Got Questions?
We hope you find the answer to your questions here, but if not, please give us a call at 320-403-9555 or email us. We’ll be happy to help with any topic!
Registration for Summer Camp
You can register through our database, Ultra Camp – Please create an account and register your child for the desired event at the links below!
Your Camper Welcome email will be sent 1-2 weeks prior to your child’s week at camp. The information includes a packing list, directions, confirmation of any remaining balance due, spending money, etc. Much of this information is also posted in the Parent Information.
There are nine weeks of Summer Camp to choose from. Check our Events Calendar for dates!
NOTE: If your child is 14 or older and would like to work at Camp Lebanon during the summer, check out our D3 Discipleship Program!
Cancellation: $200 deposit non-refundable. Balance minus non-refundable deposit refundable within 30 days of session only if spot is filled.
Camp Lebanon’s goal with its financial assistance program is to help as many people come to Camp as possible. We utilize 3 tools in trying to achieve that:
1. Payment Plans (allowing Camp’s costs to be spread out over a longer period of time)
2. Third Party Help (churches and counties have been very helpful and supportive allies in getting people to Camp)
3. Camp Lebanon’s Scholarship Fund (Camp’s money for scholarships is entirely funded by generous donations of guests and supporters of Camp)
Scholarships and payment plans are available to make Camp affordable to those in need. To apply for financial assistance, go to our website and register your camper for the desired session. In the registration process, there is a financial assistance application for you to fill out. At the end of the application, it will give you a code to put in when you reach the payment page. When you get to your cart for payment, enter this code in the “promotional code field.” This will allow you to finish the registration without payment. We will then be able to review your application and will follow up with you.
Please do not allow finances to keep you from attending. If you have any questions about financial assistance, please contact us: info@camplebanon.org
Camper Spending Money
A canteen card is how we keep track of your child’s spending money while they are at Camp Lebanon. The money that you give them when you register your child, or whatever money you bring with you on Check-In Day, is put into an individual account, called a Canteen Card. These cards are pieces of paper with dollar amounts in a grid, and they allow staff to keep track of what money your camper has spent throughout the week. Here is an example of what a Canteen Card looks like:
There are several places to use spending money at Camp Lebanon!
CANTEEN: Campers can purchase snacks and candy from the Canteen, our snack shop, at least once a day (usually during Free Time). Items in the canteen range from $.25 to $5.00.
TRADING POST: Camp has a Trading Post (Gift Shop) where campers can purchase toys, games, clothing, water bottles, and other Camp Lebanon-themed items! The stock is always changing and updating, and there is quite a range of prices. An effort is made to provide a variety of items and prices to accommodate various budgets.
CRAFT ROOM: The Craft Room at Camp is a wonderful place – there are tons of options, and even some that are free (coloring, some painting, etc). Crafts vary in cost, but generally are within the range of $.25 to $3.00, with a few more expensive crafts (like tie dye) getting closer to $10. Every summer is different, so plan ahead!
ACTIVITIES: There are many different activities at Camp Lebanon, and they vary depending on availability and age group. Zipline ($10) and Laser Tag ($10) are two activities that can be registered for ahead of time, but can also be taken out of a camper’s spending money if they did not pre-register but would still like to participate!
This depends on the child, on what you have pre-paid for, and the age group. Typically, Adventurers and Super Kids have approximately $15-25 in spending money, on average. Junior and Senior High campers range closer to $25-50.
We keep track of what money each camper has spent from the amount they brought with them. If there is anything left on their Canteen Card at the end of the week, we give that money back to them on Closing Day (usually in a little bag that has their name and cabin printed on it). On the last day of Camp, we take a Love Offering for our sister camp in Ukraine, and campers are free to donate some of their remaining spending to that great ministry!
Parents and campers can only add money to Canteen Cards on Opening Day, during Check-In, or by pre-paying online before the week of Camp begins. We are unable to add money to Canteen Cards after the week of Camp has begun (we cannot take payments online at that point).
Camper Mail & Care Packages
While you can send letters and packages to your camper through the mail, Camp Lebanon also has a mail-drop-off station at Check-In on Opening Day. There are bins labeled for each day of that Summer Camp week, so you can bring your mail with you and put it into the container for the day you want your camper to receive the mail. Please be sure to put the camper’s FULL NAME and CABIN on the letter or package (you will find out the cabin at Check-In, and can fill that information in at that time).
