Camp Magruder's latest update (updated 4/7/21)

Update 4/7/21

Camp Magruder is inching closer to reopening, and we continue to get a clearer picture of what it will be, though it is moving slowly. The State of Oregon recently announced overnight youth camps will be permitted this summer. We expect state guidelines to be announced before May 1. 

When we receive the guidelines, we will propose a suggested protocol and terms and conditions for Magruder family & youth camps along with summer retreat groups. Once we have coordinated with the cabinet of the Oregon-Idaho Conference of the United Methodist Church, we will be ready to announce our camp schedule and finalize plans with other retreat groups. 

We know this process has made planning difficult--it has been challenging for us too. We are committed, though, to doing summer 2021 responsibly, taking the most current studies and recommendations into consideration as guests return to our site. 

July 1 continues to be the target date to begin hosting larger retreat groups. We are taking reservations for groups from that date forward and guaranteeing looser terms on deposits and cancellations. Please contact us with more questions. Dates are still available. 

We do plan to hire a summer staff for 2021, so please contact hope@campmagruder.org for more information. We expect it to be a challenging but special summer for the incredible people we'll work with this year. 

Camp Magruder will continue to host single family and pastoral respites or volunteer groups less than 10 with people and organizations we already have a relationship over the next few months. If you have a stable pod that would like to spend some time at camp and give back through a volunteer project, contact troy@campmagruder.org. 

Director Troy Taylor and Reservations Coordinator Leslie Carter are back to full time work in the office, so response times are much faster these days. We have our work cut our for us, but having more days to put towards this work we love has been energizing. Nearly everyone on the full time Magruder staff has already been scheduled for vaccination, and we look forward to our first maskless staff meeting. 

We are continually blown away by the support that sustains this place from so many different directions. We know 2021 will be challenging for us and many others. Despite that, we do not feel alone. We feel deep gratitude for everyone who has given donations, prayers, service, social media shares, and overall positive vibes. We invite you to be part of supporting the reemergence of this meaningful camp community in the coming months however you can. 

Be well until next time. 

Update 1/29/21

It feels like Camp Magruder has been in hibernation for a while, weathering the pandemic storm, but we are excited to share some new information. There seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel, though we are still not sure how far the tunnel reaches. We are at least, making plans and ready to share. 

Camp Magruder will continue to exclusively host single family and pastoral respites or volunteer groups less than 10 with people and organizations we already have a relationship through at least the Spring. We are also exploring possibilities within our county to serve as temporary housing for victims of Covid-19 as they recover. 

We have set a tentative return date for larger retreat groups at July 1 of this year. With the new normal of uncertainty we live in, this date is dependent on many other factors working in our favor between now and then. We are currently taking reservations for groups from July 1 forward and guaranteeing looser terms on deposits and cancellations. Please contact us with more questions.

Many of our staff have returned to limited work, thanks in large part to several grants. Camp Director Troy, Bookkeeper Angie, and Reservations Coordinator Leslie are all working about one day a week. As you might expect our response time is slower than normal. Our Maintenance Staff Rik and Kevin are working at half time. Thanks to an innovative ministries grant, Program Director Hope is working at half time producing Magruder content, so look for increased interaction on our web presences. 

Our Executive Chef Peter is working limited hours as we continue our Community Table program, feeding hungry families in the community weekly. We will also continue to prepare lunches for students during holidays and breaks. We are already planning with our partner organizations for Spring Break. 

The last year has been a tough climb for Camp Magruder and our sister camps. Supporters from many places have stepped up and been part of sustaining our sites. We still aren't certain what the near future holds, but we are much more confident we will emerge stronger as the pandemic wanes. If you would like to continue to invest in the great work camps will do as we all recover, visit our donate page http://www.campmagruder.org/donate.html and share our story on social media. 

We can't wait to see you again. 

Update 6/26/20

Camp Magruder will not be hosting retreat groups and youth camps in July and August, in collaboration with our governing body, The Board of Camp and Retreat Ministries, and our sister camps. In the coming weeks, we will make a decision regarding September and October.

We've had lots of inquiries about small family groups using the Guest House and other facilities. While the State of Oregon is currently allowing Family and Adult Retreats with thorough social distancing and disinfecting protocol, our region within the United Methodist Church has not yet entered a phase allowing those types of gatherings. We will continue to update as the situation evolves.

Due to the enormous loss of revenue our entire camping system is experiencing, most Camp Magruder staff will be furloughed, effective July 1 indefinitely. Director Troy Taylor will keep limited hours for essential administrative tasks, but the camp office will generally be closed until regular operations resume or new funding becomes available. Expect slow responses to email and voicemails.

Camp Maintenance Staff will continue to support the camp at reduced hours, thanks to a maintenance grant, and kitchen staff will also operate at reduced hours, continuing our meal program feeding the food insecure of our county, also thanks to grant money.

