Parent Information

We want to do everything we can to help your child have a positive camp experience.

At WCRC, we want every child to experience camp — no matter their family’s finances. Our three-tier pricing system makes that possible. Every camper gets the same great experience, regardless of the tier you choose. Your choice is voluntary and confidential.

Tier A – Ministry Sustainer
 Covers close to the full cost of camp and helps sustain our ministry.
 Choose this option if you can pay your full amount of camp.

Tier B – Shared Support
  Helps us meet more of our expenses while still keeping camp accessible.
 Choose this option if Tier A feels out of reach, but you can contribute a little more toward the true cost.

Tier C – Donor Supported Rate
 A reduced rate made possible through generous donors and church partners who believe every child should experience camp.
 Choose this option if your family needs financial assistance to make camp possible.

If Tier C is still more than your family can afford, scholarships are available — please reach out!

 We ask that families select the highest tier they can to help keep camp affordable for everyone and continue sharing Christ’s love with each camper. At WCRC, our goal is simple: to make summer camp possible for every child, while keeping our program strong, safe, and Christ-centered.

Like everything else, the cost to run camp has gone up — from food and supplies to staff and maintenance. Each summer, it costs over $150,000 more to operate camp than we receive in camper fees. Thank you for doing your part to spread the gospel to more families by providing what you are able to give.

Please do not bring valuable jewelry, watches, or expensive clothing.

As soon as all campers arrive counselors will explain the Camp Rules to their campers. Campers are held to these standards throughout the week.

Golden Rule – Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If you are having a negative impact on the rest of the group, you will be disciplined.

Discipline – Camp staff are carefully trained to work with children in a positive and trusting environment. It is assumed that campers are amenable to normal camp discipline and will conform to the ideals and regulations of our camping program. Parents will be contacted if campers are having difficulty at camp for any reason.

Corporal punishment, denial of food at meals, isolation without supervision, ridicule by staff or campers, excessive exercise or deprivation of sleep are expressly prohibited as a means for discipline in our camp.

Any camper found in possession of alcoholic beverages, weapons, drugs, drug paraphernalia, cigarettes, vapes or other nicotine products, and/or pornographic material may be dismissed from camp. In such cases, parents or guardians will be contacted immediately. Any camper dismissed from camp for disciplinary reasons will forfeit any refund of fees.

Homesickness is a normal experience in the process of growing up, and every counselor at Summer Camp at WCRC is trained to help a homesick camper through encouragement, lots of activity, and building new friendships. Parents can help by writing friendly and encouraging letters, writing often, and not promising a camper s/he can come home if they get homesick. Please feel free to call and talk with the Program Director at any time. Plan ahead with mail; many letters arrive after a child has left Camp.

Here is some helpful information from the American Camping Association website on homesickness. Please check out their website for additional homesickness tips.

At camp, we encourage campers to view their bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. For this reason we have a dress code to assist campers in focusing on the real reason that they are at camp: to make lasting uplifting friendships and to focus on their relationship with the Lord. Clothing that is revealing is distracting and demeaning. For this reason, we have set standards.

Clothing should not have words or images that are offensive or contrary to the Christian principles of the camp.

Campers are strongly discouraged from wearing skin-tight pants which are inappropriate for the active nature of camp life.

Boys:

Girls:

If a camper’s clothing doesn’t meet the dress code, parents will be contacted to bring additional clothing. Please encourage your camper to pack modest clothing.

Click here for a printable camper packing list and here for a day camp packing list. We recommend using the list to record the items your child brings to Camp. Pack the list in your camper’s luggage so that he or she can look over the list at the end of the week making sure all their belongings go back home with them.

Cornerstone, Solid Rock, Night Owl, and Keystone Campers should bring a change of darker clothing for night time games.

Label all belongings clearly. Items left behind are held in Lost & Found for two weeks, and if unclaimed, they are then donated to a local charity. Please contact the Camp WITHIN TWO WEEKS if you are trying to locate lost items.

Mail and Care Packages: Parents of younger campers should consider writing often. Consider sending letters during the week before your child comes to camp; many letters arrive once the camper has already left.

Please do not send your child food, gum, or candy in either letters or packages.

Don’t worry if your child doesn’t write back. Usually, their excuse is, “I was just too busy having fun!” If you should receive letters that cause you concern as to your child’s adjustment or well being, please advise us immediately. It is our goal to make camp a good experience for all of the campers.

E-mail: Feel free to send your camper e-mail messages to ginger@wcrc.info. Messages will be printed and distributed at mealtime with other mail. Please write the camper’s name in the subject area. We are not able to guarantee the confidentiality of these messages. Please do not send attachments or e-cards as we are unable to print them. Campers are not able to email parents back; however, they may write letters in response.

Telephone: Telephones are not available for camper use except in staff supervised business or emergency situations. If parents have urgent messages that require a telephone call, please ask to speak to the Program Director or Assistant Program Director, and your message will be written down and delivered to the child, normally at the next mealtime. IN CASES OF EMERGENCY, DO NOT HESITATE TO CALL THE “AFTER HOURS DUTY PHONE.”

Visitors: “Drop-in” visits can create a number of problems, sometimes disrupting programs, diverting staff, or setting off homesickness in susceptible campers. First day check-in and last day checkout are good times to visit with staff, not during the week. If for any reason visitors come on property they are asked to check in at the office. Please do not ask to take other campers from camp.

Camper Photos: During camp a few photos may be posted on our Facebook page throughout the week. A full album will be posted once the week is finished.

