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Page: Youth Pre Arrival

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Welcome to Youth Winter Camp

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

Winter Camp 2025 Theme

The concept of “Burn the Ships” is a powerful metaphor for making a decisive and irreversible choice, rooted in historical acts of courage where leaders destroyed their means of retreat to ensure total commitment. It represents total dedication, eliminating any possibility of turning back. In Christian faith, it embodies the call to fully surrender to Christ, abandoning the old life and following Him with unwavering devotion.

Winter Camp 2025 is almost here and we are so excited to have your group up at camp! We are so glad that you have chosen to make Forest Home a part of your group’s plans this winter. It is truly an honor to partner with you as we serve students together. This letter intends to answer any questions or concerns you might have about camp prior to your arrival. We’re also sending you a Parent Pre-Arrival Letter that you can share with your campers and their guardians to ensure that everyone is informed and well-prepared for Winter Camp. We want to provide you with all the important information you need so that once you arrive at camp, you can sit back and spend time with your students.

Spiritual Theme

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• Session One: Chart the Course – In “Chart the Course”, we’ll begin by looking at how Moses had to leave behind his old life to follow God’s call. This is our chance to think seriously about what’s holding us back from fully following God: things like pursuing approval from others, prioritizing comfort, or clinging to personal ambitions over God’s direction. This session will set the stage for a new path with God at the center, where we trust His guidance completely.
• Session Two: Nail the Colors – “Nail the Colors” is all about making an unbreakable commitment to God, even when it’s hard. Like Moses challenging Pharaoh, this session calls us to stand firm against influences that compete for our loyalty to God—things like social status, peer pressure, or the desire to fit in. It’s a bold call to fully declare our faith, pushing aside anything that tempts us to compromise our beliefs.
• Session Three: Burn the Ships – This is the night for making real changes. “Burn the Ships” will focus on Naaman’s story, showing how freedom and transformation come when we let go of old habits, pride, and harmful attachments. This session is a direct challenge to leave behind specific things like toxic relationships, addictions, negative media, materialism, or anything that clouds our focus on God. It’s a time to surrender these fully, choosing to follow God without a backup plan or path back.
• Session Four: Turn the Tides – “Turn the Tides” is about transformation, individually and together. We’ll talk about how real change begins when we turn away from temporary desires like selfishness, vanity, and the endless pursuit of success. Instead, we’ll see how God can use us to make a real difference in the world when we commit fully to Him and align our values with His mission, freeing ourselves from these distractions.
• Long Weekend Only Session: Man the Station – If you’re here for the long weekend, “Man the Station” is all about stepping into the role of servant, inspired by the Good Samaritan. This session challenges us to set aside selfish tendencies, impatience, and the need for control. It’s a call to put aside personal comfort to show up for others, embodying God’s love through service, responsibility, and compassion. Your camper will have an opportunity for many meaningful conversations and experiences while at camp that can lead them closer to Christ. Please join us in prayer that God would work in big ways and that campers’ lives would be changed through Him! We are already praying for the moments you’ll share with your students, and we cannot wait to see the way the Lord works in the hearts and minds of your campers.

Visual Theme The theme for this winter camp weekend is “Burn the Ships” This theme is all about making a bold choice to leave behind worldly wisdom, desires, distractions, and anything that competes with our commitment to follow God wholeheartedly. Just as explorers in history burned their ships to show they were fully dedicated to a new land with no thought of retreat, we’re called to set aside everything that divides our loyalty to Christ. Throughout the weekend, we’ll explore what it means to commit to God without hesitation, embracing a life driven by faith, purpose, and devotion. Together, we’ll learn to leave behind temporary pursuits and step into the greater, lasting purpose God has for us.

Packing List

**The Essentials: **

• Warm Clothing

  • Casual Winter Clothing – long sleeves, sweatshirts, jeans, long pants

  • Pajamas

  • Warm / Waterproof Jacket

    • Winter Accessories – hat, scarf, gloves
    • Warm / Waterproof Closed-Toe Shoes
      • Vans and Converse are closed-toed shoes, but are not waterproof. Please be mindful of the shoes that you pack – if it happens to be a snowy weekend, you’ll want to be prepared with the proper footwear!

  • Trash Bag for Dirty / Wet Clothing and Shoes

• Toiletries

  • Toothbrush & Toothpaste
  • Shampoo & Conditioner
  • Soap
  • Deodorant
  • Lotion & Chapstick (recommended for high elevation)

• Linens (NOT provided by camp) – recommended to be packed in a trash bag for protection from rain / snow during traveling and unloading at camp

  • Towel / Washcloth
  • Sleeping Bag
  • Pillow
  • Extra Blanket (recommended

• Extra Items to Make Camp Awesome Flashlight (for walking to / from your cabin at night)

  • Reusable Water Bottle
  • Backpack (to Carry Everyday Items around Camp)
  • Bible, Notebook, Pen
  • 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, a FH souvenir, or projects at the craft cabin, extra spending money is suggested ($20-$40).
  • Items to share with Cabinmates to make camp fun – snacks, decks of cards, glow sticks, etc.

