We’d Like to Take Care of the Balance for You.
The kids were ecstatic after summer camp last year. They clamored into the car, smiling and chatting non-stop for the entire ride home. They were joking, deeply philosophical, funny, and mature. Both boys had grown at camp – in a very good way.
So, after camp last summer, we signed up the kids for the following year. By doing this, we saved $100 each, and scheduled our low monthly payments to be automatically paid with a credit card so we wouldn’t have to think about it.
And we didn’t think about it – at all. In fact, when we changed the kids’ schedule from Week 2 to Week 4, we didn’t even notice that the automated payments stopped.
So when the deadline for payments was looming, and I discovered a hefty amount was still waiting to be paid, I kind of freaked out.
I called the camp. “We thought it was paid off,” I said. “We don’t know what happened! What can we do? Is there some way we can still pay in installments?” We had just come back from a very expensive vacation, and suddenly paying two almost-entire camp tuitions seemed rough.
“This is odd,” said the camp representative. “It looks like your automated payments stopped when your kids changed from Week 2 to Week 4. I’m not sure why it did that. Let me look into it and call you back.”
A few minutes went by. She called me back.
“We are so sorry,” she said. “The system just didn’t transfer over automatically like it should have.”
“That’s okay,” I said, “but what can we do? If we could have another month….”
“No, no,” said the woman. “We really appreciate you pointing out this glitch in our system. To thank you, we’d like to take care of the balance for you.”
“What?!” I nearly toppled over in my chair. “That really isn’t necessary!”
“We want to pay the balance for you. If you hadn’t pointed this out, we wouldn’t have known it existed, and you’ve kept this from happening in the future. We are happy to pay off your balance in full.”
They paid hundreds of dollars for my kids to go to camp this year. I couldn’t thank them enough. And while I tried, and wrote them letters, and thanked them profusely, I think a plug for this incredible camp is in order.
My kids love this camp. The counselors are phenomenal; the activities are thrilling, and the electronics-free zone gives the kids a chance to experience life the way it should be experienced: actively, in the outdoors, with new friends, with all the necessary comforts and all the freedom they require.
Maryland’s River Valley Ranch is an absolutely fantastic place.