New Life Ranch Cancels 2 Summer Camp Sessions Due To COVID-19 Outbreak

Nearly 600 summer campers’ plans are being canceled, after a COVID-19 outbreak temporarily shuts down the New Life Ranch Flint Valley Summer Camp.

Leadership at the camp said the closure should only be temporary.

Campgrounds usually so full of life and laugher were quiet on Friday, and Camp Executive Director Tom Graney said they'll stay that way for another nine days as staffers finish their final week of quarantine.

"We made the gut-wrenching decision, but I think the wise decision," he said.

Summer plans started unraveling on June 5, when the first staffer tested positive the day before the first campers were supposed to start filing in.

“So, we did contact tracing of that, and we were up to about 50 summer staff that were going to have to quarantine and would not be available for week one of camp," Graney said.

More than 20 staff tested positive, most with very mild symptoms. Several infected staffers were even vaccinated.

“So that was really concerning," Graney said.

Graney cancelled weeks one and two and hopes for a strong return on week three.

Jennifer Blew has two kids enrolled in week seven. The outbreak worries her, and she'd like to see stricter COVID-19 guidelines at camp

“Through showing vaccinations or through testing a couple times a week, testing their staff members," Blew said. "I just think this is the prudent thing to do in light of the fact that the pandemic is not over.”

The outbreak was eye-opening. Graney said he's already planning stronger guidelines.

"To just add another layer of protection,” Graney said. “We want to do things right, and we want to be safe.”

That's good news to Blew, who has been happy with how the camp has handled the outbreak.

“I do think that they are taking this outbreak seriously, I do appreciate the fact that they are going to revamp their policy," Blew said.

To see those COVID-19 guidelines once they’re updated you can visit a link to the camp here.