It is with a heavy heart that 4-H Camp Overlook announces it will not run for summer 2020.  It was not a decision made lightly, especially since this is our 75 year, but the health and safety of our campers and staff remain our number one deciding factor.  Camp Overlook is, and will remain, a special place to us in the North County.

A camp without hugs, a ropes course, swimming in the lake, blob tag, eating shoulder to shoulder at picnic tables, silly skits and talent show acts, a dance, or any one of the amazing traditions seemed unfathomable to us. We attempted to try each scenario and kept coming back to the realization that it wouldn’t be camp as we all know and love.  Social distancing at camp, with children, is an almost impossible task. As a mission driven organization, we felt it was impossible to meet the mission of camp while also safely managing a pandemic for campers and staff alike.

We have decided to focus our efforts on planning an unforgettable summer 2021, and beyond. While we are heartbroken, we remain encouraged and supported by our wider camp family. It is YOU who will get us through this incredibly hard time. We would love to see old camp photos, camp T-shirts new and old, a camp song sung at full volume, and campers getting outside this summer! It will remind us (and all of you) that the camp spirit lives on even when we are not physically at camp.

As many are aware we are offering full refunds, including deposit, to anyone who has already registered. While this will be financially devastating to Camp Overlook, it also seemed like the right thing to do for our camper families and our communities.  We will be contacting all our enrolled families in the upcoming weeks by phone to process refunds and appreciate your patience. There is an option to make a donation to cover our non-variable operating costs, including supporting our year-round employees who depend on their camp employment. If you chose to donation we are eternally grateful to you and your generosity to help us through this difficult summer. You can also reach out to us directly anytime at campoverlook@cornell.edu or 518.483.4769.

Thank you all for your unwavering support during this difficult time. Currently we are planning other programming options for campers. These options could include virtual camp programming, virtual campfires with camp songs and camp stories, and/or possible small group activities in person at camp later in the summer.  We are looking forward to hearing camp stories and photos from you, and planning an incredible summer 2021.

Warmly,

Casey Sukeforth – Camp Overlook Program Director – cls348@cornell.edu

Patrick Ames – Cornell Cooperative Extension St. Lawrence County – pta2@cornell.edu

Glen Butler – Camp Overlook Summer Camp Director – ghb58@cornell.edu