Important Camp Adams News!

Conference Colleagues-

I have some hard news about the Camp Adams 2025 camping season: We have been advised by the County Health Inspector to stop using any of our buildings at Camp Adams until we can have mold inspections and remediation work done. This means we have to cancel Summer Camp, and may not be able to accommodate churches in the fall.

This is especially sad because we had to truncate our camping season last year, due to staffing issues, and because Pilgrim Cove also canceled their UCC Camp Week this year -- and I know some Idaho folks were hoping to send kids to Camp Adams. However, we're also grateful to those who helped us keep from exposing our children to potential harm. 

How We Got Here

Last year, we discovered a slow water leak in the Ad Building at Camp Adams, along with some mold damage. After fixing the leak, our Facilities Manager, Brendan, and Executive Director, Natalie, thought it wise to have the cabin mold-tested. This kind of testing is difficult to schedule, and takes time. However, when the report came back last week, it showed extensive problems, including types of mold that are known to be harmful to children and people with compromised immune systems. The recommendation was to close the Ad Building until remediation could be complete.

We know that mold is a common problem in our temperate rainforest environment, and Natalie had cleaned mold out of other cabins in her usual Spring Cleaning, so we reached out to our insurance agent for advice. We also let campers, volunteers, and summer staff know what we had learned, and we reached out to the County Health Inspector. Over the weekend, a few campers canceled their plans, and our summer kitchen staff reported they had been having mold problems in their cabin and were experiencing health concerns that made them think they couldn't continue to work at camp. On Monday, the Health Inspector said we should close all our cabins until they could be inspected and remediated.  

Where We Go from Here

At an emergency meeting with Conference leadership and staff on Monday, the mood was sad but hopeful for the future of Camp Adams. I and our Accountant, Andy, believe we have the financial resources to be able to weather this. Natalie and I had already been talking about plans for a capital campaign to upgrade our facilities, making them year-round usable and more ADA accessible. This adds some urgency to those plans, but does not change them.

At the end of our meeting, I asked to close with gratitude, as I usually do. Andy, who also works with the camps in the Pacific Northwest Conference, said, "As the financial guy, I'm grateful for the people who made sure Camp Adams was financially stable, so I don't have to be worried that this will sink us." Phil Owen, our Moderator, expressed gratitude for Camp Managers who ensure the health and safety of our campers.

I am grateful for everyone in the Central Pacific Conference who cares deeply about our two camps, and for the continued good leadership we have at those camps. I spend a lot of my time as Conference Minister trying to plan for the world we want sixty years from now. I trust that world will include children experiencing the beauty of God's creation at our camps in Oregon and Idaho.

Blessings,
Tyler