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Page: Childrens Summer Pre Arrival

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Welcome to Wild Rock Children'S Summer Camp!

For Pastors

For Parents

In Order to Help You Successfully Prepare for Camp, Please Click on the below Drop Downs to Learn More.

Summer 2025 Theme

“Legend of the Missing Mine”

Embark on an unforgettable adventure at Wild Rock in summer 2025! Your young adventurer will travel to the fictional nation of Mericanda, a land filled with mystery and hidden treasures! Once thriving as miners, the four distinct regions of Mericanda now live in harmony, each having forged unique paths since the gold ran dry. But when rumors spread of the greatest treasure ever to be found in the long-lost Mill Creek Mine, each region sends its bravest representative to uncover the truth. Will they locate the ultimate treasure and secure their region’s future? Or will their quest lead to empty promises?

In John 14:6, the Bible tells us that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him. Will our explorers find their way? Will they find what they are looking for? Or… will they discover something else entirely? Come find out with us! We can’t wait to see you at Forest Home this summer!

Packing List

Summer Camp Appropriate Clothing

• Clothing suitable for mostly warm to hot conditions – shorts, T-shirts

• Pajamas/sleep wear

• Sneakers/shoes that are good for extended walks on dirt and gravel (recommended having two)

  • Not open-toed shoes or sandals! These can only be worn at the pool and lake to prevent cuts and falls
  • Water shoes are a popular choice, but can only be brought in addition to sturdier shoes

• Modest bathing suit (two is recommended)

  • Trunks for guys
  • A one piece for girls

• A pair or two of jeans

• Hats (helpful for sun protection)

• A sweatshirt or jacket in case it gets cold or rains (especially if attending early/mid-June or early August, those are times where it is most likely to either be cold or rainy)

• Plastic Garbage Bag for Dirty/Wet Clothing and Shoes

• More than enough socks/undergarments

Toiletries

• Toothbrush and Toothpaste
• Shampoo and Conditioner
• Body Wash
• Deodorant
• Sunscreen
• Bug Spray (The pressure change can mess with the aerosol versions, so those aren’t recommended)
• Lotion and Chapstick (HIGHLY recommended for high elevation)

Linens – Will Not be Provided by Camp

• Towel/Washcloth for showering
• Towel(s) for swimming
• Twin Size Bedding/Sleeping Bag
• Pillow
• Extra Blanket

Extra Items to Make Camp AWESOME!

• Flashlight

• Reusable Water Bottle

• Backpack to carry everyday items around camp

• Bible, Notebook, Pen (pencils are not recommended)

• Spending Money

  • Your camper’s experience is all-inclusive. They do not NEED to bring extra money to have a full camp experience; all meals and most activities are paid for in your camper’s registration cost. However, if your student wishes to purchase drinks, snacks, or a FH souvenir, extra spending money is suggested ($20-$40). Keep in mind that some items run a bit more expensive, like sweatshirts, water bottles, etc.

• Snacks!

  • Snacks work best when placed in a sealed plastic bag that is labeled with the camper’s name, that way they are contained and don’t get lost

• Team Spirit / Themed Clothing

  • Our theme this year is Wild West/Gold Mine, so feel free to bring a fun cowboy hat or something along those lines
  • Each group will be assigned a team color, so bringing a few items/shirts of that color can make the games more fun

• Items to share with cabin-mates to make camp FUN!

  • Decks of cards, glow sticks, etc.

Please DO NOT Bring the Following Items

• Open-Toed Shoes/Sandals

• Cell Phones, iPads, Gaming Devices, etc.

  • In general, camp needs to be an electronics-free environment

• Weapons – knives, airsoft guns, slingshots, etc.

• Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco

  • Including Juuls, vapes, wax pens, dap pens, etc.

• Items of Significant Monetary or Sentimental Value

Helpful Hints!

• Label ALL Luggage!

  • Using duct tape and a permanent marker is one great way to help your camper make sure their luggage arrives where it is supposed to be and makes it home.
  • Label luggage with:
    • Name (First and Last is best)
    • Church/Group Name
      • An address/city works great too if coming up as an individual camper

• Not Too Heavy!

  • Make sure you camper is physically able to carry all their luggage by himself/herself! The terrain to their yurts is a hilly dirt path, and overly heavy items make it far more difficult!

• Prep for All Weather!

