Keeping in touch during camp
Overnight campers enjoy receiving mail. You may send cards or letters (make sure you allow plenty of time for them to arrive in the mail).
To address a letter to your child at camp:
Camper’s Name
Highland Retreat
14783 Upper Highland Drive
Bergton, VA 22811
You may also send your child notes through the one-way email feature on Campwise while they are at camp. Simply click the button below, and log in using the same user name and password you used to register your child for camp. Click the "Update Info" button that follows your child's name, then on the camper dashboard look for the "Camper Emails" item. Emails will be printed each day around 11:30am to be distributed to campers at lunchtime. Any emails sent after that cut off time will be given to the child on the following day.
Campers will not be able to send email, but will be able to mail letters if they bring stamped envelopes or postcards to write on.
What to bring (packing lists)
Clothing should be comfortable, loose fitting, and appropriate for being in the outdoors while maintaining a high standard of modesty. View detailed packing lists below, or download the printable packing list. We encourage you to write your child’s name on their items to help minimize lost possessions.
Campers will not need any spending money; T-shirts and small gift items are sold only during check-in and departure times. Campers should also refrain from bringing electronics (including cell phones), weapons, illegal substances, and any other items not in keeping with Christian values and summer camp expectations. See also the Guidelines for Our Time Together document.
All overnight campers should bring:
- Pillow
- Sleeping bag
- Change of clothes for each day
- Sleeping clothes
- 2 towels
- Swimsuit (one piece or tankini)
- Toiletries (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.)
- Medications, if needed (in their original packaging, ready to hand over to the camp nurse)
- Shower shoes (optional)
- Sturdy sneakers
- Old sneakers/creek shoes
- Plenty of extra socks
- Sandals with heel strap (optional)
- Flashlight and batteries
- Water bottle
- Sun & bug protection
- Poncho/rain gear
- Jacket/warm clothing
- Long pants
- Bible (if you have one)
- Stamped postcards or envelopes (optional)
- A backpack or day pack and additional items for off-site adventures, if applicable (Resident Camp B, see additional lists on the WILD GUYde Adventures site AND this participant agreement)
Day Campers should bring these items daily:
- Water bottle
- Sun & bug protection
- Lunchtime medications, if needed (in the original packaging, ready to hand over to the camp nurse)
- Swimsuit (one piece or tankini)
- Life-vest-type flotation device for non-swimmers (optional)
- Towel for swimming
- Sturdy sneakers
- Old sneakers/creek shoes
- Extra socks
- Sandals with heel strap (optional)
- Poncho/rain gear
- Jacket/warm clothing
- A change of clothes (just in case)
- Bible (if you have one)
For Day Campers participating in the optional Thursday sleepover:
- Pillow
- Sleeping bag
- A second towel
- Change of clothes
- Flashlight and batteries
- Toiletries (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.)
- Long pants
- Sleeping clothes
- Evening/morning medications
Check-in and departure times and procedures
General info for all camps:
- As you come in Lower Highland Drive, there will be staff and/or signs to greet you and direct you to the appropriate areas for parking and drop off/pick up.
- Pets are not permitted at camp. If you must bring a pet during check-in or departure time, the pet must remain in your vehicle.
Info for overnight camps:
- Check-in for overnight camps will be on Sunday afternoon. Each camp group will be assigned a specific window of time between 4:00 and 5:30pm. Please do your best to arrive in the assigned time.
- Report directly to the kitchen deck for check-in, where, among other things, the camp nurse will collect camper medications. T-shirts and other items may be purchased at this time from the camp store. You will also be asked to let us know whether you will stay for the meal after the closing program.
- Following check-in, you will have a chance to speak with your child’s counselor and see their cabin as you drop off your camper and their belongings.
- Check-out is from 5:00-5:30 on Thursday evening (or Tuesday for Mini Camp). You'll park in a similar area as for check-in, and will be directed to your child's counselor to sign them out; you will be in charge of keeping track of your child from that point on. You'll also want to see the camp nurse to collect any medications, and the camp store will be open.
- Following camper check-out, you are invited to stay for a closing program at 5:45. Once you have signed your camper out, you can drop their luggage off at your vehicle and make your way to the Tabernacle pavilion. The closing program should last about 20 minutes, and will include sharing about the camp week.
