Family Camp Weekends

Fourth of July Weekend
Labor Day Weekend
Columbus Day Weekend

hints for nervous campers

Summer Camp

starts Father's Day
Sunday, June 15, 2008

Join us for a week you won't forget!

2008 Summer Schedule
now available!
<click here>

Each summer we offer 8 week-long summer camps for 1st grade to 12th grade (age 6-18).


Explorer Camps (grades 1-3) are a great way to see if camp is right for you. We offer a three night or a five night option. They can choose how long they want to stay from the beginning OR have the option to decided on Tuesday evening if they want to stay or head home. About 85% of those with the option decide to stay, they seem to like having the option in the middle, just in case.

Pioneer Camps (grades 4-6) have a great time all week on camp. They stay in cabins with bunkbeds and a counselor in every cabin. There's a lake for swimming and boating, a creek for creekwalking, hiking trails to explore and arts and crafts to do. We also celebrate a theme throughout the summer that we use in our Bible study, worship, songs, games and other activities. There are several Pioneer camps offered throughout the summer, some have certain specialities added, like astronomy (Pioneer Start, Rocks and Dirt) or wilderness skills (Pioneer Pack and Paddle) but all are for the upper elementary ages and offer a great week of building up the spirit.

Adventure Camps (grades 7-9) for the middle school ages are designed to add some challenge. Adventure campers stay in our Sukkah Village, with no electricity and a short walk to the bath house. They spend one day paddling down the Shenandoah River and a second day hiking to one of the awesome vistas on Massanutten Mountain. The Adventure PLUS campers will also camp overnight on their outtrips, increasing the adventure even more.

Quest Camps (grades 9-12) are the senior high camps. Each one is uniquely designed to fit the characteristics of that camp. For White Water Quest, it is a high adventure trip that faces some of the east coasts best rapids, using a professional guide company, and climbing a 5 story Alpine Tower (pictured at right).

 

Summer Celebration (grades 9-12) is a Senior High Servant Event. Experience and explore hunger in our own country and around the world. Spend time making a difference by helping those in Virginia who are hungry through the Shenandoah Volunteer Farm and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. Participants this year also experienced an adapted menu that was simpler and closer to it's origins.

Performing Arts Camps (Jr. grades 4-7, Sr. grades 7-12) Performing Arts camp spends a week putting together a musical from costumes to blocking to casting and finally, the SHOW on the final Friday.

A typical Day at Camp

• breakfast is at 8 am, we serve meals family style (our food often gets kudos on camper surveys)
• A praise break follows breakfast with some songs, stories and morning prayer
• morning worship begins the day and also introduces the new theme for each day.
• Cabin time is time for each cabin group (usually 6-7 campers + 1 counselor) to choose what they want to do; craft, hike, play games, hang out in the cabin, whatever!
• Bible Study finishes out the morning with some cabin groups pairing up to look at the material for that day. This summer we are using the Outdoor Ministry Curriculum "Just for Life"
• Lunch is back in the dining hall or in a brown bag, depending on your camp's planned activities
• Cool Options are offered in the afternoon heat; creekwalking, swimming in the lake, crafts in the shade, fishing, etc. The options vary from day to day and will also include things like archery, field games and more. We tap into the skills and interests of the summer staff's unique gifts and take it from there.
• Dinner is at 5:30 after we've worked up an appetite!
• Evening Rec is when everyone on camp gets to play. Games like Color Tag and Capture the Flag become major operations. We also have scavenger hunts and the occasional game of Ultimate Frisbee.
• Campfires are one of the most special parts of any camping experience and these are where a lot of memories are made. We sing songs, perform skits, tell stories and sometimes, we eat s'mores.
• The day ends with a brief closing worship and then campers return to their cabins for winding down and lights out.

Each day is full of songs and opportunities to make friendships stronger. We emphisize community and we are always focused on the safety and care of each camper.

As the campers get older and into more specialized camps, the schedule varies depending on the program. For example, the Performing Arts camps use parts of their Cabin Time and Option time for rehersals. The Horse Camp rides in the morning, so part of their schedule is shifted to the afternoon time. Adventure camps go off site for canoing and hiking and their schedules are also adapted accordingly.

Camps that are off site the entire week (i.e. canoe camps and white water rafting) are unable to participate in general schedule, but they do have their own Worship and Bible Studies while they are travelling.

Note: Confirmation Camp, Summer Celebration, Family Weekends, College Servant Trip and Helping Hands each have their own specialized schedule, due to the specific nature of the camps

Canoe Camps (grades 7-12) These camps head to the river on Monday morning and spend the week paddling and camping along the river bank. The trip has been life changing for many because of the extended time on the river, time to think and talk more deeply about things and time to flow with God's rhythm.

 

Horse Camps (grades 7-12) We offer Adventure camps with a single day ride for middle school age, week long Beginner Horse camp where you learn to saddle, groom and trail ride on western saddles. We also offer an Advanced Horse camp that assumes basic horse skills and advances to some ring work practicing horse steps and control. At the end of the week, Advanced Horse camp has a rodeo to put all the new skills to the test.

Plan to come to Caroline Furnace this summer!