PAYMENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Effective Date: 10/7/2026

Serenity Ridge Nature Preserve and Arboretum (“Serenity Ridge,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a Maryland nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of Maryland’s native habitats through education, exploration, conservation, and connection with nature.

These Payment Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) apply to payments made to Serenity Ridge through our website, online payment forms, events, programs, or other payment systems utilizing Authorize.net or another authorized payment processor.

By submitting a payment, the customer, donor, participant, member, or purchaser (“you” or “your”) acknowledges that you have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms.

  1. AUTHORIZED PAYMENTS

Serenity Ridge accepts payments for purposes that may include, but are not limited to:

  • Charitable donations;
  • Memberships;
  • Educational programs and workshops;
  • Special events;
  • Tours and activities;
  • Sponsorships;
  • Merchandise and other approved purchases;
  • Program or event registrations;
  • Deposits or other fees; and
  • Other goods, services, or activities offered by Serenity Ridge.

The specific description, amount, and purpose of each payment will be identified at the time the payment is submitted.

You represent that you are authorized to use the payment method submitted and that all information provided in connection with the transaction is accurate and complete.

  1. PAYMENT PROCESSING

Payments made online may be processed through Authorize.net, a third-party payment processing service.

Serenity Ridge does not receive or store your complete credit card number or other sensitive payment credentials on its own systems when such information is processed through Authorize.net. Authorize.net provides payment processing and related services through its secure systems.

Authorize.net’s own terms and policies govern its provision of payment processing services to Serenity Ridge. These Terms govern the transaction between you and Serenity Ridge.

  1. PAYMENT AUTHORIZATION

By submitting payment information and completing a transaction, you authorize Serenity Ridge and its authorized payment processor to charge the payment method you have provided for the amount displayed at the time of purchase, donation, registration, or other transaction.

You are responsible for ensuring that sufficient funds or available credit are available to complete the transaction.

If a payment is declined, rejected, reversed, or otherwise unsuccessful, Serenity Ridge may require another form of payment before providing the applicable goods, services, registration, reservation, or other benefit.

  1. DONATIONS

Donations to Serenity Ridge Nature Preserve and Arboretum are voluntary charitable contributions.

Unless otherwise expressly stated, donations are intended to support Serenity Ridge’s charitable, conservation, educational, environmental, and operational purposes.

Once a donation has been processed, it may not be refundable except as determined by Serenity Ridge in accordance with applicable law and the circumstances of the transaction.

Serenity Ridge will provide an acknowledgment or receipt for qualifying charitable contributions as appropriate.

Important: A charitable contribution does not entitle the donor to goods, services, ownership interests, or other consideration unless specifically stated in connection with the contribution.

  1. EVENT, PROGRAM, AND REGISTRATION PAYMENTS

Payments for events, educational programs, workshops, tours, or other activities are subject to the cancellation, transfer, refund, and attendance policies applicable to the specific program.

Where a separate cancellation or refund policy is provided at the time of registration, that policy will control for that particular transaction.

Serenity Ridge reserves the right to cancel, postpone, reschedule, relocate, or modify an event or program when reasonably necessary because of weather, safety concerns, operational circumstances, facility conditions, or other circumstances beyond its reasonable control.

If Serenity Ridge cancels an event or program and determines that a refund is appropriate, the refund will generally be issued to the original payment method.

  1. REFUNDS

Unless a different refund policy is specifically stated at the time of purchase, refunds are made at the discretion of Serenity Ridge and in accordance with the applicable terms of the particular transaction.

Where a refund is approved, Serenity Ridge will generally issue the refund to the original payment method.

Refunds may take several business days to appear on a customer’s credit card or bank account, depending upon the payment processor and the customer’s financial institution.

Authorize.net’s current processing procedures generally require that standard refunds be associated with successfully settled transactions and that refunds ordinarily be processed against the original payment method.

  1. CANCELLATIONS

Cancellation rights vary depending upon the nature of the transaction.

Any cancellation deadline or applicable cancellation fee will be disclosed to the customer when reasonably applicable.

Where no specific cancellation policy has been provided, Serenity Ridge will determine cancellation and refund requests on a case-by-case basis, subject to applicable law.

  1. RECURRING PAYMENTS

If Serenity Ridge offers recurring payments, memberships, pledges, installment payments, or other recurring payment arrangements, the payment schedule, amount, frequency, number of payments, and applicable cancellation provisions will be disclosed before authorization.

By enrolling in a recurring payment arrangement, you authorize Serenity Ridge to charge the payment method provided according to the agreed-upon schedule.

