Welcome Info for Wildwood Sessions 5 & 6

We’re excited to see you at camp very soon, and we hope that you’re looking forward to your time at Wildwood. If you’ve not returned all your completed camp forms, please mail them to the Wildwood office in Lincoln, MA, immediately. (Don’t forget a copy of the front and back of your camper’s health insurance card!)

If your camper’s prescription medications have changed since you sent the forms, it’s very important that you obtain an updated, signed medication order from the prescribing physician! If you must, let us know that you’ll bring completed forms with you to camp on August 11. If you need a new copy of camp forms or the camp handbook, please visit our website to download them. The handbook also contains a suggested packing list (p. 12) to assist you as you prepare for camp.

For driving directions to Wildwood, look in your camp handbook (p. 18), or get printable directions from our website. (Once you are in Rindge, using a GPS or online directions is inadvisable.) Wildwood is a large camp, and anyone at camp on check-in day will be happiest wearing sturdy, comfortable shoes. Remember, you may not bring family pets with you to Wildwood!

In the days before camp, please review the camp handbook, including the behavior expectations, with your camper. Make sure all items packed for camp are appropriate and well-labeled. It’s also important to keep an eye on your camper’s health. Give us a call to consult if your camper is injured, ill, or exposed to a communicable disease in the days before camp. We want every camper to arrive at camp healthy and ready to participate fully.

If your camper is unable to arrive at camp as scheduled, please call the camp at 603-899-5589 to schedule an alternate arrival. If you haven’t made alternate arrival plans and your camper doesn’t arrive at camp on check-in day, we’ll contact you by phone to determine when to expect your camper’s arrival.

Here’s what you have to look forward to (families will join in on the bold days and times). Remember that activities may change based on weather, special events, and random acts of FUN!

Sunday (Check-in Day)

2:00-3:15 pm Campers and families arrive for Check-in. If your family is new to Wildwood or needs to confer with the camp nurse, you may want to arrive near the earlier end of the time period. If you’re returning to Wildwood and don’t need much extra time before the Opening Ceremony, it’s fine to arrive near the later end of the time period.

• We’ll greet you at the parking lot entrance with a nametag and unit assignment and direct you to a parking space.

• We’ll help you take your camper’s luggage to the appropriate marked area in the parking lot. Please do not go to the living units at this time! We’ll transport your camper’s luggage to his/her unit.

• Take camper medications with you, and walk to the dining hall. Parents/guardians of children with medication/medical concerns will have a brief conference with the camp nurse. Parents whose children do not have medication or medical concerns do not need to see the nurse.

• Campers and families greet their counselors and unit leaders at the waterfront. You can also visit the camp store, set up a store account if you didn’t do so before camp, or make a purchase.

3:30 pm Opening Ceremony for everyone in the Amphitheatre. After the brief Opening Ceremony, campers and staff members walk to their living units. Families may accompany campers to their units or depart directly from the Opening Ceremony.

4:15 pm Final questions with unit leaders and family departure. Campers will unpack, settle in, begin to get to know one another, and set group goals.

6:00 pm Dinner

7:15 pm Opening Campfire in Amphitheatre

9:00 pm Cabin Chat (a calming end-of-day routine)

9:30 pm Sweet dreams!

Monday

7:40 am Morning Circle

8:00 am Breakfast

9:00 am Units rotate through camp tours, waterfront orientation, swim checks, health checks, schedule choices, and team-building

12:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm Siesta

2:00 pm Camp tours, waterfront orientation, swim checks, health checks, schedule choices, and team-building, continued

4:00 pm Open Activity Time (OATs)

6:00 pm Dinner

7:00 pm Evening Program (may include campfires, skits and songs, all-camp games, or special activities with your unit)

9:00 pm Cabin Chat

9:30 pm Sweet dreams!

Tuesday – Friday

7:00 am Optional Pre-Breakfast Jaunt (PBJ) Wednesday and Friday

7:40 am Morning Circle

8:00 am Breakfast

9:00 am Interest Groups (IGs)

11:00 am Unit Time

12:00 pm Lunch

1:00 pm Siesta

2:00 pm Discovery Groups (DGs)

4:00 pm OATs

5:30 pm Unit Time

6:00 pm Dinner

7:00 pm Evening Program

9:00 pm Cabin Chat

9:30 pm Sweet dreams!

Saturday – Monday

Each unit enjoys a campout during the middle weekend of camp. On Wildwood’s property, Fossey and Thoreau campers spend one night at the First Point campsite, and Leopold and Carson campers spend one night at the Second Point campsite. Dillard and Abbey campers spend two nights at a nearby state park. During overnights, campers help set up and take down their tents, help with meal preparation and clean-up, hike, have a campfire, make S’mores, play games, and learn and practice Leave No Trace outdoor ethics.

Before campers depart or after they return, they’ll enjoy some time at camp at a slower pace: sleep a little later, do activities with their unit, and have time for swimming, boating, or playing together.

Tuesday – Friday, as above

Saturday (Check-out Day)

7:30 am Unit tidying (Luggage ready before breakfast!)

8:00 am Breakfast

9:00 am Return to units for group closing activity

9:15 am Coffee at the dining hall with camp director Bob Speare for interested families.

9:30-9:45 am Families arrive for check-out and walk to the amphitheatre. A staff member will direct you to the parking area. Depending on weather, we may ask you to load your camper’s luggage into your vehicle when you arrive. On a sunny day, campers and families should load luggage together after the closing.

10:00 am Closing Ceremony. Campers and families reunite, followed by departure. You’ll be able to make any last camp store purchases or get leftover medications from the nurse. Pick up an address list and 2014 registration information as you leave the parking lot!

Please feel free to call us at our toll-free number, 866-627-2267, or e-mail [email protected] if you have any questions before you come to camp!

Happy Camping!

Amanda