Hello Camp Ten Trees Campers, Alumni, Allies, Parents and Supporters! 

We hope you are all doing well and are enjoying the holiday season. As we look forward to the new year we want to keep you updated on all things Camp Ten Trees. We have some changes and new things coming for 2023 and we want to keep you apprised of these developments and our overall progress. 

The past few years have been difficult. As many of you know, the pandemic created many challenges for summer camp programs like Camp Ten Trees. It markedly impacted our organization and those effects continue to pose challenges for us. During this period of hiatus from traditional camp we discovered several organizational challenges and are actively working to resolve those issues. This requires significant time and energy to work through in order to ensure that Camp Ten Trees is sustainable and successful for the future.

As we need to focus most of our attention on our organizational health for the foreseeable future we have made the extremely difficult decision to forego in-person camp in 2023. In lieu of that, we are excited to announce that we are opening a new chapter in the Camp Ten Trees story; year-round virtual programming. This year-round option may include; affinity groups, community hangouts, game nights, evening programs, and much more.

Our 2022 Virtual Summer Camp was held over 4 weeks and served 39 campers with the support of 16 volunteers. We have heard many wonderful stories about how the virtual program provided not just a summer activity for campers, but helped them in creating new friendships and community with other LGBTQIA+ youth that have continued on to this day. These experiences and stories showed us the powerful impact that Camp Ten Trees can make in a virtual space. We can broaden our reach to even more campers, especially those who may not find traditional camp to be accessible. 

This new virtual program will be offered in addition to the regular virtual summer camp program and allows youth to participate in the activities that appeal to them. Longer term, our goal is to enrich the online program with organized in-person meet ups and outings, provided that we have the funding and volunteers to do so. 

We have been inspired by the resilience and adaptability of our campers and are committed to demonstrating our own as we work tirelessly to make sure that the 2023 programs will be an amazing experience for everyone. Over the coming months we will be working through critical objectives; restructuring the board of directors, including the appointment of a new board president, improving internal policies for employees and volunteers, and executing on new fundraising strategies. Success in these areas will ensure we can continue to provide a safe and affirming community for all LGBTQIA+ youth and their families and bring back in-person camp for 2024.

Want to know how you can help? Volunteer and spread the word. Be sure to sign up for emails and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the most recent updates and announcements.

Camp Ten Trees Board of Directors