This schedule will give you an idea of the general order of a camper’s day; however, the times when activities happen to change each week depending on the ages of the campers. The younger campers go to bed between 9 and 9:30pm. The older campers go to bed between 10 and 10:30pm.

7:30 – Wake Up
8:00 – Breakfast
8:30 – Cabin Clean Up
9:00 – Cabin Devotions
10:15 – Activity Time 1
12:00 – Lunch
12:45 – In Cabin Rest Time
1:45 – Activity Time 2
3:15 – Snack
3:30 – Pool Time
5:30 – Dinner
6:15 – Evening Worship
7:00 – All Camp Games
8:00 – Snack
8:15 – Night Time Activity
9:00 – Showers
9:30 – In Cabin Personal Reflections
10:00 – Lights Out

Check-In: Registration begins on the first day of camp at 6 p.m. Please do not arrive early for Check-in. Staff will not be able to assist until 6 p.m. Check-ins will take place at the Commons in the Cabin Village. There will be signs to direct you. Remaining balances can be paid during registration.

Pick-Up: Weeklong camps will end with a Closing Program on Thursday at 7pm in Magnolia Center. Family members are invited to attend. Campers should be signed out immediately prior to the Closing Program.

There will not be a Closing Program for Mini Campers who will be picked up at 1pm on Tuesday.

Please inform the office if you will be picking up your camper late. Let us know ahead of time if someone other than those listed on the “Payment and Pick-Up Form” will be picking up your child. We are not able to release campers to people not listed on the form without your permission.

Camp items will be available for purchase during Pick Up. Campers should not be given money to purchase items during the camp week. We do not want to invite the possibility of campers losing or having their money stolen during camp.

At Summer Camp at WCRC it is our goal to run a safe Christ-Centered camp. For this reason, all of our counselors are trained in first aid and CPR. While we do not employ a full-time summer Camp Nurse, we have a Camp Healthcare Coordinator on-site to administer medication and provide medical care as necessary for minor injuries and sickness.

Any time a camper requires medical attention outside of camp, has an injury that prevents them from participating in camp activities or is sick (fever/vomiting) a parent will be contacted. For more information on when we will contact a parent or what requires a child to be sent home please call or speak to the Camp Healthcare Coordinator at registration.

All medication brought into Camp should be in their original containers with the original label attached. Please write instructions including dosages and times on your camper’s medical form. This will assist us in administering the medication in the same way that it is done at home. All medications, including non-prescribed vitamins, creams, lotions, aspirin, etc., must be turned in and dispensed by the Program Director, Assistant Program Director or Camp Healthcare Coordinator. Do not repackage drugs or substitute another person’s prescription; this is prohibited by law.

Please do not take your children off of their medication, especially ADD medication, while they are at camp.

Summer Camp at WCRC Hiring and Training policy

All staff and volunteers at Summer Camp at WCRC will have on file three current references who have submitted information regarding the employee’s character, history, and any concerns. We background check all staff and volunteers before they are allowed to work near or around children. WCRC will not allow a person known to be a sexual offender to become or remain a member of the staff.

Camp staff members must complete a Sexual Abuse Awareness Training before camp. During staff training, we go over Camp policies regarding how to interact with children in a healthy way, appropriate and inappropriate camper discipline, rules about abuse prevention, and how to report suspected abuse.

Abuse Prevention Policies

· Summer Camp at WCRC will release minors only to individuals pre-approved by a parent or guardian using sign‑in and sign‑out sheets.

· Our typical cabin ratio of campers to counselors is 4:1 to maintain best control and observation of the environment.

· Counselors do daily and weekly check-ins with each other and camp leadership to report any concerns they may have about campers or other staff members.

· Staff members are trained to actively scan the camp environment for unfamiliar individuals and report them to leadership immediately.

· When taking campers to the bathhouse, staff members are trained to make sure the bathhouse is empty before the campers begin using it, place a sign on the door barring entry for other users until the campers have finished, and remain with them outside the stalls the whole time. One counselor may NEVER be alone in the bathhouse or cabin with a single camper.

· Summer Camp at WCRC staff are mandated reporters and are required to report evidence or suspicion of child abuse to Child Protective Services (CPS).

Camp Rules for Interaction with Children

· Staff members are trained to NEVER be alone with a camper in a private area. If one-on-one counseling is necessary, it is done in public areas with others present in a way that is visible and interruptible.

· Campers age 11 and under must be walked to the restroom by (a) at least two staff members or (b) at least one staff member and another camper. Campers age 12 and up may walk to the restroom using the buddy system of three campers or more.

· Camp staff will avoid all inappropriate touching with minors. All touching shall be based on the needs of the individual being touched, not on the needs of the volunteer or staff member. In the event a minor initiates physical contact and/or inappropriate touching, the staff member shall inform the minor that such touching is inappropriate.

Williamsburg Christian Retreat Center will pay up to but not exceeding 60% of registration fees pending approval. In cases of extreme hardship, WCRC will make an effort to find additional assistance for the remaining 40%.

The person making the request, their parent, pastor, or social worker should complete the application.

WCRC will review applications for assistance and will determine eligibility. If approved, the person submitting the application will be notified within 20 days.

A Scholarship Application should be submitted at least 30 days prior to the start of the chosen session of camp. Include all information requested. All information is confidential.

Click here to fill out the online scholarship form. Please email ginger@wcrc.info if you have any questions.