Information for Parents

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Dear Parents,

How are you holding up while your camper is at camp?  For some parents sending your child away to camp can be a difficult and worrisome time.  We would like to relieve some of your anxiety by providing you with some information.  Much of the information below will help you understand how we handle certain situations that may arise while your child is at Camp Luther.  We hope you find this information helpful.

WILL MY CHILD BE SUPERVISED 24/7?                                                                                                         

Absolutely!  We strive to maintain a camper to counselor ratio of 8 to 1.  In villages 16 campers are supervised by 2 counselors and 2 junior counselors.  In the retreat center each counselor is responsible for their group of 8 campers.  There are occasions when there may be more than 8 campers in a group.  Groups remain the same for the entire stay at camp.  We strive to create a comfortable atmosphere for each camper to bond with others in their group.  Counselors sleep in separate rooms from the campers, but are considered ‘on call’ even during sleeping hours.

 

MAIL AND EMAIL(youth campers)                                                                                              
Families are welcome to send their child mail while at camp.  You can send letters to our camp address with your child’s name and camper group listed in the attention line.  Campers are allowed to receive only one email while at camp. They will be printed and distributed on paper.  Due to internet variability we cannot guarantee the reception of emails.  Emails can be sent via the link on the home page of the Camp Luther website titled “Summer Camp Corner”, however campers are not able to respond to email messages.  They are encouraged to send letters and postcards home.  Postcards and stamps are available in the Canteen.  Our last email/mail delivery will take place on Thursday afternoon.  Campers are not permitted to use the phone unless special arrangements have been made for specific needs. 

 

PHONE CALLS
It's our policy at Camp Luther not to allow campers to use our phones or cell phones.  There are several reasons for this.  1. It would simply be impractical to allow up to 175 campers a week to call home.  2. Part of what makes camp special is the time away from home.  Phone calls from home interrupt this special time and sometimes take away from the camp experience.  3. Phone calls can lead to, or worsen homesickness.  For these reasons campers are not allowed to use our phones and campers with cell phones are asked to give them to their counselor until the end of their camp experience.

 

 

BAD WEATHER
In the event of bad weather all Camp Luther campers and guests are moved to safe areas as quickly as possible.  More commonly at camp, however, campers are moved to safe areas prior to the onset of severe weather.  All summer campers are assembled in the basement areas of the Retreat Center.  Village campers are kept indoors on evenings when bad weather (severe thunderstorn or tornado warnings) is eminent.   

 

 

HOW ARE LOST ITEMS HANDLED?
We highly recommend all of your child’s belongings are marked with their name.  This will make it more possible to return items to their owners.  At the end of each camp session, all lost and found items will be gathered and displayed in the main courtyard or placed in the Lost and Found box.  Valuable items may be found in the camp office.  Please take a few moments to look over the lost and found items.  Camp Luther will gather and date lost and found items and have them available through September.  After that time they will be donated to a charity.  If you would like any items sent to you, we ask that you pre-pay for the mailing costs ($5 minimum) either with check or credit card.

HOMESICKNESS
Homesickness is a hard and difficult experience for campers, and for their counselor.  It is our goal at camp to help campers make it through this difficult time, and if at all possible, make it to the end of their camp.  While most homesick campers feel a sense of relief upon returning home, those feelings will usually turn into feelings of failure, and regret.  We will do everything we can to help a camper make it to the end of their week and experience the success of this accomplishment. 

If homesickness is detected, counselors will do their best to comfort and encourage the afflicted camper.  Campers will not normally be allowed to call home just because they are homesick.  Parents will be called only as a last resort.

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES AND ILLNESS
If your child is injured at camp, our trained staff and volunteer medic will attend to their needs, assessing the seriousness of the injury and determining if additional medical attention is needed.  If additional medical help is needed we will address those needs immediately.  If time is critical, we will first get help before calling you.  If time allows we will call you and alert you to the situation and keep you posted as the situtation changes.  (Please make sure that our staff has the phone numbers necessary to contact you while your child is at camp.)  Our staff will not hesitate to call 911 in case of an emergency at camp.

If your child is sick our staff will assess the situation.  If the illness is of a serious nature, we will contact you ASAP.  If you child needs medical attention, we will contact you before taking them to a hosital or clinic.  Being sick is never fun, but it can be worse at camp.  In cases of prolonged illness, we will ask that the child be pick up and returned home if they are ill, rather than remaining at camp and being miserable.

MAKING FRIENDS
Making friends falls under one of our core values as a camp, and that is to create and build relationships.  We know that this is essential to a positive camp experience and our success as a camp as a whole.  Therefore, it is something that we don't just assume will happen.  Instead we intentionally conduct activities designed to engage campers and create relationships.  Obviously, this is not going to be an easy thing for every camper, but in most cases, campers do make great friends.  We encourage you to help your child keep these new friendships active through letters, email, etc.  Many lifelong Christian friendships have been formed at camp.

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT AFTER CAMP?
When your child returns from camp you may be wondering "What happened to the child I dropped off?"  Please be assured, this is a very common phenomenon.  Odds are, your child is going to filled with a million bits of information they want to share with you.  They are going to be busting with stories, and songs, and all kinds of crazy information about people with crazy nicknames.  How you handle this exciting time with your child is important.  Here are some suggestions:

  1. Show interest in everything they are sharing with you.  Your child is talking to you!  That's great!  Give them the opportunity to share this special and memorable experience with you. 
  2. Your child is likely to be extremely tired.  Campers are usually on the go from 7:00am to 10 or 11pm at night (depending on their age).  The activity they have experienced at camp is likely much more than they are used to.  So we encourage you to let them sleep.  And don't plan anything important for that night or the next day for your child.  They may be too tired to participate.
  3. Don't be offended if your child doesn't want to come home or is sad about leaving camp.  Avoid making them feel self conscience, rather, help to explore these feelings and consider what was it about this time at camp that was so special to them.
  4. Some things you can ask and talk about:
    • Who was their favorite counselor?  Why?
    • What was your favorite activity?
    • What will you remember most about camp?
    • What did you learn about Jesus this week?
  5. Warning!  Open the dirty laundry bag carefully!  :)

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO - PRAY!
Pray for a wonderful experience for your child as they spend time with their counselor, make new friends, experience new things, and have tons of fun.  Pray for their counselor as they are challenged to provide for the needs of all the campers in their care.  Pray for the safety of all of the campers this week.  Pray that your child might become a friend to someone in need this week at camp.  And most importantly, pray that God through his Holy Spirit might touch the heart of your child in an extra special way this week; that throught this experience, they may return home with a new understanding of Jesus' unending love for them.

HAVE A QUESTION?
After reading all this and you still have a question about camp please feel free to contact us via email or phone.  Please understand that our staff is very busy, but will do everything we can to get back to you in a timely manner.  If you have a question about a summer camp program, you should direct your questions to "Jet", Melissa Seehafer, our Program Director in charge of our summer camps.

 

 

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Building up the Body of Christ
for Service to the Church and Witness to the World!

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1889 Koubenic Road
Three Lakes, WI 54562

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Telephone
(877) 264.CAMP (2267)
(715) 546.3647

FAX
(715) 546.2396

        
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