Frequently Asked Questions

Medical Update for 2023 Camps,

 

The staff and medical volunteers of Laurel Ridge are excited to announce that routine COVID-19 testing prior to camp is not going to be required at this time. However, there are still multiple illnesses that could impact campers and staff. We ask that you (parent/guardian) and the camper read and sign the below attestation. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact summer camp Program Manager, Scarlett Dowdy, and she will consult with the medical volunteers to answer your questions to the best of our ability. This form must be read and signed in the 24 hours prior to arriving at Laurel Ridge.  We trust that with your help we can have a successful and healthy camp this year.

 

If your camper has been diagnosed or exposed to any contagious illness within 10 days of the start of your camp, we ask that you contact summer camp Program Manager, Scarlett Dowdy, immediately, so we can work with you to determine the best plan for your child. 

 

Any part of this update is subject to change at any point during the year.

 

I attest that my child, or I as the camper, have not been diagnosed or exposed to any contagious illness that I have not reported to Laurel Ridge Staff, in the last 10 days. This includes but is not limited to influenza, mononucleosis, GI illness of any sort, strep throat, COVID-19, etc…

Click here to read our full COVID-19 Procedures and Requirements for a Safe Camp Experience.

We believe that an important part of the camp experience is to make new friends and become fully involved with the whole camp. We also understand that young people want to be with a friend, especially if they are coming to Laurel Ridge for the first time. Therefore, a camper may request one roommate and that person must request this camper as a roommate for the campers to room together.

If you have a concern about room assignments, call our office before the registration deadline date. We will be unable to make changes after that date as all the information we provide deans, counselors, medical and camp staff prior to camp must include cabin assignments.

Yes! We love it when campers receive mail!

BRING IT

Prepare letters, notes, and cards prior to arrival at camp. Write a camper’s first and last name on the front of each envelope.

MAIL IT

Address your letter or card to:

Camper Name – Camp
Laurel Ridge
124 Pendry Drive
Laurel Springs, NC 28644

Make sure to include the name of the camp your camper is attending on the envelope.

Mail early in the week and be sure to include a return address in case your letter does not arrive by Friday of the camp week.

EMAIL IT

Email your camper at info@nulllaurelridge.org, indicating which camp your child is attending on the email. Our staff will print the letters, and deliver them during mail time!

Snacks and drinks from the canteen are included in the price of camp.

If the camper wants to buy special Laurel Ridge branded items, such as clothing, hats, water bottles, flashlights, etc., they will need money to do so.

• Shorts
• Shirts
• Socks
• Underwear
• Long pants or jeans for trail hiking
• Rain gear (rain jacket, poncho, rain boots, etc.)
• Jacket/Hoodie for cool nights
• Pajamas
• Closed-toe, walking/hiking shoes (Flip-flops are not allowed accept in the shower.)
• Swim suits
• Beach towels for swimming
• Toiletries (soap, shampoo, toothbrush/paste, deodorant, etc.)
• WATERBOTTLE
• Dirty clothes bag
• Bedding (sheets or sleeping bag, blanket and pillow)

Please label each item brought to camp with the camper’s name! Instruct your camper to be sure collect all their things before leaving camp. Laurel Ridge cannot be responsible for lost items or anything left at camp.

Laurel Ridge is a drug, alcohol, and smoke free environment. Campers bringing illegal drugs, cigarettes, vapes, or alcoholic beverages to camp will be sent home immediately.

Campers should not bring: any food, drinks, candy, radios, iPods, MP3 players, electronic games, cell phones, or laptops (if iPods or MP3 players are needed for sleep they may only be used with ear phones). We will confiscate these items and return them at the end of the week.

Laurel Ridge has a nurse on staff all summer to dispense medications and for any medical issue. Campers are insured by Laurel Ridge for outside medical treatment resulting from accidental injuries up to $3000. There is additional insurance you can purchase if desired when you register. Campers are not insured for outside treatment resulting from illness. If a camper requires such treatment, the fees will be the responsibility of the camper’s personal insurance. Parents or guardians will be notified immediately in the event of injury or illness.

When you register, you will fill out a medical waiver in which you will list the medications and dosages your camper needs to take. Please bring your camper’s medication in its original packaging when you drop off your camper. We will be unable to accept or dispense medication that is not in its original packaging. Our camp nurse will be responsible for dispensing medications at the times indicated on the form.

Please describe any food allergies or dietary restrictions on your medical waiver during the registration process. Our kitchen staff is prepared to make the necessary accommodations for the following: gluten free, dairy free, egg free, vegan/vegetarian diets. If you have any questions regarding your child’s dietary needs, please contact us. We kindly request that you do not send your camper to camp with any food.

