Arrival At Camp: Be at camp by 12:00 noon on Sunday. It is important to have enough time for someone to show you where your cabin is, to unpack the car and get yourself settled before the Camp Program begins at 3:00. Once the program begins there is a full schedule of activities before and after supper, so you will not have a chance to get back to your cabin till dark.

Saturday is a transition and work day. Campers & hired staff who are actively working to open camp arrive on Saturday, but we appreciate it if others wait until Sunday to arrive. There will be no meals, program or child care on Saturday.

Departure: At the end of camp each week, everyone is expected to contribute to the closing of camp. This includes packing, cleaning their cabin, and doing their assigned closing chore in the camp. It has always been understood that people need to take care of themselves, and departure is no exception to this. But we have found in some years that too many people have been availing themselves of an early departure, which has proven to be unfair to those that remain! Please plan to stay until noon, to contribute your share at closing each week.

Cabins: The cabins are rustic, and have beds with spring mattresses or plywood--most of cabins have eight beds. It's a good idea to bring a sleeping bag as well as some covering for the mattress; some people bring an air mattress instead. The night temperatures in the mountains are unpredictable (often quite cool), so come prepared.

The cabins have lights and electricity, but bring flashlights or battery lanterns to help getting to your cabin at night, and for getting ready for bed. The electrical current in the cabins is low and should be used for lighting only. Don't keep food in your cabin; the animals love this, and you may find your cabin feeling rather crowded!

Bathrooms: Upper camp has a large main bath with showers. A men's side, women's side and a handicap-friendly family bathroom. Please bring a container (a pail, basket, bag...) to hold bathroom necessities. The bathrooms are cleaned every morning at Chore Time and items that are left in the bathrooms will be taken to Lost & Found.

Laundry: There is an enclosed indoor laundry room at the main bath and it will be busy so you may want to bring enough clothes to last the week. Be prepared for hot, chilly, or rainy weather. Rain coats or ponchos are great for getting to different activities in the rain. Some people like to bring some clotheslines for hanging wet towels, etc., at their cabin.

Curfew: All campers 12 & under are expected to be in their cabins no later than 9:30 p.m., unless they are babysitting for Vespers. Vespers baby-sitters may attend a late Vespers, and have the same curfew as adults. The Dining Hall is closed at 11:45 p.m.; everyone is expected to be in their own cabins by 12:00. These are limits; you may set earlier times for your family.

Chores: Each adult camper helps out in many ways at Laurel. There is no paid staff, so what the camp becomes each year depends to a large extent on what the people who are coming that year actually do. First, you are responsible for yourself and your family, and for getting to things on time.You may also have a staff job.

In addition, you will work with your adult group in the following camp chores:

• A daily chore, such as cleaning bathrooms.(A Chore Director will organize the children to help in some task during this time).
• One morning of running the children's program and working on a project with them. A meeting will be held on Sunday afternoon to help you and your group plan and prepare for this. If you have ideas and/or supplies, bring them or contact the morning program coordinator.You will miss one morning's lectures, but there will be a recap each day before lunch.
• One day of assisting in the kitchen, helping to set up for meals, cleaning up after, helping with some food preparation, etc.You will not miss lecture.

Family Camps Chores for teens and children vary, depending on what ages are actually at camp.
A "typical" week might look like this:

• Older teens lead children's evening groups
• Younger teens: Vespers baby-sitting
• Age 11-12 perform morning baby-sitting
• Younger children collect sticks, trash during morning chore time.

It is very important to contribute your share. Please make this a priority.

Teens: We expect teens to observe curfew, and be up in the morning to follow the morning schedule, including participation in morning programs, as well as do their jobs. We have had a wealth of teens at camp the past few years, and things have worked smoothly. Adults have been more inclusive of the teens, and the teens have made themselves an integral part of camp. Active participation in the afternoons, by both adults and teens, was also apparent. Overall, this has led to a better "family" camp, with all age groups contributing.

Miscellaneous: You might like to bring your own easily identified mug for coffee or tea. (You will be responsible for keeping track of it and washing it.) If you play a musical instrument, and would like to share your music, please bring it. If your seat gets sore from sitting, a cushion might be nice. You might also like to bring a lawn chair for sitting outside. If you have games or projects you'd like to share with the camp, please bring them.

WHAT TO BRING	WHAT NOT TO BRING
Your name on everything!! Sleeping bag, or sheets, and pillow Air Mattress Towel Rain protection Container for bathroom necessities Flashlights Warm informal clothing Distinctive coffee mugs for adults Lawn chairs Bathing suits and sports equipment Bug repellent Craft supplies to donate for school Musical instruments Games and projects for children Favorite book(s) Electric Fan (For Cabin) Old MAD magazines	Unregistered people, adults Pets Tents (except for inside cabin use) Unwanted kitchen utensils Camping Vehicles Silverware Alcoholic beverages Contagious diseases Guns Power tools Noisy radios Blank stares

 

 

Camp
Life