The coming months will be a daunting uphill climb for Camp Magruder and it's sister UM camps in Oregon-Idaho. Please keep our camps in your thoughts and prayers, and bring attention to the challenges we are facing. We anticipate the need for large-scale fundraising in the next 6 months to cover our costs. If you want to be part of that effort, visit the donate page at  http://www.campmagruder.org/donate.html, share our posts on social media to get the word out, or contact us directly to find out other ways to help.

Continue to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and this blog. We anticipated this shut-down and created a great deal of online content in advance to continue to try to be a light in these dark times. We love you and look forward to the next time we are in the same room.

Update 6/3
On May 27 Camp Magruder announced the cancellation of Program Camps and Retreat Reservations

through the end of August. We came to this decision in collaboration with Board of Camp and Retreat Ministries of the Oregon-Idaho Conference for the United Methodist Church, of whom we are a member. From here on, we will evaluate cancellations on a rolling two month schedule, next evaluating September/October, then later November/December.

Camp Magruder is considering the possibility of hosting guests in the Guest House and possibly small family groups in our lodging in the months to come. First we must receive clearance from local, state, and church entities to host guests again, and we have not yet entered all the phases necessary for that consideration.

Camp staff continues work thanks to a stimulus loan through the CARE Act. During this time without retreat guests, we are developing programs to reach out to local community members in need. Our kitchen staff is now preparing meals with donated food that goes out to the food insecure of Tillamook County. Funding is in the works to keep the kitchen staff making those meals for months after the stimulus runs out. We are developing other outreach programs, creating virtual content, and maintaining camp facilities.

Stimulus money will run out at the end of June unless extended by Congress, and this will likely leave most of camp staff functioning on far fewer hours, if not fully laid off. If Camp Magruder is unable to host groups for the rest of the year, we stands to lose 85% of projected income for 2020. The good news is that every 2020 group who cancelled has rebooked for 2021. Camp just needs to weather this storm. Go to http://www.campmagruder.org/donate.html to support the efforts of our staff to keep Camp Magruder sustained and doing good in the world during these difficult times.

Continue to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and this blog. We will keep reaching out to the Camp Magruder circle to help create community during these isolated times. We love you and look forward to the next time we are in the same room.

Update 5/4

Camp Magruder continues to adhere to current state stay-in-shelter announcements, and will not be hosting groups until they have been lifted at the earliest. The camp continues to work with groups who are booked in the coming months to work through alternate plans. We are also brainstorming protocols for social distancing and cautious retreat activity should we begin welcoming groups again.

Summer Camp session at Camp Magruder have not been canceled as we await state recommendations and developments across the country. We will not be hosting our Memorial Day Family Camp, but are still considering the possibilities of hosting later scheduled camps and retreats in the summer. We will make announcements as the situation evolves.

Thanks to a small business stimulus loan, Camp Magruder's staff has returned to work at 3/4 time. We are working to maintain the camp and make many contingency plans to best be ready for whatever lies in the future. The loan will last until mid-June.

If you want to stand with Camp Magruder during these challenging times, visit our donation page http://www.campmagruder.org/donate.html to contribute. The fact that you want to support

means as much as the dollar amount. Our Giving Tuesday campaign Keep the Fires Burning seeks to raise money to cover utilities for all Oregon-Idaho UM sites for around a month. The page will be active throughout May at http://fnd.us/41elS6?ref=sh_88csnd.

Continue to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and this blog. We will keep reaching out to the Camp Magruder circle to help create community during these isolated times. We love you and look forward to the next time we are in the same room.

Update 4/13
Camp Magruder continues to adhere to current state stay-in-shelter announcements, and will not be hosting groups until they have been lifted at the earliest. The camp continues to work with groups who are booked in the coming months to work through alternate plans.

As of Monday, most of the Camp Magruder staff has been furloughed to deal with the loss of income we are experiencing through group cancellations. Please expect correspondences to take longer than normal until we are able to bring employees back on.

Camp Magruder is still making plans for the summer season with a variety of contingency plans to account for the uncertain future. We will make announcements as the situation evolves.

If you want to stand with Camp Magruder during these challenging times, visit our donation page http://www.campmagruder.org/donate.html to contribute. The fact that you want to support

means as much as the dollar amount.

Continue to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and this blog. We will keep reaching out to the Camp Magruder circle to help create community during these isolated times. We love you and look forward to the next time we are in the same room.

Update 3/23
In accordance with Oregon state mandates, Camp Magruder will not be hosting guest groups until the first week of May at the earliest. We will continue to update our plans as we know more.