• Please Do NOT Bring the Following Items

  • Open-Toed Shoes / Sandals
  • iPads, Laptops, Gaming Devices, etc.
  • Weapons – knives, airsoft guns, slingshots, etc.
  • Prank Supplies (including Fireworks)
  • Drugs / Alcohol / Tobacco – including Juuls, vapes, wax pens, dab pens, etc.
  • Items with significant monetary value or sentimental value

• Pro-Tips:

  • Label ALL luggage and items with duct tape and a permanent marker – camper’s name and church name. That way, if luggage gets left behind or misplaced, we can easily get it back to you!
  • Make sure that your campers can carry all the luggage they are bringing to camp.
  • Prepare for cold weather; up on the mountain, it can be cold, rainy, and / or snowy! It is advised that campers have their jackets with them on the bus to be able to put on once they arrive to camp.
  • Avoid potential heartbreak – Do NOT bring anything that is invaluable, irreplicable, or of significant monetary value. Forest Home is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen items.

Check-In/Check-Out

Check-In / Arrival

• Before you arrive at camp, log-on to your Forest Home account to see if any of your students or leaders are missing medical forms. If there are missing health forms, contact those participants and get the health forms filled out ASAP. Ensuring that all your students are registered and have turned in a health form will help make your check-in process go as smoothly as possible.

• Check-in will begin at 4:30 PM on Friday. In the unfortunate event of a late arrival (traffic, distance, etc.) please email Sarah Shepherd as soon as possible. Check-in will take place in the main Forest Center parking lot; there will be signage on the main road to guide you to the lot. Forest Home Staff will be placed to help you navigate the arrivals process and welcome you to camp. Once your vehicles are parked, you (or your group’s designated group leader) will proceed to Blinco Lounge while the rest of your group will remain in the parking lot and enjoy some warm treats. Make sure the group leader brings all of the group’s medication and Health Screening Forms with them to Blinco Lounge.

• Once in Blinco, Ian (Program Director) and Sarah (Reservations Associate) will have your registration packet and our nurses and health techs will check-in any medication for your group. Once your group is officially checked-in, the group leader will return to the parking lot to distribute keys and wristbands to your group. We will have staff waiting to show you and your students to your cabins. Once settled in your cabins, the following activities will be open before dinner: Roundhouse (gift shop), fire pits, and the Den (game room). Dinner starts at 7:30PM in the Forest Center Dining Room and there will be a Counselor Meeting in Hormel Hall at 8:15PM. Once you arrive at Forest Home, feel free to grab anyone with a Forest Home name tag to answer any questions!

Check-Out / Departure

• After breakfast on Sunday (or Monday if you’re participating in one of our long weekends), all guests will head to our final gathering of the weekend. After gathering is finished (around 11:00AM), an optional Church Debrief time (as outlined above) will be available before sending churches off. If participating in the optional Church Debrief time, plan to depart camp property no later than 12:30 on that day. Lunch will not be served on departure day, so please ensure to plan accordingly for your group.

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.

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 our Director of Guest Dining, Matt Stryffeler at matt.stryffeler@foresthome.org and he will respond within 2-3 business days.

Spending Money / Retail Options at Camp

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

• Laser Tag

**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!

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 options are available to your campers during free time, weather permitting:

• Canyon Park – Zipline, Giant Swing, Sky Trail
• Snow Tube Run
• Laser Tag
• Mini Golf
• The Den – Billiards, Ping Pong, Foosball, Air Hockey, etc.
• Craft Cabin (additional cost – varies by project)

Final Count & Additional Spots

We need your final count and male / female breakdown two weeks prior to your arrival to camp. We do not assign housing until we receive these numbers to ensure adequate housing for your group and others. If you would like additional spots, contact Sarah Shepherd (Reservations Associate) and she will do her best to accommodate requests as she receives them.

Additional Costs

Your campers’ 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 campers’ registration cost. However, if your students wish to purchase drinks, snacks, FH merch, or projects in the craft cabin, extra spending money will be needed ($20-$40). Please see the above section “Spending Money / Retail Options at Camp” for further explanation.

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.

A Safe Place

At Forest Home, we deeply care about the safety of our campers in every regard. During the Friday night Counselor Meeting, we will walk all counselors through the steps and policies that the Forest Home staff, counselors, and campers will abide by while at camp. We will walk through camper safety expectations for the weekend so that we can ensure every student is safe while at Forest Home.

Additional Questions?

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

Sarah Shepherd

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

Matt France

Director of Youth matt.france@foresthome.org (949) 874-3336