Frequently Asked Questions

Campers do sleep in cabins, 4 bunk beds and two counselor beds in each cabin. We have 5 cabins for each side of camp ( boys side and girls side)

Usually cabins have about 5-7 kids in cabin each week depending on the week and age of campers.

During registration you are able to choose two campers for your bunk mate request, I try my best to give you at least one of the campers listed, but most cabin assignments are by age ( within 1 year apart). So really it depends on how many campers and what age they are that attending week.

We like to fill the entire day with activities, so there isn’t a lot of down time. Honestly we do that on purpose, but I know there is a few campers who might get a little home sick, we do not allow campers to call home. A staff person will make a call home to parents if we feel the need to have a conversation about how the week is going or if we foresee an issue pertaining to homesickness. All campers know that we make them wait until Wednesday as the day I will call home to let parents know of the situation. First because it does take a couple days to adjust to the schedule, but by then most can wait out two more days until they are scheduled to go home. At that point, it is a family decision on what steps are next for the camper and their stay at camp.

First our camp cook is amazing, Ketha has been with us for 7 years and does an amazing job to spiff up the food the best she can. She does a great job of working with the menu limits and creating her own spin on homemade things. For the most part we have kid favorites: chicken nuggets, french fries, pizza, salad, applesauce, pudding, peanut butter \ jelly, eggs, pancakes, mashed potatoes, tuna salad, philly cheesesteaks, chicken patties, tater tots, mac and cheese, hotdogs, soup, grilled cheese, etc.

Every meal offers some type of alternative for those picky eaters, and every camper must drink a glass of water at each meal. We are however not allergy friendly camp, if you camper has a food allergy or special dietician needs – you must supply them with that food and or snack.

Bunk 1 is a third party program that we participate in that gives parents the opportunity to do a couple things: We take pictures everyday and upload them to bunk1. Parents can share the login information with anyone, and for free just view camp pictures. Parents can also buy the picture and customize it to whatever option that is available . Resident Camp Parents can also purchase an email package, this allows for the parent to send campers emails, which we deliver each day at lunch – if parents want to add to that order they can buy camper replies as well. This allows your camper to write you an email back on that account special paper after lunch during rest hour and I will send them to parents bunk1 account around dinner. Day camp parents can only view and buy pictures – DO NOT BUY an EMAIL PACKAGE this is not available for day campers.

Weather at camp is ever changing. If we are anticipating some bad weather in the forecast we will change our schedule up to best accommodate doing our activities before needing to move to the cabins or inside. In the case of severe weather we will continue to monitor via weather radio and communication with the park office, and The YMCA.

Day Camp- YADC Campers will move inside, NF campers will move to the Masland Hall, rated for thunderstorms\lightning and then when safe be transported back to the YMCA depending on weather.

Resident Camp- Cabins will not go on overnights if the weather is calling for 40% chance of rain or more – we will try to make this up during the week.

Super hot days – again we will change our schedule and incorporate more water activities , shade, water breaks, etc for majority of the day, but parents please note we will still be outside, you do not need to send your camper if you feel the heat is to excessive for the day.

Resident Camp , because we will stay outside still, will add Gatorade or some sort of aide to the water coolers so campers can stay hydrated.

Resident Camp Parents should allow the campers to help them pack their belongings for the week. This will allow the camper to better where their things are ( poncho, socks, bathing suit) when they get to camp and help eliminate them ripping their bag apart and clothes and belongings getting separated from their bag. You can also label their belongings with initials or name using tape or a permanent marker.

Day Camp, campers should still help pack their bag so they know where their swim things are – lunch – sunscreen and extra clothes ( if packed)

Please make sure if your camper does have medication that it comes to camp in the prescribed bottle \box with dosage instructions. This needs to be checked in with the nurse and without a doctors note be given exactly how the bottle instructs.

I have a camper, she is 6, she is unable to swim independently. She cannot swim without some kind of flotation device. She loves being in the poor but is apprehensive to be in water without support. Is this okay or should she be an independent swimmer to attend this camp?

Yes it is completely fine. Staff are in the water and along waters edge with campers. We have additional lifeguards when we swim as well. Campers must wear a pack actually up until the pass their swim test given by the guards or the aquatics director. She will be among a bunch of campers with packs and playing and swimming in the entrance end.

I’m looking to sign my camper up for the Camp Thompson day camp. There are two weeks in the summer that he is planning other activities, July19-23rd then July 26-30. Do I still pay for the two weeks I’m not using camp?

No, camp registration is per week, you only pick the weeks you want your camper to attend, along with that we do not have any prorated weeks – you pay for the full week no matter how many days you use.

Freeze the juice box to use as an icepack. Lunchables, apples, snacks, peanut butter and jelly, applesauce ( and if you forget the spoon, they can turn the lid into a scoop ) Kids get hungry throughout the day, extra snacks are welcome. Counselors sit with campers so they can monitor what their eating, and to remind them to save things for later; we do not provide snack.