Right now, we are putting camp to bed for the winter.  In a typical year, we would be fondly remembering thousands of youth, adults and families who joined us on the mountain.  We would be closing cabins where campers and counselors had filled every bunk and shuttering windows from which giggles and whispers had been spilling all summer.  A whole new batch of campers would be calling Hi-Rock their home away from home and countless new friendships would have taken root.  This year has been anything but typical.

We are writing today to send an update and to ask for your help.  The pandemic required us to close our doors in March and to make the gut-wrenching decision to cancel youth summer camp.  By late July, we had secured permission to welcome families through a very limited campground model.  It wasn’t our usual Family Camp with gathering for campfires and activities, but it was a chance for families to enjoy the lake, the trails and the stars.

While it couldn’t replace youth summer camp, it was the elixir so many needed – an antidote to months of lockdown.  Campers brought their parents to camp and helped them feel at home.  Parents learned to sail from their children.  Longtime camp friends reunited at a safe distance.  Once we opened the doors, we couldn’t say all was right with the world, but things were certainly a lot better.

Again and again, we have heard from families that of all the things taken away by coronavirus, losing summer camp was the greatest loss for their children.  We are learning that pandemic-related restrictions may be taking a great toll on the social-emotional health of youth.  We believe kids will need camp more than ever, once restrictions are loosened.  Our work now is to ensure that we will be ready for them.        

Limitations on our operation have placed Hi-Rock under serious financial strain.  We have seen a dramatic reduction in revenue coupled with immovable fixed costs.  The challenge facing our community now is to get through this in a position of strength.  Many of you have already stepped forward to make contributions to help see us through these challenging times and for that we are very grateful.  The gap we need to fill to cover our critical costs remains wide.  We are writing to ask all members of the Hi-Rock community to help us bridge this gap.

By supporting us now, you make Camp Hi-Rock possible for the future.  By making camp possible, you give kids power they might not find anywhere else. You give them the power of connection to others, to nature, and to a bigger world. You offer the power of peace by relieving the pressures of their everyday lives. You open a window to powerful new perspectives and make space for creating memories that give strength for a lifetime. You introduce them to counselors whose power to influence and inspire will be unlike that of other adults in their lives.  Your support makes the power of camp a reality for all children and families.

Please consider making a donation to the Annual Campaign to ensure Hi-Rock is able to continue to empower campers.  You may click here to give online or mail a check to 544 East Street Mount Washington, MA 01258. We need your support to welcome campers back to camp with a program that meets the highest standards, safe and well-maintained equipment and buildings, and a talented, nurturing, and well-trained staff team.  With your help, we can make sure Hi-Rock is here for all and forever.

With gratitude and Hi-Rock love,