Michigan Out-of-Doors Camp Transitions to Day Camp for 2021

lschultz • January 22, 2021

The MUCC Education team is excited to announce our plans to reopen the Michigan Out-of-Doors Youth camp this summer. However, the summer of 2021 will look much different from past summer camp programs. We have spent the past several months deciding what we believe is the best course of action. After consulting with other camp programs, and our state licensing official, the safest option is to operate exclusively as a day camp program for this year. We believe this to be the best course for our staff, campers and their families.

Our program will operate for six weeks beginning in Mid-June and running until early August. Each week will have a different nature-focused theme. We are offering programs for campers ages 5-14.  

COVID-19 is still a concern and while the trends are improving, we cannot afford to risk all of the time and expenses in preparing for a residential experience and have that canceled. The layout of our facilities, property and residential programs limits our ability to follow mandated COVID guidelines for a weeklong, overnight experience. This leaves the risk of a COVID outbreak from our residential setting too high. The best way to minimize the risk while bringing back our programs is to switch to a day camp program this summer. Campers will be able to remain outdoors, masked-up and socially distant throughout each week. These precautions will help our program keep campers and their families safer. We have limited the capacity of participants on the property at any one time. We will also adjust our group sizes to keep the campers in small pods as recommended by our licensing requirements. 

The switch to a day camp does not mean that our programs and our focus on conservation education will change. All of our campers will still participate in an exciting week, immersing themselves in the outdoors and learning a variety of outdoor technical skills. 

All of our campers will continue to learn about fishing, swimming, kayaking, building a fire and shelter, spending time on our archery range and exploring the different ecosystems that the Cedar Lake Outdoor Center has to offer. If you live in the Chelsea, Jackson, Ann Arbor, or Dexter area, this is a perfect opportunity to get your child out of the house and into the outdoors. 

We will begin online camp registration on March 1st through our online provider CampDoc. You can follow the registration steps on our website, www.mucccamp.org . 

If you have any questions or would like more information, please feel free to contact me at mbass@mucc.org . 

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