Throughout our years of operating Lake Greeley Camp, we have had the pleasure of serving and working with many different families from many different areas of the country and the world. Although each family and camper who come to camp are unique, there are many common questions, worries, concerns, etc., these families have.
We have developed this list of commonly asked questions by parents and campers in order to address the same concerns that you may have as well. Do you not see your question listed here? Call our office at 570-842-3739 to discuss your question with us. We'll be happy to help you in any way we can.
For Tuition / Fees / Sessions / Transportation
• What is the difference between camp bank and the canteen fee?
• Our schedule for the summer is not really decided, yet. Can we apply and then decide on a session at a later time? By when do we need to decide?
• Can I extend my stay at Lake Greeley Camp from the original session I chose?
• What modes of transportation do families use to get to camp?
• I want to take advantage of a Discount Period, but I will not get my application into your office until after the date. Is this okay?
For Cabins/Bunking/Counselors/What to Bring
• What should my child bring to camp and what should they leave at home?
• Can I bunk with a friend of mine from school, my home town, etc.?
• Do most new campers come with a friend?
• As an international family, I do not want my son/daughter to be bunked with other children of the same nationality. Can you accomodate this?
• How many counselors are in the cabins with the campers? How old are the counselors?
• What are the cabins like?
For Forms/Extra Fee Activities
• Regarding the medical form, I don't know if I can schedule a physician's visit in time before the summer for my child to be checked. What can I do?
• I'm a new camper. Can I get in contact with someone who has been at Lake Greeley Camp to hear more about it from their point of view?
• Can I sign up for extra fee activities or trips when I am at camp or does it have to be done before I arrive?
Questions about Camp Life
• What time should I be at camp for drop off's or pick up's?
• Is there any contact wth my child since you are a "non-technology" camp? What methods of contact are there?
• How is the food?
• Will I still have fun if I am not a great athlete?
• What is your camper to staff ratio?
• Do you have medical staff in camp?
• How is laundry handled?
• Are there any religious services at camp?
• What does Lake Greeley Camp specialize in?
• Are There Visiting Days?
• Can I take out another child from camp if I am friends with the child's parents and they are not coming for Visiting Day?
• Can I bring food when I come to visit my child at camp?
• What is meant by your "no-screen" policy at camp? Children really can't bring any items with screens?
• Do you accept children with gluten free diets?
What is the difference between camp bank and canteen fee?
This is a very common question that we encounter. Camp bank is a fund that is set up by the parents of a camper to act as a fund of money that campers can use for many different purposes such as purchasing clothing from the canteen or taking money to use on camp trips like the Railrider baseball game. You can send in money to be a part of your child's camp bank fund at any time, but we suggest that you do this before your child arrives to camp. When you do decide to send in an amount for camp bank, we ask you to send in a separate check that is labeled "Camp Bank" in the memo, so that we are aware what the funds are for.
The canteen fee is a mandatory fee that is charged to your account based upon the number of weeks your child will be at Lake Greeley Camp. We would refer you over to our Tuition web page which has the current listing of canteen charges. You can find the tuition linked HERE. The canteen fee is that amount of money the kids then receive as a kind of credit in the canteen each day so that they can come in, get checked off that they were there, and then receive the items from the canteen. It usually amounts to two items, so the kids can receive a candy bar and a soda for example. There are other items that would cost the whole canteen, so the camper would receive just that one item for that day.
Can we apply and decide on a session later?
Yes, you can. We suggest to families who are considering Lake Greeley Camp as a summer option to submit an application in order to take advantage of price discounts at that time instead of waiting later to apply and having higher prices for the sessions. If you do decide to send in an application without a session marked, we ask that families notify us, at the very latest, on April 30th. That is when the final payment for the summer sessions is due.
How man counselors are in the cabin? How old are they?
There are at least 2 counselors in all the cabins with the campers. There are some instances where there may be a larger number of campers in a cabin, and in these cases, there will be 3 counselors in those cabins. The counselors live in the bunks with the campers as well in addition to being the instructors at the activity sites, so there is continual supervision. All the counselors are of college age (19 years old) and have a year of college accredited or a year of work experience.
