Spring 2021 Vol 34, Issue 1
News for the Friends of Lutherans Outdoors in SD Keep the Campfires Burning Appeal A Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic
Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota looks to the coming year with hopeful anticipation of once again providing life-changing ministry experiences at our beloved camps and around the campfire in 2021. While we actively plan unique and memorable summer camp experiences with added health and safety precautions, we also live in the reality of the continued global pandemic. The decision made out of care for our guests and campers to close the camps in 2020 yielded significant financial ramifications for the Lutherans Outdoors organization. This closure of facilities and programs led to a subsequent loss of $2.1 million in registration and fee income for the organization over the course of the past year and projected losses navigating into the new year. The good news is that, as of April 1st, more than $900,000 has been contributed to support the ministry. Lutherans Outdoors has been blessed by the generous contributions of individuals, families, and congregations. But a great challenge lays ahead. In order to address the financial losses of 2020 and the projected financial losses of 2021, Lutherans Outdoors is launching the Keep the Campfires Burning Appeal to raise the nearly $1.2 million remaining dollars needed to ensure the camping ministry of Lutherans Outdoors for years in the future. In order to reach this goal, we need your support. This collective, grassroots effort to raise critical dollars for the organization will provide Lutherans Outdoors with the financial resources to keep the campfires burning for many summers to come. Over the course of 2021, we ask you to consider pledging and giving a gift in support of this campaign. Whether it be a pledge over 3, 6, or 12 months or an immediate gift, your support is greatly appreciated. Together, we will ensure this life-changing ministry! For more information regarding this campaign, please contact Jake Hanson, Development Director, at jake@losd.org. Visit our campaign website at losd.org/donate.
THE DIRECTOR’S PERSPECTIVE The ground ball hit to me during my last baseball game before college was right at me and it ended up bouncing off of me. Luckily, I was able to scoop it up, throw it to first base for the final out, and the Legion team from Austin, Minnesota, was heading to the state tournament! I then had a problem—and the only way to solve that problem was to make a tough decision. Also happening the next morning was the bus going to the ELCA Youth Gathering in San Antonio. Do I get on the bus or do I stay to play in the tournament? The accompanying quote was shared with me a few years back and it comes into play quite often in my life. And I feel it came into play for the Board and staff of Lutherans Outdoors during 2020 and the start of 2021. A tough decision was made in April, 2020, to not have camp last summer. A tough decision was made in late 2020 to begin the Keep the Campfires Burning Appeal to help with the large loss of revenue as the camps have been closed for many months. You can read about this in the above article. A tough decision was made to begin the transfer of Joy Ranch ownership to a new non-profit organization in Watertown (see page 3 for details). Three tough decisions were needed for safety and for financial stability for Lutherans Outdoors. With a successful Appeal and the transfer of Joy Ranch, along with camp program happening again starting this summer, we can look forward to the reimagining of Lutherans Outdoors post-Covid pandemic. A reimagining of program---current and new. A reimagining of what our camps look like structure-wise, based on the reimagined programs. And a reimagining of what the correct staffing will be that enables our reimagined programs to be bold and successful. An exciting future is in store for Lutherans Outdoors. A future that ensures life-giving experiences in God’s love for all those participating. I look forward to reimagining together. Be Good, Paul Hanson, Executive Director
“Again and again we see the impossible problem is solved when we see that the problem is only a tough decision waiting to be made.”- Robert Schuller
P.S. I got on the bus at 6 am the following morning heading to Texas and have never regretted that tough decision. Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota welcomes all to andD experience W W W . explore L O S . O RChrist’s G love in community and creation. ~ Mission Statement of Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota
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