Bring a positive attitude and kindness to others
Anti-Bullying Policy: Valley Mill Camp is firmly committed to keeping camp a safe space for everyone. To uphold this, we foster an environment of inclusivity and positivity. Each camper is expected to treat everyone with kindness. Our staff are trained on how to detect and respond to any bullying behaviors. As a camp, we teach skills to encourage respect amongst one another, and at the end of the day, we hope all campers and staff will take the lessons learned at camp and use them for the rest of their lives!
Lunch: A soft pack lunch is the order of the day. Mark your camper’s name and group name on it. (You will not know your Group’s name until the end of the first day.) Lunches will not be refrigerated, we recommend including an ice pack in your soft pack. If your camper forgets their lunch, we will be able to provide them a camp lunch for that day.
Peanut-Free Camp: We are requesting that parents pack peanut and peanut butter free lunches and snacks for their campers. The families of the peanut allergic children are most appreciative of your support, as are we. Although we request no peanuts please know that we cannot guarantee that we have no peanuts at camp. Thank you for your understanding.
Bag: All campers bring a backpack containing an extra set of clothes, a towel, a lunch, and a water bottle everyday. Please do not bring rolling backpacks as they are too heavy. Make sure to mark everything with your campers name in case they lose it!
Footwear: Campers need to wear appropriate footwear. They need to be able to run, play soccer, climb the climbing wall, wade in the lake, and be active in all of the activities at camp. Flip flops, Crocs and shoes of that style are NOT recommended. They come off too easily, so campers slow down and do less in order to keep them on. Please note: the climbing wall and soccer require a closed toe shoe. Also, we require all campers to wear footwear while wading in the lake or creek. Kayakers use aquatic sandals, aqua socks, or Keen type sandals with some grip on the bottom.
What to Wear: Valley Mill is a very outdoorsy camp. Dress in t-shirts, sweatshirts, shorts or pants, and athletic shoes or sturdy sandals. Camp is generally ten degrees cooler than the inner suburbs, and we are under the trees a good part of the day. When it is chilly, bring a sweatshirt or jacket. When it looks like rain, bring a slicker or poncho (best with a hood). Select your oldest towels and leave electronics, purses, watches, jewelry, and designer clothes at home. Don’t forget your swimsuit! The code word for dress is RUGGED.
Rainy Days: Rain or shine, Camp goes on and everyone should dress accordingly. Counselors are prepared to carry on the day’s activities, understanding that the schedule may change in response to weather conditions. If it is only a drizzle, we will do our best to keep all activities open as long as it is safe to do so. When there is thunder, lightning, or a heavy rain, we will move to hard-top shelters to wait out the storm. In these shelters, campers will be encouraged to play games with each other, which the staff will help facilitate.