Can I get in contact with someone who has been at Lake Greeley Camp to hear more about it?
Absolutely. At Lake Greeley Camp, we offer a Pen Pal program where campers are able to request another camper who has been at Lake Greeley Camp to contact them and speak with them about their experiences at camp. Contact us at our office with your desire to get involved in the Pen Pal program, and we will attempt to find a camper in the same division, session, and cabin to contact you.
Can I bunk with a friend?
You can. We have a form at Lake Greeley Camp called the Bunk Request form, and this form is what you will need to in order to request to be bunked with a friend. The most amount of people you can ask to be bunked with is 2. Also, if you and your friend(s) want to be absolutely sure that you will be bunked together, a bunk request should be submitted by your friend as well on which they would request you.
Keep in mind that our bunking is done primarily by grade. You have 7th graders with 7th graders, 8th with 8th, etc. The only instance where there is a change to that bunking is if a camper would want to bunk down 1 (one) grade to be with a friend. We do NOT bunk up. If there is a question regarding the bunking, such as birthdays that are close together, etc., we can take a look at the situation.
Can I extend my stay at Lake Greeley Camp?
Sometimes two weeks or even four weeks is not enough to campers who want to continue their fun at Lake Greeley Camp, so it is absolutely possible to extend your stay. The division directors of campers are aware that campers may want to extend and will talk with campers to see if this is something that they would want to do. Campers only need to ask a division director about extending their stay to start the process. The division director will contact the camper's parents and will begin their discussion about extending, billing, etc. Keep in mind though that, in some cases, extending may not be possible due to the variety of sessions we offer and campers coming into the session your child would want to extend into. Campers should still talk with the Division Director in order to find out if it is possible.
Extra fee activities and trips are put into our system on a first come-first serve basis. Therefore, we would suggest that if you have an interest in participating in an activity, that you fill out the corresponding form to the activity you want to do. However, if you do wish to sign up for an activity or trip while you are at camp, you are certainly able to do that as well. If a camper wants to participate in the activities, the camper's parents need to be notified and an extra fee form be sent into the office before the camper is allowed to participate in the activity.
What time should I be at camp for drop off's or pick up's?
The scheduled time for parents arrival to camp for both drop off's and pick up's is from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. If you experience traffic or have some other incident occur that is causing you to be delayed, just let our office know when you are expected at camp, so we can be prepared for your arrival.
I can't schedule a physician's visit before camp. What can I do?
The medical form is a very important piece of information that we need prior to your child's arrival at Lake Greeley Camp. Although you may not be able to schedule a physical for your child before his/her arrival to camp, as long as a physical has been performed within the last 18 months before coming to camp, that physical would count as acceptible. The medical form includes two documents that need to be completed by the parents and the child's physician. The physician's document is the one that must be signed by the physician, but the physician does not have to be seen if the physical has been performed in the last 18 months.
Is there any way to contact my child while at camp?
Although Lake Greeley Camp is a screen free environment, there are still many ways to contact your children without the use of a cell phone.
One method we have set up is phone calls through our call schedule. We have found that when campers are given time to integrate into the camp schedule with their bunkmates and activities, they have the greatest success in fully enjoying the camp experience and becoming a part of the camp culture. That is why we wait several days after the campers have arrived to begin phone calls home. Phone calls are scheduled through our office and are done at night starting at 6:30 P.M. going to 8:00 P.M. in 10 minute increments (that means 6:30 to 6:40, 6:40 to 6:50, and so on). You can call our office at any time to set up a phone call, and the earlier you call the more likely you'll get the date and time you want.
The other method is with the pen and paper with letters home (yes, that's right, letters). Several nights throughout the year, we will have "Letter For Dinner" where campers have to write a letter home to turn in before they enter the dining hall. This kind of communication allows you to hang onto your child's words and keep them stored to reflect on in the future.
Of course, at any time, parents can call the division director to see how your child is doing.
What modes of transportation do families use?