Our Counselor/Dean/Nurse Training for Summer leaders in Oregon-Idaho Conference Camping the weekend of April 17-19 will therefore not happen in person, but we are exploring plans to do the training remotely. Check in with Camp Magruder social media to stay current on that retreat's status in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, Camp Magruder is exploring ways to translate our skills and resources towards assisting exhausted community leaders and professionals as this difficult time becomes more difficult. We intend to temporarily reinvent ourselves to best serve the greatest needs in front of us. It is our hope we can make a difference, find purpose, and keep our camp doing the work of its mission as so many places are shutting down.

Please keep us in your prayers, as we tread out into these unfamiliar waters. If you are looking for places to support and bolster during the pandemic, you can be part of keeping this place in operation, providing means to continue to pursue ways to change lives. Go to http://www.campmagruder.org/donate.html to be part of our ambitious journey to be light for this darkness.

As of now, summer camp season is also still scheduled, and we continue to accept registrations, recruit summer staff, and prepare for times of spiritual growth. As with every plan these days, we hold the same uncertainty about the near future everyone else does, and we are working on contingency plans if social isolation is still the recommendation at that time.

We continue to work with all guests and groups to resolve losses for time booked at Camp Magruder

related to coronavirus. We encourage parents, campers, and retreat leaders not to let concerns over lost deposits keep you from tentatively planning to be at camp. We recognize we are in extraordinary times and plan to act with the compassion these times require.

Look for more posts reaching out, seeking to offer a retreat space within everyone's isolation bubble. We wish to inspire, make you laugh, give you some hope. Watch our Facebook & Instagram feeds as well as this blog.

May we find peace even bigger than these big times.

Please reach out if you’d like to talk to me: Troy Taylor 503-355-2310, troy@campmagruder.org.

Troy Taylor

Update 3/17/20
As state and national recommendations for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic have emphasized stronger measures towards isolation and social distancing, Camp Magruder is working with our groups to reschedule events that have or may be impacted by the coronavirus this spring.

In accordance with state recommendations and the Oregon-Idaho Conference of the United Methodist Church, Camp Magruder is not hosting guest groups until Easter (April 12) at the earliest. We say this with full understanding of how quickly this situation is changing, and we will also continue to update our plans as we know more.

We currently still plan to host our Counselor/Dean/Nurse Training for Summer leaders in Oregon-Idaho Conference Camping the weekend of April 17-19. Check in with Camp Magruder social media to stay current on that retreat's status in the coming weeks.

As of now, summer camp season is also still scheduled, and we continue to accept registrations, recruit summer staff, and prepare for times of spiritual growth. As with every plan these days, we hold the same uncertainty about the near future everyone else does.

Know we will work with all guests and groups to resolve losses associated with time booked at Camp Magruder related to coronavirus. We encourage parents, campers, and retreat leaders not to let concerns over lost deposits keep you from tentatively planning to be at camp. We recognize we are in extraordinary times and plan to act with the compassion these times require.

In addition, we hope to be an outpost in this time of social isolation for you to feel some connection

and experience something sacred. Look for future posts reaching out, seeking to offer a retreat space within everyone's isolation bubble. We wish to inspire, make you laugh, give you some hope. Watch our Facebook & Instagram feeds as well as this blog.

May we find peace from something bigger in these big times.

Please reach out if you’d like to talk to me: Troy Taylor 503-355-2310, troy@campmagruder.org.

Troy Taylor

Camp Magruder Site Director

Original Post 3/11/20
As news continues to evolve on the spread of the COVID-19 virus, commonly referred to as Coronavirus, Camp Magruder is staying up to date on recommendations by public health officials. We realize the concern many people are experiencing and it’s our intention to respond with care and hospitality as we always seek to do.

We already regularly follow recommended steps to prevent virus spread as standard practice. In addition, we are giving extra attention and frequency to these procedures. All staff are washing hands more frequently. Kitchen staff disinfects dining hall tables and chairs after each meal. Housekeeping staff disinfects all rooms after cleaning them. We are also closely monitoring our own health as a staff.

We understand the hesitancy many people are struggling with to go to public places and travel, especially those who are or are close to vulnerable populations. Please contact our staff if you have questions--we want to help you make the right decision for yourself.

Should health officials recommend closure of public places in our region, we plan to comply with

those recommendations, and we’ll make arrangements with all our groups. Until then, Camp Magruder currently plans to continue our mission of providing sacred spaces of Christian hospitality and learning, because we feel we are a relatively low risk facility. The number of people passing through is far fewer than a typical grocery store. Plus any camp guests will have already interacted with a significant number of the people they share space in some other space, generally speaking.

Our staff is consistently monitoring developments on the global, national, state, and local scale. We will continue to update this message as the situation evolves. Please reach out if you’d like to talk to me: Troy Taylor 503-355-2310, troy@campmagruder.org.

Troy Taylor
Camp Magruder Site Director