- After the program, a meal will be served for those who choose to stay, starting at 6:15. There is no additional charge for the meal for campers and their immediate households. You may also reserve additional meal tickets at Sunday check-in if you have extended family or friends who also want to attend. Extra meal tickets will be $7 each.
- Menu: Pork BBQ (contains gluten), baked beans, coleslaw (contains dairy), watermelon, carrots/cucumbers with dip, and lemonade.
- We hope that you can enjoy socializing with other families and our summer staff during the meal! Camper families should plan to depart after eating (7:00ish) so our staff can begin their cleanup and debriefing time.
- Day Camp campers must be dropped off and picked up each day, Monday through Thursday. Drop-off times will be between 8:00 and 9:00am; pick-up times will be between 4:00 and 5:00pm. Bus transportation is also an option.
- Older campers (ages 7-12) who opt to stay for the Thursday night sleepover will need to be picked up at 10:00am on Friday morning for their final dismissal.
- If your child has medications that they will take while at camp (ex. lunchtime meds), please make sure to bring those with you and turn them in to the camp nurse.
- The camp store will be open for the purchase of T-shirts and other items on Monday morning and Thursday afternoon/Friday morning.
- You will be asked to sign your camper in and out each day on their counselor's sign-in sheet; please do not take your child home without signing them out.
If you have an additional question about arrivals or departures, please contact the Summer Youth Office for assistance.
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Caring for your child's health
Providing a safe and supportive environment for all our campers is something we take seriously at Highland. But we rely on you to do your part as well! You know your child best, so we need you to provide us with accurate information about their needs before camp begins.
Prior to camp, YOU should:
When you are registering for camp online, one of the required forms is called the Camper Profile Sheet, and one of the most important questions on that form asks for you to provide any information we may need to know about your camper, including:
- Dietary restrictions or food allergies
- Chronic physical conditions, illnesses, or limitations
- Developmental, mental, emotional, or social needs
If your child does have any of these kinds of needs, we can best support them if we know about them in advance. The information you provide here is a starting point; one of our staff will be in contact with you to confirm or discuss your camper’s needs – and if it turns out that your child’s situation is one that we are not equipped to support, it’s always best to know that well in advance of camp.
Many of our campers have food allergies or other dietary restrictions. Highland's kitchen is prepared to offer some substitutions and modifications for common allergies and restrictions, but to do this best we must be notified in advance. Read this document for additional information.
The Health Information Form is part of the online registration process, or you can print and mail a paper form. Whichever way you prefer to complete this form, please make sure to do so at least three weeks prior to camp. This is another place for you to make sure we have accurate information about your child’s health needs, as well as information about your healthcare providers and insurance for those “just in case” scenarios.
Please note that all information you provide about your child’s health will be reviewed by camp healthcare and leadership staff. When appropriate, your child’s counselor may also have access to limited portions of this information. And, if necessary, we will also share your child’s health information with emergency medical personnel and insurance companies.
A note about insurance: Highland does carry limited accident insurance. If your child needs treatment and you have insurance, your coverage will be applied first. If your policy does not cover the full bill or you have no insurance, you should inform us. Our coverage has certain limits, including a maximum than can be applied per camper per incident.
When you are packing to send your child to camp, please note that it is very important that all dosing information, etc., is included with any medications you send to camp with your child. The camp nurse will collect all medications (over-the-counter, nonprescription, or prescription) at check-in. Keep them separate from your gear, and make sure each medication is clearly labeled with your camper's name. If there are multiple medications for a camper, we recommend bundling all of them in a ziploc bag or similar, to help keep them together for easy hand-off to the camp nurse.
In an effort to reduce the number of medications that a child needs to bring, the camp nurse stocks some common over-the-counter medications (listed here).
You should also review the information below, so you know what you can expect from us during camp.
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During camp, Highland will:
While camp is in session, a registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) will be at Highland Retreat to treat illness and injury, manage medications, and work with local healthcare professionals. Several additional staff members are trained in first aid and CPR. For any out-of-camp trips or activities where the camp nurse is not present or nearby (such as during wilderness camps, where the campers are nearly always away from the main summer camp area), a staff member with current first aid and CPR certification will be designated to provide routine healthcare needs and basic first aid.
Please note that in the rare event of serious illness or injury that requires immediate medical care beyond that which the on-site nurse can provide, Highland staff may contact local emergency services. The average ambulance response time to Highland Retreat is 20-25 minutes.