For letters or packages you would like to mail to Camp Lebanon directly, our address is below:
CAMP LEBANON
1205 Acorn Road
Burtrum, MN 56318
CarePaks are available in the Trading Post on check-in day and are put together by you. They will be delivered to the campers on Tuesday during Mail Call. These items are usually unique toys, journals, pens, and other Camp Lebanon logo-ed merchandise. Parents have the opportunity to add a note to the package, so that their camper will know who the gift is from!
General Summer Camp Questions
Our suggested Packing List is located HERE.
Camp Lebanon believes that your child’s safety is one of our top priorities. We hire a summer staff member as our Night Watch. This person stays up late each night, walking throughout Camp and making sure that campers are safe in their cabins. They have the ability to quickly contact the appropriate authorities and Camp Staff in case of any kind of emergency, including weather related scenarios. Camp Lebanon has extensive emergency situation training for summer staff during Staff Training and protocols are in place to make sure campers are kept safe.
To maintain the safety of our campers, Camp Lebanon makes sure that all campers and staff are fully informed of any rules or instructions that must be followed during the week of camp. Our staff is made aware of these rules during Staff Training, and counselors in particular are instructed to keep their campers up to date on what expectations are, in an effort to keep all our campers safe and happy during their stay!
All of our staff are trained extensively on addressing behavioral issues that might occur throughout the week of Camp. If you have any further questions pertaining to how Camp Lebanon handles behavioral issues, please contact our Director of Ministries: shollenbeck@camplebanon.org.
NOTE: Any camper disregarding Camp Lebanon rules is subject to being sent home at camper expense, with no refund of fees. Any camper willfully destroying property will be financially responsible for damages and/or replacement costs.
Staff members are well-prepared to help your child overcome their case of the “lonelies” and make the most of their camp experience. If your child does experience severe homesickness, you will be contacted by Camp staff to discuss the situation.
Kids will take their cue from your preparations for Camp. In our experience, attempts to reassure a hesitant child with a promise — “If you don’t like it, we’ll come get you” — sets kids up for thinking they may not like it and will want to leave, which sometimes leads to an unhappy and early departure. Keep things positive by reminding them about all the fun they’ll have at camp as well as why they wanted to attend in the first place!
Bed wetting is a common issue we encounter at Camp. Our counselors are trained and well prepared to deal with the situation discreetly. Campers are encouraged to use the bathroom before bedtime.
If this is a particular struggle for your child, we would recommend that your child brings an extra set of bedding as well as a garbage bag for soiled sheets. In the event of an accident, the second set of bedding will be used while the first set is being laundered.
If you have a need to contact your child during their session, please contact our office at 320.403.9555. Camp’s general policy is to discourage family contact during the session in order to promote the best possible experience for your child, free from distractions. A higher camp policy respects the wishes of a child’s parent(s). If you believe it is necessary to connect with your child, Camp staff will have your child return your call at an arranged time. On-site visitors must check in at the office immediately upon arrival. In no case will a child be permitted to leave the site without first making proper arrangements with the office.
NOTE: Cell phones are not allowed during Camp. We fully understand a parent’s desire to stay in contact with his/her child; however, we have found cell phones to be a distraction during the session. Further, cell phones pose liability issues for Camp and camper safety. For these reasons, we require campers to (1) leave their cell phones at home (preferred!), or (2) turn them in at check-in. If you have questions about communicating with your child during the session, please call the Camp office.
For safety, Camp requires each camper to pass a swim test before allowing access to deep water swim areas (e.g. diving raft, swim mat) and unescorted watercraft (e.g. pedalboats, canoes, kayaks). Campers who do not pass the test have ample opportunities to enjoy activities in shallow water swim zones, on watercraft with Camp staff (e.g. counselor), and on the fishing docks.
See “Swimming Test Questions” section below!
Spending money is placed on a canteen card that campers can access at the canteen and gift shop. All unspent funds will be returned to campers in the form of cash for the Closing Rally. Unused zip line and laser tag tickets are NOT refundable (unless there is a storm event and rescheduling is not possible).
Swimming Test Questions
To pass the swim test, campers must start on one dock and jump or dive into the water. Then they must front crawl (with arms coming out of the water) to the other dock, where they will tread water for one minute. Swimmers need to do each part of the swim test without assistance or breaks. Adventurers (grades 1-3) take a modified swim test, which requires them to jump in the water, swim to a halfway point, and swim back without taking a break.
We typically offer swim tests during check-in on the first day and again at a scheduled time the next day. Campers can take the swim test once per day that it is offered. Any changes in the swim test schedule will be communicated to campers and staff to ensure everyone has an opportunity.
