What if my camper misses home? (We try not to use the traditional “H-word” at camp. You know, the one that starts with “home” and ends in “–ness”!) We know that missing home can be a very natural feeling for many campers on their first (or even second or third) trip to camp. It is okay to miss home, but we don’t want these feelings to consume the camper’s entire camp experience.

Here are a few things you can do to ensure that your camper’s thoughts of home will not negatively affect her overall camp experience:

• Talk positively about the week at camp in the weeks leading up to it.
• Minimize the conversations about how much you will miss your camper.
• Let your camper “practice” spending a night or two away from home if she has not already.
• Allow your camper to talk about things that are making her anxious about camp, and provide her with strategies to deal with these anxieties.
• Send stationary and stamps with your camper so that she can write letters home.
• Send your camper mail during the week.
• Pray for your camper!

Here are a few things we will do:

• Keep your camper involved and active throughout the day.
• Provide your camper with options at meal time to ensure he is eating enough.
• Allow your camper to talk with a counselor or other adult about his feelings and give him strategies to try.
• Encourage your camper to write a letter home about what is happening at camp.
• Pray with your camper.
• If your camper has feelings that persist and are holding him back from participating, our next step is usually for a staff member to call you. We like to gather ideas from parents about how to encourage their children…you know them best!

We need to cancel our registration. Will we get a refund? There is a non-refundable $20.00 registration processing fee. All cancellations must be received in writing three weeks prior to your scheduled camp week for a partial refund. After this time, no refunds will be given except in the case of severe illness or death in the immediate family. Names of campers may be substituted, but notification of the change must be made before opening day.