Join the Rebellion! Save the Swim! Padawan Pond Was the Heart of Summer Camp… Until the Empire State Shut Us Down.

For the first few years, the pond at Autumn’s Gate was the heart of summer camp.

☀️ Campers cooled off after caring for animals.

🏇 They splashed in after morning horseback rides.

🛝 They built courage on the water slide, made friends on the beach, and laughed until their cheeks hurt.

It was pure summer magic.

But then… The Empire State struck back.

New York has some of the strictest swimming regulations in the galaxy, especially for natural bodies of water like ours.

We weren’t shut down because of water quality.

We weren’t shut down because of safety.

We were shut down because the rules weren’t made for ponds like this.

Yet, we didn’t give up.

💪 We fought for it.

✅ We passed weekly water quality testing.

🔍 We passed inspections.

🤝 We earned a waiver from the county.

We found amazing allies, and built a path forward.

To reopen Padawan Pond, we need critical safety equipment and rescue gear to meet New York State DOH requirements.

We’re reclaiming the heart of Summer Camp.

And yes… we’ve given the pond a new name:

🌟 Padawan Pond 🌟

Because rebellions are built on hope.