We generally will not contact you if your child is seen by the camp healthcare provider for routine problems (e.g., skinned knees, scrapes, sore throat, headache) that do not require a physician referral. The decision to consult you in these routine situations is determined on a case-by-case basis by our healthcare provider.
However, more serious problems (e.g., fever of over 100, possible stitches, prolonged (4+hours) or repeated trips to the nurse’s station without improvement) or the need for out-of-camp healthcare will definitely result in parent notification. When the situation calls for it, our healthcare and/or leadership staff will make every effort to contact you by phone, using the emergency phone numbers you provided when you registered your child. Please make sure we know how to reach you during your child’s stay at Highland. Because of timing and scheduling conflicts, we cannot promise that we will be successful in reaching you; we will leave an appropriate message if we reach your voicemail.
If you have questions or concerns about healthcare at camp, we invite you to contact the Summer Youth Office.
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Cabin mate requests
We are committed to working with parents to find the best arrangement for cabin mates. It is our desire to both accommodate cabin mate requests (up to three friends together) and still allow for new friendships to grow. Cabin mates’ ages must be within a year of each other; cabin mate requests will not be honored if the campers are two or more years apart in age, unless you discuss the situation with camp staff well in advance and an exception is approved. Requests should be mutual.
If you want to update a cabin mate request in your online registration, look for the "Optional Items" section on the camper dashboard. You can also respond to a registration confirmation email to request that our staff make the change for you.
Cabin assignments will typically be made the Monday before camp begins, so make sure any cabin mate requests are submitted before that date. We will send an email notification to let you know your child's cabin as soon as the housing assignments are finalized; cabin assignments will not be adjustable upon arrival at camp.
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Day Camp details
Camper Groups - Because Day Camp serves a wide age range, campers will be grouped by similar ages for daily activities. In order to avoid disappointment or confusion, please inform your child that he or she will be grouped with other campers by age. Campers who are 5 or 6 years old will be in the Explorers groups, those 7 or 8 years old will be in the Pioneers groups, and those 9 to 12 years old will be in the Mountaineers groups. Due to different camper-to-staff ratios for the various age groups, Day Camp may fill up for some ages faster than others; it's possible that we may hit waitlists for one age group even while there are spaces still available for campers in the other age groups.
An optional Thursday night sleepover is available to campers ages 7 and up. There will be an additional $30 fee for campers who wish to participate in the sleepover. You can opt in to the sleepover when registering your child, or let us know no later than Tuesday of Day Camp week if you want your child to participate.
Bus Transportation – Optional bus transportation will be available Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday morning and afternoon, and Thursday morning. The bus will not be available on Thursday afternoon or on Friday. There is a $50 fee for each camper who signs up for bus transportation. The bus fee is a third-party fee that cannot be covered by scholarships. The bus times and locations are as follows:
- Eastern Mennonite School, 7:30am departure and 6:15pm return
- Broadway Emergency Squad, 8:15am departure and 5:30pm return
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Supporting our camp staff
Summer staff make a huge impact on the lives of campers, and we sometimes have camper parents ask how they can support their child's counselors. First and foremost, you can pray for them! We deeply value your prayers for health, energy, patience, wisdom, and joy during each camp session! Your prayers absolutely make a difference.
Secondly, if you have the means and are so inclined, we do have a system in place to share financial blessings with our summer staff. Donations to the Bless the Staff Program are tax-deductible, and they get passed on to summer staff as additional pay, on top of their standard weekly salaries. You are welcome to name a specific staff person when you donate (for example, if you want to bless your child's counselor), or just make a donation that we can share with any staff member who needs some extra financial support.
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Additional FAQs
If your question is not answered on this page, please contact the Summer Youth Office for assistance. We are happy to help!
Highland Summer Camp aims to provide an uplifting, enjoyable camp experience for children and youth. Specifically, we aim to:
- Provide programming that encourages meaningful spiritual growth in Jesus Christ
- Provide quality staff, each with a servant's heart and a strong commitment to living God's Way
- Challenge youth to make a commitment to Jesus Christ and His way of living
- Help youth develop a greater self-understanding and acceptance of others
- Help youth develop and strengthen friendships
The answer to this question really varies from child to child. According to Toni Anderson, "It's more a maturity issue than an age issue. . . Some important criteria to consider before making a decision on camp, especially one where kids spend the night, include: showing an interest in the experience; being able to tie shoelaces; cutting their own food; being able to take care of their grooming needs; being able to read and tell time; having some level of emotional maturity."