At Lake Greeley Camp, we have seen families use three modes of transportation to come to camp. Some modes of transportation you might have to use due to necessity, but the options families have used are: driving by car or using air transportation. The air transportation have forms associated with them that can be found on our forms webpage. If you are planning on using air transportation, then please fill out the associated form and submit it to us. The most common form of transportation that families will use is car because it allows the family to be active in setting up the child's bunk with bedding, putting away clothes, etc.
I want to take advantage of a Discount Period, but I will not get my application into your office until after the date. Is this okay?
Yes, that is okay. When we have a discount period ending, as long as the envelope you are sending the application in has been postmarked by the last date of discount period, then the discount will still apply even though we will receive the application in our office after the discount date.
What should my child bring to camp? Leave at home?
The best resource to answer this question is our "packing list" that is also available on our forms page. On the packing list, you will see many different items that you will find as helpful guides when considering what to pack for summer camp. Items that we are asked about that you will not see on the packing list are iPods, Game Boys, PSP's, and the like. Regarding these items, we have found it's best to leave these at home due to the chance of these items breaking and/or being misplaced. It also leaves out the temptation of using these items instead of experiencing the day at camp.
Do most new campers bring a friend?
Summer camp is a wonderful experience of being able to try new things and meet new people with the goal of having a fun, enjoyable and unique summer experience. Although the campers have a wide network of friends at the end of their stay at camp, it is certainly helpful at the beginning to have a friend with you as well. It can be difficult to enter a new environment, and having a friend can help you get over that initial hurdle of getting used to the schedule, people, etc. However, this is by no means a requirement in order to "make it" at camp either. Lake Greeley Camp's program schedule is designed in a way to get campers involved and moving quickly in cabins and with activities, and given a few days, the schedule allows the camper to integrate fully with the camp.
As an international family, I do not want my son/daughter to be bunked with other children of the same nationality. Can you accomodate this?
While do our best to accomodate bunk requests of all natures, there are some that we will not be able to honor. This kind of bunk request, having international children not be with other children of similar nationality, is not always possible. In order to separate children based on nationality, we require multiple bunks for that single grade in a division and there are times when that does not happen. As a result, the children would be bunked together in that cabin with other campers. While it may not be ideal, English is the first language we wish spoken at camp and we will do our best to remind campers to speak in English as we encounter them speaking in another language. If, as a parent, you wish your child to get even more practice with English, you may want to consider a tutoring session with one of the staff members at camp.
What are the cabins like?
The cabins at Lake Greeley Camp are fully featured with electricity, showers, sinks, bathrooms and lighting fixtures in both the main cabin and bathroom. The cabin itself is a common living space with each person having their own area or bunk.
How is the food?
The food at Lake Greeley Camp consists of a variety of favorites for both campers and staff members alike for each meal of the day, and it also includes options for vegetarians. The meals are served in a buffet style, so we welcome both campers and staff to eat as much as they like during the meals, so if you want another grilled cheese, french toast, or portion of pasta, it is available to you. The kitchen has received very positive feedback for their work and food service over the years. If you would like to a sample menu or discuss dietary restrictions, please contact our office at 570-842-3739 to discuss these items.
Do you accept children with gluten free diets?
Yes, we do accept children coming into camp with gluten free diets to account for celiac disease. There is an additional fee of $50 that will be added to your account for each week of attendance to order the foods from our provider to account for the diet, and the foods that your child will be eating will be the same as what is on the menu for that day. For example, if we were having pizza for that meal, your child will also have pizza with the gluten free dough.
Will I have fun even though I'm not an athlete?
You do not have to be a superstar school athlete to take part in camp activities. The program that is the basis of every activity at Lake Greeley Camp is focused first on learning and improving skills whether from Level 0 to expert. We encourage campers to try new activities every day with different themes, workshops, tournaments, etc. to pique your interest in any given activity. It is our goal to get you to want to go to a particular activity because you enjoy doing it, and you naturally desire to improve and work at it. That's not to say activities aren't fun either. While there is instruction, half of the activity period is set aside for games to put your new skills to the test and try them for yourself.
What is the camper to staff ratio?
The total camper to staff ratio, which would include all counselors and senior staff members at camp, would be around 2.5 or 3 to 1.
Do you have medical staff on camp grounds?
