We are eager to begin the administrative process of “rolling” into 2021.
We feel that it is the last step of closure needed before really starting the 400 day countdown to next summer.
Our goal is to gently proceed without any risk or stress for you.
So, at this time, we only have a single question for you: With camp officially closed by the government we will be giving you a refund in full, will you please allow us to direct this refund towards a family credit for 2021?
If your answer is YES, you can always change that answer to a NO at any time before March 1 without any cost or penalty.
Why say YES?
To answer this simply: If you are sure you are not attending in 2021, you should direct us to send the refund to you. Saying yes secures your spot at Walden for next summer and benefits you in the form of incentives, including a two year price freeze.
Perhaps most of all, saying YES, at least for now, would be an enormous help to our camp and our two families.
No matter what your answer, camp will return stronger than ever in 2021.
More details can be found below.
When you are ready to respond, please click the START button below.
While this period has been challenging for all of us, the support we’ve received from the Walden community has reinforced why we love what we do, and the important role camp plays in the lives of our campers and families. We are dedicated to ensuring that we continue to deliver the “best summer ever” in 2021 and beyond. We can’t wait to be together again.
We will be in touch all summer long… and #WeWillComeHome soon.
Sincerely,
Sol & Jen and Howie & Sari
As outlined in our last letter, there is one model where we are directing most of our planning efforts, and that is a full-length or nearly full-length season with a late start and a near-isolation approach. The new target first day of camp for us, and this may change again, is July 10. We would hope to operate as many of our usual programs that we can. All activities would be in-camp (no trips, no visitors), and campers would arrive by car.
There will be heightened screening restrictions and a commitment from parents to be ready to take home campers in case of illness. Parents would have to fill out swim forms, health forms, and complete payment over the course of a few days instead of weeks. It would be rushed for you to get packed and for us to get ready, but we will open if we can for what would surely be the most memorable summer in history.
Please note: If we do operate, these provisions also apply to families who, for whatever reason, choose not to attend.
Please trust that we plan to handle closure in the same way we handle camp: with honesty and transparency. Here are the specific details if we do not operate this summer.
To say this all simply:
If you are sure you are not attending in 2021, we will be giving you a full refund. If you are even considering returning in 2021, please leave your registration with us, at least for now, and change your mind at any time before March 1 at no penalty. In addition to helping camp, you and your family will have access to a multi-year incentive as our thank you.
Here are all the details:
We have two unexpected and massive burdens: the loss of a year’s revenue and income, and the additional costs associated with keeping the site safe while unused for a whole year – these are no small costs. These burdens are entirely ours. None of this is your responsibility. But we, the Birenbaums and Grossingers, are two families in partnership, and our small business looks like it will be shut down for a full year.
We wanted you to understand why we need to ask you the following: Please stay with us!
Please return to camp in 2021… and please leave your funds with us while you wait. Whether you do or not, we promise that we will spend all this unexpected extra time making the summer of 2021 a summer that the kids will always remember.
CITs is always described as the very best year of the whole Walden experience. Out of all of our campers, in the event of closure, the CITs of 2020 will be the most disappointed of all. We believe they deserve this experience, need and will benefit from the Counsellor In Training program.
We want the staff that we hire for your children at Walden to be those that have completed our training program and we will always make room for well-intentioned and graduated CITs on the staff roster of the following year. We are lucky that we have the space and we have the cabins.
With all this in mind, we’ve decided that the CITs of 2020 and 2021 would form a double cohort in 2021. The younger cohort will have the typical CIT experience. The older cohort will also have the typical experience with a few added Staff-like experiences.
The fees for this 7-week program for each cohort will remain the same. But the older cohort will receive an honorarium of $400 (the normal 1st year salary) when they successfully complete the program. As an added feature, we will be bringing all registered older cohort CITs to Walden for 24 hours this Fall (if allowed) for a special “CIT ThinkTank”.
We’d like to hear from them how we can make their unique experience even more special.
Since these campers now advance to grade 4, these options aren’t normally available. But given that this is their first overnight experience, we really want to make sure we get it right. So these unique campers will have a few options:
Since these campers now advance to the next grade, these options aren’t normally available. But we will listen and work with you to figure out a solution that best meets the needs of your family. We are very open to making special exceptions for this group.
Clearly, we must postpone this year’s Family Weekend. We will be holding THREE new options for Family Weekend during the 2020/2021 school year to choose from.
We hope all those registered for our June 2020 weekend will be available to join us for one of these options. This new October option takes place on what is usually the most picturesque weekend of the year. We also hope that many new families will be able to join us. What a beautiful way to close out this crazy season. A full refund is available as well. More information will be provided shortly and a link will be available here.
Those families opting for the pay in full rate will be asked to pay their balance by August 15. For everyone else, outstanding balances will be collected in four equal instalments in 2021 on March 1, April 1, May 1, and June 1. This is a change from our normal April/May/June, and June-only options.
The First Day of camp is July 2, 2021! God willing, we will all be there together!
New to Walden? Have a look at our Information Sessions or find out about our Discovery Programs.
Already registered? Make sure to fill out our Spring Registration Form so we have all of your up-to-date information.