We Support Jon and Annie Croft

When someone we love and appreciate finishes a job, we usually surround them with love, gifts and encouragement. Jon and Annie deserve this and MORE and instead have found themselves without a job, and feeling betrayed by a camp they have poured so much into over the past six years. Please consider giving to this GoFundMe to show them the love they deserve and to give them a proper "send off" from this position. I know we're all hoping and praying that the leadership realizes the mistake that they are making and reinstates Jon to this camp, but reality sets in as they move forward without an income and wait for unemployment to begin. Let's love this family and show them how much we appreciate all they have done for Indian Lake.

______________________________

After 6 years of full time service to Indian Lake Nazarene Camp as the Assistant Director, Jon Croft has been "Permanently Laid Off" without reason. Jon and Annie anticipated a lay off due to financial strains from COVID-19, but this permanent job loss came as a complete surprise, especially considering that summer camps are the HEART of this campground. The camp has not sent out any official THANKS to Jon and his family for their service nor have we done anything to show how much we appreciate all that they have done over these past 6 years. 


While there is a group forming to fight this decision, believing that the best future of this camp INCLUDES Jon, Jon and his family are left without an income or insurance while they wait for unemployment to kick in.   

From Jon's facebook post,

"By now many of you have heard the sad news. Because of the restrictions placed on us by the Governor's Executive orders intended to fight the spread of the Coronavirus, we were forced to cancel all summer camps for the 2020 season at Indian Lake Nazarene Camp. This decision was very difficult, but we believe that it was the right decision to make.
This decision had some very devastating consequences financially for the camp. Without the revenue that comes as a result of hosting summer camps, the camp was forced to make another difficult decision.
It brakes my heart to say that I am no longer employed by the camp that I love so dearly.
I first came to the Michigan District in 2007. The camp has been an integral part of my life ever since. I had the opportunity to be a camp counselor in 2008 at both middle school and high school camps, and the next year I was the co-director of middle school camp. With the exception of the 2013 summer, I have had the great privilege of directing at least one camp per summer since that day. It was one of my life's greatest joys to have been asked to join the leadership team at this camp in 2014, and I have loved serving the Kingdom in that capacity since then. I have cherished the relationships that I have built with the 100+ Olivet interns that I have been able to bring to this camp.
To say that I am sad would be an understatement.
I am completely devastated.
All three of my children have been born in Vicksburg and raised on the campground. This place is my life and my love."


The District Advisory Board will not meet again until July 16th and we don't know what the outcome of that meeting will be. Either way, we want to support and love Jon and Annie during this time. Please consider giving to them as a thank you for all they have done and to help them while they wait to see how this all plays out.

If you are not aware of the events leading up to Jon Croft being "permanently laid off" as the Assistant Executive Director of Indian Lake Nazarene Camp, please visit the Facebook Group for more information:  here 

In short:

- As of April 30, 2020, the financial numbers for I.L.N.C. reflect all obligations are paid up to date, the long term debt of $620,000 was eliminated, the annual operations deficit was reduced by $90,000/year, and the “crisis” label for I.L.N.C. was removed in 2019. The Governing Board established an emergency fund with Kalamazoo County State Bank with current amount of $100,000, a Nazarene endowment with $22,586, the KCSB general savings for restricted funds contained $65,503.60, and the general operations account had $50,473.

- The ILNC GB (before it was dissolved), as a part of it's plan for financial success, had decided on a re-organization of the staff that would match up to the ILNC Enterprise Business (Residential, RV Park, Conferences/Retreats/Lodging, Camps, Food Service, Operations and Maintenance). This was a critical step in the ongoing financial viability of ILNC and was based on years of data collection. In this new organization, Jon would have had his responsibilities expanded and would also have given him opportunity for growth.

- Dr. Woodie Stevens was named Interim District Superintendent (April 2020 - Sept. 2020)

- On May 4, 2020, the Interim Michigan District Superintendent, Dr. Woodie Stevens, informed the G.B. “a need for the reset governance charter”, along with a recommendation to the D.A.B. of “creating a new authorizing charter for the governance of Indian Lake…” Subsequent to that we were notified by Dr. Stevens that the D.A.B. took action on May 21, 2020, of the following:

1) All duties and services of district paid assistants are to be determined and supervised by the D.S. All ILNC employees serve at the pleasure of the District Superintendent.

2) The ILNC E.D. and his staff have only one supervisor. It is the District Superintendent.

3) The DAB will have immediate oversight of all camp issues.

4) There will be a new ILNC governance charter.

-effective May 21, 2020, the G.B. has been terminated of all duties, responsibilities, and authorization

- Dr. Woodie Stevens met with the District Advisory Board and they voted to "permanently lay off" Jon Croft.

- Dave Becker "permanently laid off" Jon Croft.

Please, if you are concerned about what is happening, or have questions, write to the DAB and ask them to speak with the former members of the Camp Governing Board, gather ALL the information, critically think through the decisions that have been made and ask them to consider reinstating the Camp Governing Board and Jon Croft to Indian Lake Nazarene Camp.

You can find email addresses at the Facebook page linked above.