Camp Lone Star announced Thursday that it has canceled its annual barbecue and auction fundraiser, which was scheduled to take place the last weekend this month.
“One of the highlights of the summer at Camp Lone Star is the Annual BBQ Fundraiser,” said a statement released by Lutheran Outdoor Ministries of Texas (LOMT), the organization that runs Camp Lone Star. “This event serves as Camp’s largest gathering of friends and family as well as the largest fundraiser for the ministry.
“As a result of COVID-19, and out of great concern for health and safety, Camp made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Annual BBQ Fund raiser,” the statement continued. “This decision was not made lightly but was made because Camp is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our supporters, friends & family, and staff members.”
LOMT instead invites everyone to support the camp through their “By Faith Fundraising Campaign.”
“Camp Lone Star relies heavily on the financial support raised during BBQ Weekend,” the organization said. “Last year, over $90,000 was raised to support the operational expenses and ministry of Camp Lone Star. In the month of July, Camp has set a ‘By Faith’ goal of $92,000.”
For more information on the By Faith Campaign or to donate, go to Camp’s website at www.LOMT.com.
Last week Camp Lone Star announced that three campers tested positive for coronavirus after they returned home. As a result, the camp decided to close from Sunday, June 29 to Saturday, July 11 to test and isolate all staff before making a decision about reopening.
Before camp began this summer, LOMT published a three-page document about the financial realities the camp faces in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We have already lost income from guest group cancellations this spring and are facing the possibility of losing income for all or part of the summer,” LOMT said, and that was before the two-week closure.
At the time, LOMT said it would need $483,000 to cover expenses without the income generated during summer camp.
“Our past actions have positioned us to weather storms, and we are currently doing everything we can to minimize expenses, but the potential impact of this pandemic could put us in a very precarious financial situation,” the organization said.
Fortunately, LOMT was able to host a few weeks of camp before the current situation arose.
