Halfway through an Annual February Campaign to support youth attending camp, Iowa United Methodist Camps have raised over $100,000 to share the love of Christ with young people. Now, an exciting announcement has been made.
“We’ve been incredibly blessed by a couple of generous families who have been positively impacted through Iowa’s shared United Methodist Camping Ministry,” says Bryan Johnson, Director of Camps and Retreats. “Any pledge made to Wesley Woods United Methodist Camp this upcoming week will be matched up to $25,000. Any pledge made to the Lake Okoboji United Methodist Camp this week will be matched up to $15,000. I am humbled and honored that Iowa continues to value outdoor youth ministry through camping programs.”
To take advantage of these matching gift options a pledge must be received by February 19 at 9:00 am Central Time. The Iowa United Methodist Camps Campaign is utilizing 115 volunteers this year who are determined to make camps viable for the Annual Conference as apportionment subsidy continues to change.
Currently, the average gift is just over $500. Pledges do not need to be fulfilled right away. Rather, donors can complete their pledge over the course of a year.
These matching gifts come at a time when camper registration for Summer 2021 continues to exceed expectations. “We desperately missed seeing campers and their families in 2020 due to Coronavirus,” says Johnson, “but we are beyond thrilled to have programs running in 2021. We are continuously developing procedures to provide the safest possible environment for our young people. We can’t wait to see you!”
If you or your church would like to contribute to the United Methodist Camps Annual Campaign, pledges can be made online at
iaumc.org/camps, or by contacting the Camps Office via phone at
515.974.8913 or by email at camps@iaumc.org.
