How do I address any issues that may arise during the summer?
Speak with the Camp Director immediately if there is anything that we can do to improve your child’s summer camp experience with us. Please do not wait to see if the issue goes away; we want to address your needs quickly.

Can I request a bunk mate?
Yes, you can through a specially designed form in the "Parent Pack". To help avoid cliques in cabins, we only allow one mutual request per camper. Requests must be for campers of the same age/grade. Requests must be mutual and in writing. If you are requesting that your child not be placed with a certain child, it is your responsibility to inform the other family prior to arrival at camp.

Can parents visit?
At camp we have an “open door” policy for the parents of all the campers. However, a large part of the camp experience is developing a sense of independence and this can be disrupted by scheduled or unscheduled visits. We do request that you notify us one day in advance if you are going to visit by calling the Camp Business Office during business hours or the appropriate Camp Director after business hours. For safety reasons we require that you check in with the front office upon your arrival to camp. Visits are preferably held at the Headquarters building in Ockanickon or the Dining Hall at Matollionequay. We do encourage you to use this policy judiciously as visits may escalate those children already prone to homesickness and can have a negative effect on other campers who don’t receive visits from their families. We have found letters/emails to be the best form of communication while children are at camp. Thank you for respecting this policy and please feel free to call the appropriate Camp Director if you have any questions.

What about the food?
“Kid Friendly” is our goal… although delicious, healthy and fresh are our guiding principals. In addition to a hot entrée at all meals, during Lunch and Dinner we offer our “World Famous” salad bar that includes fresh cut romaine lettuce, 3 lo-fat or fat free dressings and 14 different toppings rotated daily, consisting of but not limited to, tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, chick peas, broccoli, applesauce, sprouts, sliced peaches, bacon bits, parmesan cheese, shredded cheddar cheese, grated carrot, black olives, green olives, pickle slices, pickled pepper slices, sliced hard-boiled egg and much more. The salad bar also features Chef Jason’s Salads Du Jour that can include any of the following: potato salad, tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad, macaroni salad, pasta salad or possibly some more exotic creations mixed up fresh by our kitchen staff. Chef Jason is constantly inventing and researching new and exciting salad options to tickle the pallet and quench our hunger for delicious culinary delights. And of course, there is ALWAYS the good old stand-by…peanut butter and jelly. We serve fresh fruits at every meal that may include apples, oranges, peaches, nectarines, plums, bananas and pears. At breakfast, aside from the main course there is hot oatmeal with assorted toppings, cold cereal and milk, yogurt and an assorted sliced fruit platter for all to enjoy that can include honeydew, cantaloupe, pineapple and grapes. As you can see the options we deliver are diverse (and healthy!) enough choice for everyone to find something beyond the entrée to savor and enjoy.

Where do you find the staff?
Most of our staff grew up here at camp and then went through our LIT and CIT programs because they wanted the opportunity to give back to the next generation of campers. We also hire college students who are looking for experience working with children before going into a career in education or some other childhood development career. Each counselor goes through a rigorous screening process including interviews with the Camp Director, reference checks, and a nationwide criminal background check. We also hire international counselors from all over the globe who are chosen for their integrity, their energy, their community spirit, and their passion for helping us fulfill our mission. Before the campers arrive, all staff spend a very full week or more in intensive training sessions designed to help them be great camp counselors! Our leadership staff get an extra week of training to practice their supervisory skills. Before our counselors test their skills with campers, they have learned and practiced the best techniques, and are prepared and ready to be conscientious role models for our campers. Our staff are trained to recognize bullying and other behaviors that compromise the emotional safety of campers, and intervene and interact accordingly. We are well equipped to constantly and consistently guide campers in positive social interactions.

What are the camper to staff ratios?
Counting Village Chiefs, Directors, and other stand-alone staff, the camper to staff ratio is about 5 to 1. In each cabin, however, the most you would ever have would be 7 campers and 1 counselor. It is our policy that a staff member is never allowed to be alone with a single camper.