If you are still uncertain about a particular child, we encourage you to contact the Highland Youth Office. We can partner together to try to determine your child's readiness for camp and see which program might best meet your child's needs.
Cheri Evans suggests the following:
- Allow your child to be involved in the decision-making process.
- Involve your youngster in selecting clothes. Do the packing together so your child is aware of what is in the suitcase.
- Select some postcards and pre-address and stamp them so your child can write a quick note and send them to you while at camp.
- Inform your child that the camp has a policy that campers are not permitted to make phone calls during their stay at camp, except in an emergency.
- Talk with your child about what to expect in all areas, particularly the area of spiritual emphasis and development.
- Pray with your child about what will be happening. Encourage your son or daughter to share concerns or fears he or she may have so you may pray about them.
If you are interested in some additional hints, contact the Highland Youth Office for a free copy of the Cheri Evans pamphlet entitled "Preparing Your Child for Camp," a publication of CCI/USA.
Highland Retreat has been and continues to be missional in nature, providing opportunities for campers to accept Jesus Christ or recommit their lives to Him. With this in mind, we sense the continued need for presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all campers at their level of understanding, with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15). This will be done through daily Bible study, worship services, and interaction with staff members who are dedicated to demonstrating their commitment to Jesus Christ in word and deed.
Most lunches and dinners are served on the kitchen deck, but campers will also have the opportunity to enjoy campfire cooking (under the supervision of their counselors) for a few meals during the week. Our kitchen staff do their best to provide balanced meals that are both healthy and child-friendly. Be sure to mention any food allergies or dietary restrictions when registering and filling out your child’s health form. Please also read this document for information about how Highland's kitchen staff can help make sure your child is safe and well-fed.
Camp, like life, can never be risk-free, but we work hard to make Highland Summer Camp a safe place to be. Staff are selected for their ability to work with children, their desire to serve in camp ministry, and for their Christian faith. We seek to find staff who demonstrate a desire to know, love, and share their faith with others through their words and lifestyle.
See the section about healthcare above for some more details about how we care for campers' health.
Quality staff are the number one asset to our program. We seek to find solid Christian men and women who are living their faith authentically and with integrity, and who possess the skills and gifting for the roles they will fill.
- Staff Screening - Each staff person at Highland Retreat is carefully screened. The process starts when an application is submitted, which we review carefully, even for returning staff. We contact at least three confidential references, including one from their home church, before conducting a personal interview with the applicant. The next step is a complete criminal background check. Only individuals who meet each careful requirement are hired.
- Staff Training - All staff are required to attend 5 to 10 days of staff training. The general training that all staff attend involves sessions on health and safety, risk management, age group characteristics, organizational mission, supervision, and more. More specific training is offered for staff working with campers, in the kitchen, in supervisory roles, and so on.
The ratio changes with the age of the campers, but we generally place seven to nine campers in each cabin with one to two counselors, supported by experienced head counselors and other staff who are available to assist as needed. For younger campers, we set a maximum of ten campers with two counselors per cabin, and for older campers, a maximum of eight campers with one counselor per cabin.
While camp is in session, visits and phone calls are discouraged and should be limited to emergencies only. However, we encourage parents at check-in to meet the counselors and visit the cabin their son or daughter will be staying in. Parents are welcome to write or email their child. Receiving mail while at camp is a highlight for many campers. If you are concerned about how your child is doing while at camp, feel free to contact the Highland Youth Office and speak with the Program Director. We can arrange a time when your child's counselor can let you know how your child is doing.
Our camping cabins are simple structures with bunk beds and electric lights. Each cabin has a fire circle for outdoor cooking and a bathhouse just a short distance away. For more details, including pictures of the cabins, visit the camping cabins page.
No. The camp provides snacks. We do have a camp store with T-shirts and other items available for purchase; however, we only sell them during check-in and departure time.
A parent will need to indicate during check-in if their child needs to leave early or will be leaving for a period of time and then returning to camp. Refunds are not available for those who leave for homesickness or bad conduct.
Cancellation Policy: The registration deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable. Any amount paid in addition to the deposit will be refunded as follows: Cancellations made at least 14 days prior to the starting date will be refunded. Cancellations made 4-13 days prior to the starting date will receive a 50% refund. Cancellations made 3 or fewer days prior to the starting date will not be refunded. In special circumstances, some exceptions to this policy may be considered.
