Lake Whitney Ranch Summer Camp Canceled for the Season

Tamara Michalenko Terry

May 5, 2020

“After months of carefully following and evaluating the evolving COVID-19 situation, Texas Conference of Seventh-day Adventists administration in Alvarado, Texas, reached a prayerful, difficult and values-based decision to cancel summer camp at Lake Whitney Ranch,” Kenn L. Dixon, Texas Conference vice president for Communication & Public Relations, shared.

“We are heart-broken over this decision, but understand it is a necessary one given the health challenges we are facing,” Deborah Gendke, Texas Conference summer camp co-coordinator, added. “The activities are fun, but it’s the connections, some life-long, that will be missed the most.”

“Young people are baptized every year at summer camp, so we understand the importance of this evangelistic program,” Carlos J. Craig, Texas Conference president, said. “Even though we have areas in Texas without any cases, it would not be wise to gather everyone together knowing people can be carriers of this virus without any symptoms and unknowingly spread the virus.”

Joining the creative online community, Gendke is working with the summer camp admin team of young adults to arrange an online version of summer camp providing those much-needed connections and spiritual enrichments.

“We are still in the planning stages,” Gendke said. “But will communicate the details when they are available.”

In the meantime, you can relive summer camp memories on the Lake Whitney Ranch Summer Camp Facebook page. Like and subscribe, so you will be notified when updates are posted. The summer camp website, youngtexasadventist.org/summercamp, will be updated in the coming weeks as plans are finalized.

Thank you for keeping the team in prayer as they prepare an online summer camp. For those already registered for Lake Whitney Ranch summer camp, full refunds will be processed within the next few weeks. Additional questions can be emailed to summercamp@txsda.org.

Tamara Michalenko Terry, associate director
Texas Conference Communication & Public Relations