In consideration of the global pandemic and its impact on all of us, Ferry Beach staff and board are working to safeguard our members, conferees and community. We are thinking of all you, our members – from infants to great-grandparents – and hoping for health and safety for all of the Ferry Beach community. As you may imagine, running Ferry Beach during this time presents serious challenges and we are working to respond to the current environment with safety and with long term sustainability in mind.
I want to let you know that we expect the summer of 2020 to be significantly different from all of the summers before as we take into consideration additional safety measures. We expect Ferry Beach will weather the storm, make some changes, and continue our mission long into the future.
Here are some of the actions we have taken:
Convened the Sustainability Task Force
We are drawing on our collective experience in logistics and crisis communication from a number of Ferry Beach members as well as the board. The task force includes Jessie Washington, Pam Emery, Kathleen Dziadzio, Craig Urian, Meghan Chan, Andrew Morse, Marty Burgess and Cathy Stackpole. If you want to join the Task Force (we meet Wednesdays at 8am) or if you want to help Ferry Beach through the transition in some other way, please reach out to me and I will find a way to get you involved.
Safety
We will take our cues from the federal guidelines about cancellations, as well as the Maine state guidelines and other information from our surrounding states. Like you, we want to “flatten the curve” and end this health care crisis. A full list is on our website. Some changes we will implement include:
- More frequent handwashing, more handwashing stations and physical distancing
- More intense cleaning of high touch surfaces like doorknobs and light switches with approved disinfectants.
- Changing the Buffet line to include more staff to serve food and beverages.
- Cautioning folks to stay home if they are exposed or sick and require people to leave the premises if they have a fever or other symptoms suggesting coronavirus. (More to come on these protocols as we near our summer season).
Programs
- Most of our spring season has been postponed, cancelled, or moved online.
- You will receive updated information about the status of each conference considering latest information, starting around a month ahead of the conference.
- Cancellation will be far more flexible and a choice between refunds, Ferry Beach bonds, or donating to the beach will be offered.
- Updated safety guidelines will impact programs for the foreseeable future.
Financial stability
- We are expecting reduced revenue for 2020, at least in the spring and summer.
- We are applying for a program available through the Small Business Administration to help support our summer season.
- Members: we will ask for member support in various ways to help us make it through this crisis.
- Endowment: Ferry Beach does in fact have a modest endowment. Financial planning experts have guided us to avoid drawing from the endowment in the current crisis, but to keep it for the long term.
Be the Love
We will live our values through this challenging time. Some of the efforts we are engaged in include:
- A pastoral care team of volunteers offering spiritual support for those needing to cope with crises or grieve losses.
- We have offered our space to the local fire departments as a quarantine space. We are here to help the community if needed.
We love you all and want to assure you we are doing everything that we can to take care of ourselves, one another and this place. Thank you so much!