We do have several Registered Nurses on the camp grounds over the course of the operating season. We will have three nurses in our infirmary who are able to assist campers with whatever ails them. Nurses are also responsible for distributing medication as there can be no pills of any kind (whether perscription, supplements, etc.) located in the cabins.
How is laundry handled?
For laundry, we have a third party business that will handle all of Lake Greeley Camp's laundry needs. The laundry from all the campers will be collected by the counselor staff and put into specified Lake Greeley Camp laundry bags that will either contain whites or colored clothes. The bags will be collected the morning laundry will be sent out and will return a couple days later. The laundry will go out about once a week. It might be helpful to speak to your child before their arrival to camp regarding laundry, how to separate clothes, etc., so that your child is familiar with what will be going on when the laundry process starts.
Are there religious services at camp?
While Lake Greeley Camp does not affiliate itself with any one religion or faith, we do offer religious services to those who are interested in attending them. We will have Jewish services on Friday evening in one of the buildings on the camp grounds and Catholic/Christian services on Sunday morning held at a local church in Shohola, PA. Attendance to either or any service is not a must for Lake Greeley Camp. Rather, the services are in place for those who wish to use them.
What does Lake Greeley Camp specialize in?
Lake Greeley Camp specializes in fun, of course! A lighthearted answer, but it is very much the truth. We are not a camp designed to focus on one specific category, activity, etc. for a set amount of weeks. We are not a soccer camp, tennis camp, or a gymnastics camp, although we do offer those activities. It is the manner in which we instruct those activities that, we believe, separates Lake Greeley Camp from other summer camps.
The program at Lake Greeley Camp is designed to incorporate anyone who wishes to be involved in any activity they have an interest in, even those activities campers would never expect liking. We focus on the fun of the activity to draw in the camper's interest. For example, the periods can be scheduled in a way where different skill levels are taught at different times of the day, activity instructors are knowledgable and flexible to meet any camper's need for instruction, and the instruction itself is based on skill development rather than competition, albeit the skills learned can be practiced in competition.
Are There Visiting Days?
Visiting Days at Lake Greeley Camp occur on specific days that are predetermined by the staff and based on our calendar year for each individual summer. We will be in contact with families prior to the camp season to communicate what days are offered. In addition, those visiting days that families wish to visit their child at camp will also have to take their child off camp. Families cannot remain on camp as normal program is going on and children are participating in the camp environment. Seeing parents or children walking around with their families can disrupt that experience and cause homesickness to develop.
There are areas around camp that can be great places to stay for a day or make part of a day trip that we can recommend to families. And then at the conclusion of the day, the camper can then come back into the camp environment and rejoin the camp for dinner or the evening activity.
Can I take another child out of camp?
If you will be taking another child out of camp, you will need to make sure that the parent of the child you are taking contacts our office with a WRITTEN form of permission so that we are aware of the situation. If these arrangements are not made, we will need to obtain written permission from the parents, and you will be forced to wait at the office until such permission is obtained.
Can I bring food to camp for my child?
Parents will bring food to camp to celebrate birthdays or just to bring a treat for their child and their friends in the cabin. However, it is very important to consider the type of food you are bringing to camp. We suggest that if there is something you want to bring for your child that you contact us beforehand so that we are prepared for your arrival. In addition, when you serve the food to your child (and friends), we will have them remain in the dining hall until the other campers and staff leave.
What is this "no-screen" policy at camp?
Starting in 2015, our policy for technology in the summer season expanded to all devices with screens.
That goal we have is to give campers at Lake Greeley Camp an experience abundant in the outdoors and social situations. We feel that having devices (not just cell phones) that can take attention away from the moment, what is going on during a child's stay at camp, will ultimately lessen the experience they have. Instead of focusing on the good aspects of the day with activities, or hanging out with friends, campers will be looking forward to the screen time, and those other experiences will be quickly forgotten or not sought out naturally. The time at camp is simply meant to be so much more.
We feel that the camp experience is one to be lived and to be enjoyed and that enjoyment is 24 hours worth. And, when you think about it, taking a break from the screen is something that we all just might need.
