and serve our community as the pandemic drags on.

Appreciatively,
Joel C. Gill