Authorize.net supports recurring payment arrangements through its Automated Recurring Billing (“ARB”) services.

You may request cancellation of a recurring payment arrangement by contacting Serenity Ridge using the contact information provided below. Cancellation will apply to future payments and will not automatically reverse payments that have already been processed.

  1. PAYMENT INFORMATION

You agree to provide accurate and current billing information when submitting a payment.

You are responsible for notifying Serenity Ridge if information necessary to process an authorized recurring payment changes, including changes to your payment method or billing information.

Serenity Ridge will not knowingly request that you provide your complete credit card number, security code, password, or other sensitive payment credentials by ordinary email.

  1. RECEIPTS AND PAYMENT CONFIRMATION

Upon successful completion of a transaction, Serenity Ridge or its payment processor may provide an electronic confirmation or receipt.

Customers should retain their payment confirmation for their records.

If you believe that a payment was processed incorrectly, please contact Serenity Ridge promptly and provide the transaction date, amount, and any available confirmation or transaction reference information.

  1. ERRORS AND DUPLICATE CHARGES

If you believe that you have been charged incorrectly or more than once for the same transaction, please contact Serenity Ridge as soon as possible.

Serenity Ridge will review the transaction and, where appropriate, correct an error or issue a refund.

Customers should not provide complete credit card numbers or other sensitive financial information when initially contacting Serenity Ridge regarding a transaction.

  1. CHARGEBACKS AND DISPUTES

If you believe a transaction was made in error or that you are entitled to a refund, we encourage you to contact Serenity Ridge before initiating a chargeback with your financial institution so that we may investigate and attempt to resolve the matter.

Nothing in these Terms limits any rights you may have under applicable law or the rules of your financial institution or payment network.

  1. SECURITY

Serenity Ridge takes reasonable measures to protect information associated with online transactions.

Payment information may be transmitted directly to or processed by third-party payment service providers, including Authorize.net.

Serenity Ridge does not guarantee that electronic communications or payment systems will always be completely secure or free from unauthorized access, technical failures, interruptions, or other problems.

  1. PRIVACY

Information collected in connection with a payment will be handled in accordance with Serenity Ridge’s Privacy Policy.

Information necessary to process a payment may be shared with authorized payment processors, financial institutions, service providers, or other parties as reasonably necessary to complete, administer, document, or protect the transaction, or as required by law.

  1. TAXES

You are responsible for any taxes that may apply to a transaction, except to the extent Serenity Ridge is legally responsible for collecting or remitting such taxes.

  1. CHANGES TO THESE TERMS

Serenity Ridge may modify these Payment Terms and Conditions from time to time.

The version in effect at the time a transaction is submitted will generally govern that transaction.

Any material changes will be posted through the appropriate Serenity Ridge communication or website channels.

  1. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

To the extent permitted by applicable law, Serenity Ridge will not be responsible for losses resulting from circumstances outside its reasonable control, including payment processor interruptions, banking-system failures, internet or telecommunications interruptions, unauthorized access resulting from circumstances beyond Serenity Ridge’s reasonable control, or other technical failures.

Nothing in these Terms is intended to waive or limit rights or remedies that cannot lawfully be waived or limited.

  1. GOVERNING LAW

These Terms shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Maryland, without regard to its conflict-of-law provisions, except to the extent applicable federal law provides otherwise.

  1. SEVERABILITY

If any provision of these Terms is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, that provision shall be limited or modified to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

  1. CONTACT INFORMATION

Questions regarding payments, refunds, cancellations, or these Terms should be directed to:

Serenity Ridge Nature Preserve and Arboretum
2406 Ridge Rd
Windsor Mill, Maryland 21244
Phone: 240-628-8725
Email: contact@serenityridgenaturepreserve.org
Website: serenityridgenaturepreserve.org

  1. CUSTOMER ACKNOWLEDGMENT

By clicking “Submit Payment,” “Donate,” “Purchase,” “Register,” “Pay Now,” or a substantially similar button, you acknowledge that:

  1. You have reviewed these Payment Terms and Conditions;
  2. You understand the nature and amount of the transaction;
  3. You authorize Serenity Ridge to process the payment you have submitted;
  4. You agree to the applicable refund and cancellation provisions;
  5. You have provided accurate payment and contact information; and
  6. You agree to these Payment Terms and Conditions.

Serenity Ridge Nature Preserve and Arboretum
Mission: To foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of Maryland’s native habitats by creating space for education, exploration, and connection. Through immersive experiences on our trails and within our gardens, we invite visitors to witness the intricate relationships between native plants, wildlife, and the ecosystems they sustain.