To Parents
The below information and resources are specific to the Texas Teen Camp. While some of the general principles may be applicable, for specific instructions for our other camps, please reach out to the appropriate contact for those camps (click here for information for the Adventure Camp or a specific pre-teen camp).
Travel Planning
Camper Arrival
To ensure that our staff and facility are prepared to provide campers with the best possible camp experience, we need to minimize the number of campers on-site before camp begins. In other words, all campers should arrive on Tuesday, July 8th. Some parents may wish to be an exception to this and send their son or daughter early with a staff member as a matter of convenience, not realizing that they are making the job of our staff more difficult. When campers arrive early, sleeping quarters need to be organized and prepared, additional meals need to be planned and served, supervision needs to be organized, and more. Instead of arriving at a camp that is primed and ready to give them a positive and uplifting experience from the first moment they set foot on the property, they can find themselves wandering around the camp on their own or with other wandering campers. This is not the way camp is designed to work, not what parents expect of the staff when they send their teens to camp, and it’s not a recipe for a successful experience for campers.
Staff who bring campers with them should be prepared to arrange accommodation at local hotels during the pre-camp period. It is also your responsibility to provide supervision for them.
Camper Departure
Camper Departure is Monday, July 21st before 10 am unless staying over for Preteen Camp.
Info You Should Know
Camper Visitation and Sabbath Services
We take the safety of our campers very seriously. We do not allow the public to enter the camp facility or mingle with our campers or staff for the duration of the program. In fact, our insurance requires us to have background checks on all our staff in order to work at the Living Youth Camp. As a matter of this policy this also applies to the Sabbath. While we would love to welcome all the parents and church members from the surrounding area, we simply cannot do so while upholding this policy. Please understand that this is for the safety of our campers and staff.
Communication During Camp
We will have all teens call, text, or email home to let parents know they have arrived safely. If you have any questions before camp starts, please do not hesitate to contact Jenny Penman by email at [email protected] or by phone at 704-708-2283. If Jenny cannot help you with a question, she will pass it to the Camp Director. If you need to cancel your application, please do so online at http://camp.livingyouth.org or by emailing Jenny at [email protected].
Care Packages
The address to mail care packages is: (Recipient Name), care of LYC, Lone Star Camp, 6829 FM 317, Athens TX 75752. Since not all campers will receive care packages, it is our tradition to share with others. At the same time, we do not want large quantities of sugary treats, as we have noticed over the years that camper tend to get sick after these packages start arriving.
Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices
LYC is a time to get unplugged from social media and socialize face to face. Therefore electronics (cell phones, radios, tablets, mp3 players, handheld gaming devices, etc.) are prohibited. Campers will be required to turn in all electronics upon arrival. However, cell phones will be made available to campers to call home during certain periods, and we will endeavor to accommodate parents’ work schedules. No video cameras are permitted unless for official use.