  • Camp is normally pretty warm, but can range from hot to quite chilly, and rain is not uncommon. Throwing in a few extra layers just in case can be super helpful if it happens to get cold or something gets wet. This is especially true for the bookends of summer (early to mid-June and early August), where cool/wet weather is most common.

• Avoid Heartbreak!

  • Hey, kids are kids. Which is GREAT! But sometimes, being a kid means you occasionally LOSE things. Do NOT bring anything that is invaluable or irreplaceable. Forest Home is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen item.

Check-In/Check-Out

Check-In / Arrival

• Check-In will take place on Arrival Day (typically Sunday) from 3:00-5:00 PM at Adventure Mountain, which is up the hill from the main parking lot near Hormel Hall.
• The first programmed event your camper will attend will be dinner at 5:30 PM.
• Parents, please follow any specific check-in instructions provided from your camper’s group leader if applicable.
• If you are bringing your camper individually, you will be checking in your camper directly.
• Only registered guests and campers are able to go on the hike to enter Wild Rock, everyone else must stay in the check-in area.
• In the unfortunate event of a late arrival (traffic, car trouble, etc.) please text Andrew Newberry at 909-389-2268 as soon as possible.

Check-Out / Departure

• Check-out is 11:00 AM on Departure Day (typically Friday), at the same location as your arrival.

• Our program will end promptly at 10:45 AM; please do not plan on leaving prior to 10:45 AM as it disrupts the program.

• If you need to arrange an early departure for your camper, please email Andrew Newberry (andrew.newberry@foresthome.org).

First-Aid/Sending Medications to Camp

Each camper is required to undergo a health screening and have that information recorded on the group’s “Health Screening Form” BEFORE arriving at camp. Please note, any ill campers or counselors should not come to camp until they are symptom free without medication for 24 hours. If a camper or counselor arrives ill or becomes ill at camp, they may be sent home, subject to the discretion of the camp nurse and first aid policies.

Medication:

• Church/Group Partners

  • Please watch the short video regarding sending medication to camp. https://vimeo.com/865184187/a83b2c7e19?share=copy
  • Designate a medical volunteer (ie. Registered Nurse, LVN, EMT, nursing student ect.) to assist with the collection of camper medication.
  • Provide the following document “Church Partner Medical Volunteer” to your medical volunteer with step-by-step instructions.
  • Log on to your Forest Home account for a list of medicines you should expect to receive from your campers.
  • Print this list so your medical volunteer can check off medications received.
  • Cross reference the medication the parent provides with the medication printed on the medication expected list to ensure all medications parents registered campers to take during camp are retrieved prior to departure from the church. This will help save time at check-in once at camp. Print the “Medicine Postcard” document on bright colored paper.
  • The postcard will be completed by the medical volunteer at the time medication is collected.
  • All medications must be in their original containers for both prescriptions and over the counter (OTC) store-bought medications.
  • All prescriptions must have their correct prescription labels.
  • Place all medications in a Ziploc bag with camper and church name on the bag. Place all medication in a plastic container to be transported and handed off to the First Aid Team.
  • Please provide the “Sending Medications to Camp” document to ALL parents.

• Individual Campers

  • Place all medications in a Ziploc bag with camper name on the bag.
  • All medications must be in their original containers for both prescriptions and over the counter (OTC) store-bought medications.
  • All prescriptions must have their correct prescription labels
  • Print the “Medicine Postcard” document on bright colored paper and place within zip log back with medication,

The Health Techs on duty will distribute medication during each meal and can be found in the First Aid Station to distribute medications as needed throughout your stay.

Food Allergies/Dietary Restrictions

Please ensure that all dietary requests are indicated on your camper’s online registration form.

Our chefs are trained and able to accommodate the following common dietary allergies:

• gluten free diets
• dairy intolerances
• egg allergies
• vegetarian diets
• vegan diets,
• nut allergies (all our kitchens are nut free facilities).

If your camper has a dietary need or allergy that our kitchen is unable to accommodate for (like Celiac Disease), we require that your camper brings their own food to meet their dining needs during their stay.