My child won’t know anyone in camp. Will he/she feel left out?
Most children come to camp nervous. Even veteran campers often come back in a different session or are in a different cabin than their friends from last year. Put seven children together, all with the same concern, and in about a day, you would think they were life-long friends! One of the great things about camp is making new friends! Our staff often have similar feelings, and are trained to help groups of campers work together and share experiences that encourage strong bonds. Many of our former campers will tell you that some of their best friends started off as strangers in their cabin at summer camp!

How can I prevent my child from becoming homesick?
Almost everyone, counselors included, experience some degree of “homesickness” while at summer camp. It is a normal, healthy human reaction to being in a new environment. Part of the camp experience is about learning how to cope with homesickness and overcome it, so we can move on to the fun stuff! We work with homesick campers extensively and succeed 99.9% of the time in helping them through this growing experience. Usually by day three of camp, any thoughts of homesickness are long forgotten. Please reassure your camper homesickness is common to almost everyone at camp and that it's okay to have these feelings. Try to avoid making “pick-up deals” or breaking bad news to them right before they leave for camp. Assure them you love them and that you want them to have a wonderful experience at summer camp. Once they get busy with activities, make new friends, and get used to their new surroundings, they will be shocked at how quickly camp time has flown by and that it's already time to go home!
For some specific resources on this and similar camper issues try the American Camp Association website or check out our favorite “homesickness prevention website,” www.campspirit.com for articles directly related to these and similar issues.

Will our family's cultural and religious differences be a problem?
Our community of campers and staff come from many diverse backgrounds, cultures, and faiths. It is this celebration of diversity that makes camp unique! We strive to make sure no one is ever made to feel uncomfortable and inclusion for all is a primary objective. Our program is grounded in the four core values of the YMCA: Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility. These are the cornerstones of any successful community, regardless of culture or religion. The behaviors that match these 4 core values are what we strive to have in common for the entire camp community, while simultaneously embracing and appreciating diversity. We are in a unique position to mentor campers in resolving differences, and practicing how to be a good friend to all.

How will I communicate with my child while he/she is at camp?
Regular mail comes and goes daily. We strongly encourage campers to write home regularly, but often they are too engaged in the camp activities to do so. We do require every camp to write home at least once during their stay. We also work with a company called Ecamp that allows for one-way emails from parents to their campers. Pictures are also posted on their password-protected website regularly. You will receive the info on how to access this site during Check-In day.
Campers are not permitted to make telephone calls while at camp. Telephone usage by campers is counterproductive to the process of engaging the circumstances at hand and building the relationships that are a vital part of the camp experience. Please do not give your child a cell phone! Camp is not the appropriate place for cell phones and they tend to create problems. We are striving to develop strong, independent youngsters who can think and function on their own as part of a community. Our staff members, as professional role models, are uniquely positioned to assist campers in dealing directly with any issues that arise. Additionally, allowing free use of the phones in camp by everyone is simply a logistical impossibility. However, if you would like an update as to how your child is doing, please contact the camp office. We will have the appropriate staff member return your call. We believe that a partnership exists between you, the parents, and our staff to ensure a positive experience for all of our campers. The Village Chief or Camp Director will call you if anything out of the ordinary occurs.

What if I want my child to attend a family or sporting event during the session?
We ask that campers not be removed from the camp during the session, as this can adversely affect the cabin group. We discourage campers leaving for weddings, sporting events, family reunions, or other obligations. Please check your calendar for these events before deciding on your session dates.

When is drop-off and pick-up time for the session?
On Opening Day (Sunday) and Closing Day (Friday), plan to arrive between 1pm and 3pm.

What are the cabins like?
Our cabins are rustic, wooden buildings with no bathrooms or electricity. There are screened-in windows with rain flaps and built-in bunk beds. Each camper has a cubbie. A shared modern washhouse with hot and cold running water and electricity is located nearby.

Are there extra charges for anything?
The tuition includes all of the regular program costs. Campers staying multiple sessions have the option of getting their laundry done during Changeover weekend. The fee will be taken out of their store account. We use an outside laundry service and the cost is usually about $1.25 per pound. Equestrian is the only program that has an additional fee. The prices our listed on the back of the registration form.