WELCOME TO BETHANY CAMP – WE ARE SO EXCITED TO SPEND TIME WITH YOUR CHILD AND INVEST IN THEIR SPIRITUAL GROWTH!
Thank you so much for registering your child for camp at Bethany Farm. Our deepest desire at Bethany Camp is to know Christ intimately, to walk in a manner worthy of Him and to make Him known to others. We have been praying for all our potential campers and working hard to provide your child with a camp experience that is full of fun, engaging activities, where they will have opportunities to hear truth from God’s holy word including the gospel message of salvation through Christ alone. We are praying that God will use the power of His holy word and His Holy Spirit to move in the hearts of all the children that we have the privilege of ministering to here at Bethany.
This letter contains some important information that you as a parent and your child as a camper need to know. It would be a good idea to print this out and have it handy as you prepare for camp.
DROP OFF AND PICK UP PROCEDURES
The Schedule
Primary Campers – Ages 7-10 June 03- June 05
Drop your child off Monday morning at 8 am We will have registration for your camper. On Wednesday at 5pm, join us for a picnic in the dining hall to share a bit of your child's time at camp this week.
Intermediate Campers – Ages 11-13 June 10–June 13
Drop your child off Monday morning at 8 am. We will have registration for your camper. On Thursday afternoon, pick up your child at 5pm.
JHigh School Campers – Ages 14-18 June 17 -June 21 a.m. Drop your child off Monday morning. We will have registration for your highschooler. On Friday morning, pick up your highschooler between 8 to 10a.m. If you have problems picking up your child between 8-10a.m., let us know and we can help get them home.
WHAT TO BRING
Bible
Bedding (a sleeping bag, or twin sheets)
Pillow
Water Bottle with name on it
Wash Clothes and Towels (2 for bathing, 2 for swimming)
Clothing and pajamas, including clothing that can get dirty/muddy
Jacket or sweatshirt for cooler evenings
Shoes for outdoor games
Closed toed shoes – name written on the inside
Toiletries (toothbrush, shampoo, soap, etc.)
One-piece, modest swimsuit
Sunscreen and bug spray
Flashlight with fresh batteries
For younger children, if they have a special “security item” such as a favorite stuffed animal or blanket, be sure to pack it
Plastic Bags for dirty clothes
Money for the Camp Store
Medications (if your registration form indicated that your child will be taking medication while
at camp, we have attached additional paperwork to this email that must be completed and sent
to camp with your child.) We will not dispense any medication without this accompanying
paperwork.
A copy of your health insurance card – this is helpful, in the event that your child would need
emergency medical treatment, and you are unreachable at the time.
WHAT TO LEAVE AT HOME:
Pets
All electronic devices including cell phones, MP3 players, computers, iPods, iPads, or other electronic tablet devices or gaming systems.
Valuables.
Wondering what your camper’s day will look like while at Bethany Camp?
Here is a general outline.
8:30 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM Activity
10:00 AM Missionary speaker
10:45 AM Free time
12:00 AM Lunch
1:00 PM Crafts
1:45 PM Boys swim/girls quiet time
2:30 PM Girls swim/boys quiet time
3:30 PM Group game
4:15 PM Free time
6:00 PM Dinner
7:00 PM Night worship and message
8:30 PM Big night game
9:30 PM Showers/cabin time
10:00 PM Lights out
As a parent, are you wondering what you can do to help your child have a great experience at Bethany
camp? Here are a few suggestions:
Please join us in prayer! We need and covet your prayers for everyone involved in making Bethany
Camp happen. Pray for your children, our camp director and staff, the main speaker, counselors and junior counselors, worship leaders, missionary speakers, kitchen workers, the people leading breakout times and main teaching sessions, our crafts coordinator and their helpers, our nurses and lifeguards.
For those of you sending younger campers, here are some tips that may help ease any potential anxiety they might have about being away from home and help them deal with homesickness.
Discuss what camp will be like well before you bring your child to camp. If you attended camp, talk about the things you loved about camp. It is even ok to talk about the things you maybe didn’t love and how you worked through those things, and you were glad you did. If your child is exceptionally anxious about coming to camp and you can manage a visit to Bethany Camp ahead of time so they can see where they will be staying and have a visual of what to expect, we would be happy to accommodate that need. Sit and pray with your child, asking God to give them peace about trying camp.
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If your child has never been away from you long enough to experience feelings of homesickness, it is ok to talk to them about it and let them know homesickness is completely normal, and that even adults get homesick sometimes. If they know that homesickness might happen and there are things they can do that will help them work through it, well that can ease a lot of anxiety. Reassure them that the adults at camp love them and want them to have a great time at camp and that your camper can trust them and will help them feel loved and cared for. And tell them it is ok to tell an adult at camp that they miss their mom and dad. Their counselor will help them work through those feelings and will encourage them to stay at camp
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Try not to set your camper up for failure by promising to pick them up if they are homesick. If our staff cannot seem to help your child work through their homesickness and stay at camp, of course we will let you come and pick them up. But if your child knows that’s an easy “out” they will likely not try to work through it and stay.
If you have any questions that we haven’t covered here, please contact one of our camp directors. Their contact information is listed below.
*Ken Jordan: 712-304-1816 *Sue Jordan: 712-304-5679 *Dan Turpin: 224-535-1300
*Melissa Turpin 757-892-0027
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that it all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8