We request that you do not call or visit your child during their stay. You may meet your camper’s counselors, hear about their favorite activity, and shop in our store on closing day! To discourage homesickness, our policy is that campers will only call home in an emergency. If you need us to get a message to your camper, please contact the office, and we will make sure they receive it during the next mail time.

All Laurel Ridge staff and counselors are trained to help campers through homesick times. If homesickness continues to be a struggle, our leadership team will visit with the camper and then call home to have the camper talk with the parents.

Laurel Ridge is not responsible for lost or stolen items. We will keep all lost and found items for one week after the close of the summer camp session, then items will be donated to local charities.

Laurel Ridge does not allow food to be stored or consumed outside of the dining hall. This is essential to keeping insects and other pests out of the facilities.

Yes, Wi-Fi is available across our campus, however, Wi-Fi is on a secured network that is not provided to campers. Groups renting the facilities will have access to the Wi-Fi and will be provided the network information upon arrival. There are some dead zones, but all common area buildings (dining halls, meeting spaces, etc.) have Wi-Fi.

Yes, we offer an  early bird discount. This discount will automatically apply if you register between January and February 15

Laurel Ridge’s tiered pricing structure is intended to help families recognize how much a week at camp really costs and then select the level of payment most appropriate for their circumstances. This gives you the ability to choose the tier that is most affordable for your family. No matter which price is selected, all campers receive the same camp experience!

In the past, Laurel Ridge’s Summer Camp has always been offered at a subsidized rate, which is lower than the actual cost associated with running summer camp. We have been able to do this through the generous support we receive from the Southern Province of the Moravian Church and through donations received from individuals, groups and organizations dedicated to continuing the Laurel Ridge Ministry. They truly support Laurel Ridge and its impact on the youth who visit our camp each summer and the impact it has on the lives of countless children, youth, and families.

Our goal in introducing tiered pricing is simple: we want to continue to provide a safe, active, and inclusive Christian community at Laurel Ridge Summer Camp. This is an opportunity to partner with us to continue our impact for those who value this ministry and wish to help preserve the Laurel Ridge Summer Camp Experience for generations to come. Tiered pricing offers the opportunity for you to take an active role in supporting more closely the true cost of the camp experience and/or helping other campers to have their own Laurel Ridge Experience, if your financial situation allows. The Tiered pricing does not affect the church contribution levels. The choice to move up to a different tier is strictly that, a choice to pay a higher amount that more accurately covers the cost of a full week of camp at Laurel Ridge.

• Tier #1 is Laurel Ridge Summer Camp’s historical rate. This rate is a heavily subsidized rate and does not reflect the full per-camper cost associated with providing summer camp programs.
• Tier #2 is between the subsidized published camper rate and the full cost of providing a Laurel Ridge summer camp program for each camper.
• Tier #3 accounts for the full cost of providing a Laurel Ridge summer camp program AND provides extra funds to continue the Laurel Ridge experience for all.

For Moravians, Christianity is grounded in the living experience of faith in Christ, active love for others, and joyful hope. We believe that this living relationship with Christ is born and nurtured in local faith communities, in relationship with and in service to one another and the world. Our Moravian camp experience is one such community, helping campers grow in their Christian faith as they become physically and spiritually healthy individuals capable of living and working with others while creating lasting friendships amid the beauty of God’s creation.

• Shorts
• Shirts
• Socks
• Underwear
• Long pants or jeans for trail hiking
• Rain gear (rain jacket, poncho, rain boots, etc.)
• Jacket/Hoodie for cool nights
• Pajamas
• Closed-toe, walking/hiking shoes (Flip-flops are not allowed accept in the shower.)
• Swim suits
• Beach towels for swimming
• Toiletries (soap, shampoo, toothbrush/paste, deodorant, etc.)
• WATERBOTTLE
• Dirty clothes bag
• Bedding (sheets or sleeping bag, blanket and pillow)

Please label each item brought to camp with the camper’s name! Instruct your camper to be sure collect all their things before leaving camp. Laurel Ridge cannot be responsible for lost items or anything left at camp.

Laurel Ridge is a drug, alcohol, and smoke free environment. Campers bringing illegal drugs, cigarettes, vapes, or alcoholic beverages to camp will be sent home immediately.

Campers should not bring: any food, drinks, candy, radios, iPods, MP3 players, electronic games, cell phones, or laptops (if iPods or MP3 players are needed for sleep they may only be used with ear phones). We will confiscate these items and return them at the end of the week.

While at Mission Camp, participants stay at Higgins Lodge where bedding and towels are supplied. If your camper has a special pillow or blanket they are welcome to bring that. Beach towels are still needed for the lake.