Super Kids (grades 3-6), Junior High campers (7-9), and Senior High campers (10-graduates) can swim as far as the swimming buoys, which includes the raft and deep water mat. These campers can also take boats out with others who have passed the swim test. Adventurers (grades 1-3) who have passed the swim test can swim to the second rope, but will still need a staff member with them to go boating.
For safety, Camp requires each camper to pass a swim test before allowing access to deep water swim areas (e.g. diving raft, swim mat) and unescorted watercraft (e.g. pedalboats, canoes, kayaks). Campers who do not pass the test have ample opportunities to enjoy activities in shallow water swim zones, on watercraft with Camp staff (e.g. counselor), and on the fishing docks.
No, campers do not need to take the swim test. If they are not interested in swimming in the deep end or are not confident swimmers, they can choose to skip the test. If a camper does not take the swim test they can still swim to the first rope and go boating with a staff member.
We are blessed with a clean and beautiful lake that is great for swimming! But it can also get very deep, with an average depth of 39 feet. Our swimming area also gets deep very quickly, so we want to make sure we are confident that everyone in the deep end is a strong swimmer.
Special Dietary Needs
Our menu is available for parents who have questions related to dietary concerns. In this case, we request that you include this information in your registration and you will be contacted by Camp Lebanon to further discuss any needs you might have. To read more about Camp’s Food, head to our Food page.
Camp does its best to accommodate special dietary needs. If a dietary need or food allergy was noted on your child’s health form, you will receive an email from Camp a week before your child’s session. That will include a menu for the week and instructions on how we can work together to best serve your child.
While Camp cannot plan menus around particular individuals, we have learned helpful ways to serve children with food allergies. Some guests find it necessary to bring a supply of their own food to supplement Camp’s menu and canteen choices. Refrigerated storage and a microwave are available. With advanced notice, Camp can also offer standard options that we keep on hand.
Check out our Food page for more info.
Medical Needs & Concerns
Trained First Aid personnel are on site for each camp session. The entire summer staff are trained in on CPR and First Aid, and there is at least one nurse on site during each Summer Camp week!
You can drop off your child’s medications with our Camp nurse(s) at Check-In, including any needed instructions. Meds are administered during meal times. Nurses will seek out your child, and your counselor will be aware of these needs to make sure your child receives what they need.
Camp staff is committed to excellence and safety and is trained in First Aid and CPR. Our waterfront is staffed by certified lifeguards and an EMT or nurse is on-site at all times. Healthcare staff may administer over-the-counter medication and prescribed medication as guided by the information provided in the camper’s registration and health update forms. In the event of an extended illness or injury, parents will be notified as soon as possible
Your camp fee includes $5000 secondary accident insurance coverage. In the event your child requires professional medical care on account of an injury sustained at Camp, Camp Lebanon’s insurance will pay expenses (e.g. deductibles, co-pays) not covered under your family insurance plan. A medical history related to that injury and treatment will be kept on file at Camp to provide information if a claim would be needed. Step One (1) requires you to file with your family carrier. Step Two (2) will be for you to contact Camp Lebanon after you have received a Declaration of Benefits from your carrier. Camp will file a claim on your behalf for the uncovered portion up to $5000.
Please call Marc Nelson (320.403. 9516) at Camp if you have questions.
Please note: Camp’s insurance does not cover sickness or illness.
Questions About Summer Staff
There are a few different levels of summer staff:
Our D3 Discipleship Program is a training program for young people, starting at 14 years old.
Our Junior Staff have graduated from the D3 Discipleship program and have moved into a position to be paid for their work at Camp Lebanon, always under the supervision of Senior Summer Staff and Year-Round Staff.
Our Senior Staff are hired throughout the beginning of the year. Our Director of Youth Ministries hires for over 40 positions. Interested parties must fill out an application, submit at least two personal & spiritual references, and have a phone or in person interview with our DYM. Every Senior Summer Staff member is required to go through Ministry Safe Training, and to have a background check done.
Our Senior Staff attend a week or more of Staff Training before the summer begins, where they are given the tools and understanding needed to have an amazing summer of ministry! All Senior Staff are First Aid and CPR certified, and receive training on a variety of emergency scenarios. They are also fully trained by their team leadership in the various aspects of their job throughout the Staff Training weeks.
If you have any further questions about our hiring and training process, please contact our Director of Ministries: shollenbeck@camplebanon.org.
