Parent/Guardian Support

+ Arrival/Check-In

Campers should arrive between 4:00-5:00 PM for check-in at the Welcome Center on the first day of camp (Sunday). Registration and Health Profile should be completed prior to arrival on first day of session. What to expect during check-in: information and payment will be finalized, lice head check and medications will be handled by camp nurse/medic, campers will receive cabin assignments and move in.

Note: Parents are required to sign-out and sign-in their children if they need to leave the campground during sessions (see Temporarily Leaving Camp). Campers can be signed-out/in between 8:00 AM-9:15 PM.

+ Authorized Pick Ups

Part of our online registration is to identify any persons who will be authorized to pick up your child during or after the camp session. We reserve the right to check photo IDs and verify names against our authorized pick up lists. For camper's safety, we will not release campers to persons who are not on the camper’s authorized pick up list. Unless otherwise indicated, both parents listed on the registration forms will be included on the campers authorized pick up list. If any of the information changes before or during the camp session or you decide to add another authorized person, it is the parent’s responsibility to notify camp staff as soon as possible.

+ Brochures

Camp brochures can be downloaded as a PDF file. If you would like to ensure your name is on the mailing list, please complete the online form located at Our Programs page.

+ Camp Cash (camper spending money)

Camp Cash is spending money for during the session. It will be collected during check-in and kept in participant accounts to be used at the Snack Shack and off-camp activities. Camp Cash is optional. Junior campers are required to keep their money in a camper bank account and may not keep money in their cabins. For those allowing their child to make snack purchases, we recommend $20-$25 per session per camper. If you would like an idea of snack prices and offerings during your child’s session, check out the Snack Shack Menu by clicking HERE. Any remaining balances will be refunded after camping sessions.

+ Camper Fees & Payment

Junior Camp Sessions (ages 7-12) - $200.00 ($180.00 if reservation is made before June 1st)
Senior Camp Session (ages 11-17) - $200.00 ($180.00 if reservation is made before June 1st)

• Campers who are 11 or 12 years old may select to attend any OR all camps
• Camp Fees include food, lodging and all off-site camp activities
• Camp Fees DO NOT include Snack Shack refreshments (see Camp Cash)

Payment can be made during registration online via major credit card or bank account and you may choose to set up and pay through a payment plan making smaller periodic payments. Payment of camper fees online not required. Payment is due during check-in on the start day of each session. At check-in, you may choose to pay with cash, check, major credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Checks Should be Made Payable To: MO Valley AC Conference.

+ Camper Readiness

We want our campers to have a great experience. With that in mind, here are a couple things to help your child be most successful during camp and how you can practice and work on each leading up to their session.

Campers should be able to:

• Dress themselves (including swimwear and tying shoes). Allow your child to make clothing choices at home and get dressed by themselves. This will help them be prepared for their session. They must wear closed toe shoes (such as tennis shoes) around the campsite and for activities.
• Shower without assistance. Our restroom facilities include showers only. Practice having your child shower at home alone including undressing, soaping/washing, drying off and getting redressed. Most times, campers will need to shower at night and daily showering is highly encouraged after long days outside and being active.
• Complete personal hygiene tasks (brush teeth, apply deodorant, hair care, etc). Please allow your child to practice personal hygiene tasks at home and work towards independence with each task. To be most successful, they should come to their session able to complete all tasks on their own with little supervision. They should also know which tasks need to be completed and in what order at morning and night.
• Swim. Practice swimming with your child in both shallow and deeper waters. Also, practice and discuss sunscreen application. We do not have access to flotation devices or life jackets at the pool (campers may bring their own life jacket if needed). Please discuss with them pool safety and what depths of water they are personally successful in.

+ Contact Information

Please Direct Program Questions to:

Email: valleyyouthprograms@gmail.com
Phone: 270-969-1873

+ Departure/Check-Out

Campers should be picked up between 9:00-10:00 AM on the last day of camp (Friday morning). Breakfast is the only provided meal on the final day of each camp session. We will begin contacting parents of remaining campers at 9:40 AM to ensure pick up. Arrangements are the responsibility of the parent/guardian. Please be mindful of the Authorized Pick Up List for your child. Please remember, our volunteers and staff want to get home too.

+ Directions to Camp Wilderness

Camp Wilderness is located along highway 42. The Map and Directions are located under the Contact Us menu at the top of the page.