• If your camper is bringing their own food to camp, pack their pre-cooked meals in pre-portioned microwave safe containers.
• There are refrigerators for storage and microwaves for heating in all dining facilities for guests to use. (Please note there is no prep area)
• If your camper is bringing their own food, please send it in appropriate containers for travel and ensure that it is labeled with your camper’s name.
• We understand many allergies can be very severe, and we cannot fully guarantee that every item served is 100% free from airborne particles or other means of food allergy cross-contamination. The process of bringing your own precooked and pre-portioned food will limit the chance of any allergy cross-contamination.
• There are other areas in camp that may cause allergic reactions that are out of our control, such as in retail food locations, vending machines, or other campers that may bring snacks.

If you have any additional questions, please contact Cecilia Cabrera at Cecilia.Cabrera@foresthome.org and she will respond within 2-3 business days.

Forest Home has gone Cashless!

All of your camper’s main activities while at Forest Home are covered by their camp registration fees.

There will be opportunities during the week where campers can choose to purchase items. This includes:

• Roundhouse/The Hub (t-shirts, stickers, hats, etc.)

• The Clubhouse and Stagecoach Coffee Shop (snacks/drinks)

• Craft Cabin crafts/activities

**All of Forest Home’s retail transactions are cashless; all retail purchases must be made by credit card, debit card, apple pay, google pay, Forest Home giftcard, or eGiftcard. **

• eGiftcard

  • This link allows you to load money on to your camper’s account at any time before or during camp.
  • You have the option of adding a telephone number to the account, making it easier for your camper to memorize the number required for making a purchase (for efficiency and ease of use, we strongly recommend using this method).
• • To reload money, please click here
• • To check balance on your egiftcard, please click here
• • For more instructions or troubleshooting on eGiftcards, click here
• • At the end of camp, if your camper does not spend all the money on their eGiftcard, it will remain open so that your camper can use it the next time they are at camp. In the event your camper is not returning to camp within a 12-month period, you can also email refunds@foresthome.org to request a refund for the extra funds on your camper’s eGiftcard. We are only able to process refunds that are requested within 12 months of date of purchase.

Camper Photos

Photos can be accessed through a link provided by your group’s leader. This link will be sent directly to the group leader a few days before arriving at camp. It is the group leader’s responsibility to share that link with camper families. If you do not receive the link directly from your group leader, follow up with them for photo access!

For individual campers, the same scenario will play out except through the individual camper’s parent / guardian rather than group leader.

Camper Mail

We strongly encourage parents and guardians to send their camper mail in one of two ways:

1. Pack any letters, cards, or packages in your camper’s suitcase for them to find once they arrive at camp.
2. Group leaders are encouraged to collect all camper mail for their church / group on departure day.

Guardians can give camper mail to their group leader, ensuring that each piece of camper mail is labeled with the camper’s name and desired delivery day.

If you choose to send mail via USPS and it does not make it to your camper in time, Forest Home is not responsible for forwarding or returning parcels

Cell Phones

We encourage campers to leave all electronics (including cellphones) at home and ask that all our guests join us in our efforts to keep our public areas at Forest Home cellphone free.

Forest Home will provide phone service for campers who need to contact their parents / guardians, but generally speaking, campers are not able to make or receive phone calls during camp.

If there is a situation with your child at camp that warrants contact of their guardian (homesickness, injury, not cooperating, etc.), you will be contacted by our camp staff immediately.

Recreation

All of these free time options will be available at various times throughout the week, weather permitting:

• Archery
• Summer Tube Run
• Pool
• Crate Stacking
• Tree Climbing
• Lake
• BB Range
• Cargo Net Climb
• Activities Field
• All Camp Games/Competitions
• And More!

Non-registered Guests

We have a closed campus.

For the safety of all of our guests, do not instruct anyone to come up to camp (for ANY length of time) who is not a registered guest.

Day passes are not available unless pre-arranged with the Camp Director.

For more information on our Child Protection Policies, please contact Evan Liewer, Senior Director of Programs, at evanl@foresthome.org.

Emergencies

If there is a serious family emergency and a parent needs to contact their child while at camp, they may contact the Forest Home Roundhouse at 909-389-2300 and they can put them in contact with the Camp Director.

Additional Questions?

Couldn’t find the answer to your question? Reach out to someone from our team and we will get back to you!

Sarah Shepherd

Registration sarah.shepherd@foresthome.org (909) 389-4320

Collin Allen

Children’s Program Manager collin.allen@foresthome.org (909) 389-2276

Andrew Newberry

Director of Children’s Ministry Andrew.newberry@foresthome.org (909) 389-2268