When does registration for Summer Camp begin? Thursday, December 1, 2023. You can register online or by calling us at (760) 765-1822. Tell them you would like to sign up for summer overnight camp! A non-refundable deposit of $150 per week is required to hold your spot this summer.

 Can we visit camp prior to signing up? Yes. For safety reasons, however, we are very conscientious of who is visiting. We operate year round programs and very often have campers on site, so please call 760-765-0642 to arrange a guided tour.

 How many adults are there to how many children? We follow American Camp Association guidelines in maintaining a 2-10 ratio of staff to campers on camp at all times. In addition to this we make sure there is no time when campers are left unsupervised.

 What happens if my child gets sick at camp? We have trained health care personnel on camp at all times. The Health Center provides a good space for short-term care, but we prefer not to house ill children for more than a day. We call parents when a child is ill and required to stay in the health center. Experience has shown that many times rest and fluids is all they need to feel better. If however, an illness lasts more that a day, “there’s no place like home”. We will call you, ask for you to pick them up, and work toward re-scheduling the week.

 If I have two children attending camp, will they see each other, or participate in activities together? The answer to this question is “it depends”. We group our into cabin groups by age, and campers rotate to day-time activities with their cabin. Raintree is a small facility so all the girls cabins are located in 1 large bunk house, and the two boys cabins are right next to each other. Campers have opportunities to mingle with other cabins during evening activities, free time, and meals.

 My child doesn’t know much English, do the counselors speak Spanish? Although we have some bilingual staff, they are scheduled in program areas by skills and may not necessarily be working with your child. As long as your child understands some basic English, we can utilize our staff and also other Spanish speaking campers to help translate. We do our best to make sure everyone understands what is expected and what the cabin group is doing.

 Can children bring a cell phone to camp? No, we do not permit cell phones at camp. YMCA Camp is a safe place to let your children have a bit of freedom and independence. We want them to make new friends and face challenges, not to spend precious camp time calling or texting their friends back home. Parents can choose to e-mail messages for their campers via an optional online service. Experience has shown that a call to Mom & Dad can often make an adjustment problem worse, not better. Lastly, the technology of cameras on cell phones also creates the potential problem of taking pictures in sensitive areas. Camper bathrooms and changing areas are not appropriate places for cameras. If your child needs to have cell phone with them because of travel or other reasons, simply have them submit it to camp staff upon arrival. We will return it to them when they leave.

 What about bullies and teasing? Whenever you have groups of children together, teasing and bullying can occur. We do everything we can to prevent this from happening. Our staff are trained in how to spot this behavior and put a stop to it. We have no tolerance for this type of behavior and a camper could be sent home for bullying or intimidating actions.

 What happens if my child misses home? Missing home can be a challenge for some campers. We have several steps to work with it. In most cases we will simply encourage the camper to stay busy and think positively. Most times this works quite well. The camper starts to enjoy them self and make new friends. In some cases it may take a bit more help. At those times our practice is to call parents and talk to them about what steps we’re taking and what might work best with their camper. We want to make overcoming homesickness a success story for your child and may ask your help in doing so.

 Who do I inform about my child ‘s food allergies? First, make sure you have listed all health concerns on our Health History form. Then, at Check-In, you can personally discuss your campers specific health issues with camp health care personnel. They will ensure the information is communicated to the other departments at camp, including your child’s counselor.

 Will there be a camp store? Our camp store will be open during check-in and check-out. Please feel free to swing by and take a look at our new merchandise!

 What happens if my child does not like the food? We think our camp food is some of the best around. We encourage each camper to try what is being served but we don’t force them to eat. If campers don’t like what is being served, we provide options. At each meal there is a well-stocked salad bar and fresh fruit. At breakfast, a buffet with hot and cold cereal is available along with the hot entrée. Our staff is trained to watch what campers are eating. If a child is not eating a healthy amount, they will report the matter to the health care staff.

 What is a “holdover” and what do they do?  “Holdovers” are campers that are registered for back to back sessions. Holdovers are able to stay at camp over the weekend, so no need to pick up your camper between sessions! Typically, holdovers enjoy catching up on rest and various other “low-key” activities, such as feeding the animals or movie night! We take care of your camper's laundry, so no need to pack double or pack detergent.

 How much time do the campers spend with horses? The short answer – half of each day. And, every camper has the opportunity to ride every day of camp. With 40+ horses, we split the camp into “AM and PM” riders. From there, the riders separate into their smaller groups for “ground classes”, arena lessons and trail rides. Ground classes are non-riding classes that teach all about horse anatomy, health care, tack, and more. Arena lessons provide specific instruction in western riding skills within one of the three fenced instructional arenas. Once campers are proficient on controlling their horse, they are eligible to go on a 1-hour trail ride around our 230 acres of forests & trails. Additionally Monday-Thursday we have a 6:30am Tack-up time. At Tack-up campers come down to the barn early to help groom and saddle the horses for the day before breakfast. Many campers find this to be the best part of the day as they enjoy the extra time with horses. Some campers are required to attend Tack-up once, twice or four times a week if they are going for a higher level Bolo. During arena lessons and ground classes, campers also learn and practice a riding pattern to be used on the Friday Horse show.

 What is the Refund Policy?  A $150 non-refundable deposit per week is required to reserve camp session. Full payment is due based on registered session dates.   Non-refundable fee is transferable to a new registration if space is available based on general Association policy. In cases of Homesickness or dismissal from Camp- No refund will be issued.