+ Electronics and Cell Phones

Please help us to help our campers “unplug” during their summer camp session. We have a packed daily schedule and want our campers to get outside with peers and away from distractions therefore, campers are not permitted to have electronics, including cell phones, during camp sessions. Electronic includes, but is not limited to, cell phones, tablets, computers, handheld video game devices, mp3 players, music devices, radios. Electronics will be confiscated by camp staff, kept in a safe location for the remainder of the session and returned to the parent/guardian or other authorized individual picking up the child during check-out. We are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged personal property during participants stay at our programs.

+ Financial Assistance/Sponsorship

We believe in the power of Christian camps and want to ensure that every child has the opportunity to attend, regardless of their financial situation.

• Thanks to supporters who donate to the Camper Sponsorship Fund, a limited amount of sponsorship funds are available for those in need of financial assistance. To request assistance please submit a Financial Assistance Request Form and we will do what we can to help make camp a possibility.

If you would like to donate to our Camp Sponsorship Fund and bless campers in need, you may do so by visiting our Donate page and selecting the Camper Sponsorship Fund. Thank you for considering!

+ Lice Policy

For a safe & enjoyable camp experience for all (campers, staff & volunteers), Camp Wilderness requires that all individuals be head lice free according to the NPA’s No-Nit Policy. Prior to the start date of the session, please check your child’s head for lice & if evidence is found, treat it and remove nits. During check-in, participants are required to complete a head lice check with our camp nurse/medic. If evidence of lice is found, participants will not be able to attend and will be sent home. We ask that you check the head & belongings of your children prior to their arrival at Camp Wilderness in order to avoid being sent home. For more information on lice, treatment & removal, visit http://www.headlice.org.

+ Medical Information

A member of our volunteer staff will be assigned with the duties of nurse/medic during each session. They will be responsible for attending to our camp family during the session including, illness, injuries and medication dispersal. We do our best to ensure the person in this position is an RN or has medical certifications. The nurse/medic will be available during registration to meet with parents and guardians about medications and other health concerns. We will decide whether or not to contact parents depending on the severity of the illness or injury. In the event that illness or injury requires transport of your child to the doctor or emergency room, we will make every effort to contact you.

+ Packing

Please refer to our Camper Packing List. This list applies to both campers and volunteers. Please use this document as a checklist to help ensure that everything that needs to be packed, gets packed.

+ Phone Calls

We do not encourage phone calls during the week. With the number of campers we have, we cannot allow them all to call home. We also find that calls home during a session can lead to homesickness. Additionally, campers are not encouraged to bring cell phones with them to camp as they will not be able to use them. If you are concerned about your child, or for emergencies, you can call the the session director.

+ Policies and Procedures

We have many policies and procedures that help keep our programs safe, secure and focused. We encourage parents to review and discuss these policies with their children prior to attending camp. The Policies and Procedures document can be downloaded as a PDF file.

+ Refund Policy

Any refunds issued may have applicable transaction fees removed. Payments made prior to the start of a camp session are subject to refund if the registration is cancelled by the session start date. Cancellations on session start date and during session are subject to Director discretion and may require applicable documentation. We reserve the right to issue partial refunds due to preparations made for each camper prior to the session. Refunds are not guaranteed and will not be issued in situations like temporarily leaving the premises, late arrival or early pick up. In the event of illness, emergency or other unforeseen circumstances during a session, we may issue a refund based upon the amount of time the camper was present; this is subject to Director approval and discretion.

*Please refer to our Policies and Procedures for more information.

+ Staff Members and Volunteers

Interested in helping reach the next generation for Christ? There are numerous volunteer, staff and other opportunities available. Check out the Staff & Volunteers page for more information, specifics and/or to register.

We are looking for Christian role models that God has gifted with a passion for reaching the youth of today and tomorrow. It takes a team to make each program a success and we want YOU on our team! We have positions for numerous skills, abilities, talents and passions. If you still need more information or have questions concerning your right fit, contact the Youth & Children’s Ministry Director (see Contact Information above).

+ Temporarily Leaving Camp

We understand that sometimes campers need to leave a session early or attend an event or appointment during the session. Camp staff need to be notified prior to (at least 30 minutes) the pick up time for the camper. This allows our staff time to prepare the camper for pick up. Pick up can only be made by authorized individuals and they will be required to sign out the camper before leaving. In cases where the camper will return, campers must be signed in before the camper may rejoin activities and other campers. Please stick to our established time frame for sign-outs and sign-ins: between 8:00 AM - 9:15 PM. This time frame has been set so that it does not interfere with camper and staff wake up, bedtime preparations or sleep. *Some of our activities take place OFF-SITE. Pick up may need to be arranged from the off-site location or the camper may need to be picked up before we travel to or after we return from the off-site location.