Important Information for Parents & Campers
The Following Items are NOT ALLOWED at Any Camp!
- Cell phones, Smartwatches, Tablets, Electronic Games or Electronic Devices of any kind
- Knives of any kind, including pocket knives
- Firearms or Weapons of any kind, including gel blasters and air soft guns
- Alcohol & Tobacco Products of any kind, including vapes and related paraphernalia
- Illegal drugs, Prescription Drugs not prescribed to the camper, or over-the-counter medications not properly turned in to camp staff during check-in
- Fireworks of any kind
- Pets of any kind
- Sports Equipment (unless approved in advance)
- Candy, soft drinks, energy drinks, food kept in sleeping quarters
- Anything of great value (expensive clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc.)
Wondering What to Expect at Camp?
Residential Camp Important Info
Camp Check-In & Pick-up – All residential camps start on Sunday and end on Friday. Check-in is Sunday from 6:00 – 6:30 PM. Pick-up is Friday afternoon from 4:30 – 5:00 PM. All check-ins and pick-ups will occur in McCauley Community Center unless you are otherwise notified. (McCauley Hall is the large brown building with the wraparound porch.) Please feed your child dinner before bringing them to camp on Sunday. We will not serve Sunday dinner, but will have snacks available later in the evening. We are not able to accommodate early arrivals/check-ins, Early pick-ups should be scheduled in advance by contacting the Office Manager at officemanager@phoebeneedles.org or 540-483-1518.
What to Bring to Camp – CLICK HERE for our Residential “What to Bring to Camp List.” Please use this list as a guide for packing for camp.
Label Your Stuff! – At the end of each camp year, we are usually left with several garbage bags of clothes, shoes, and miscellaneous personal items left behind by campers without name labels. **IF YOU WANT IT BACK, LABEL IT!** Phoebe Needles Center, Inc. is not responsible for campers’ belongings, including anything of great personal or financial value that may be lost while at camp!
Outdoor Camping – All campers, regardless of camp week, should expect to spend one night camping outdoors in a rustic camping environment.
In Case of EMERGENCY – Your youth is not accessible by phone during the camp week unless it is an emergency. In the event of an emergency that requires you to speak with your child: (1) During camp office hours, Monday-Friday from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, call Office Manager Stacey Sink at 540-483-1518; (2) Outside of Office Hours, call Executive Director Inge Terrill at 540-488-4403.
Non-Emergency Inquiries – All non-emergency inquiries should be directed to Office Manager Stacey Sink at officemanager@phoebeneedles.org or 540-483-1518.
Mail for Your Camper – You are welcome to write to your camper while at camp. Please do not send food, candy, gum, money or other valuables to your camper. We are rural, and mail can be slow, so you may want to consider using the USPS Priority Mail Service (usually 2 days) to ensure that letters/packages mailed are received by your camper prior to the end of the camp week. Send mail to: Phoebe Needles Center, Inc., ATTN: Your Camper’s Name, 732 Turners Creek Road, Callaway, VA 24067
For a printable version of this information, CLICK HERE.
Day Camp Important Info
Camp Check-in & Drop-off – Day campers must go through a check-in process on Monday of each week to review medical history. For this reason, we open earlier on Mondays. Monday Only, Drop-off is from 7:30 -8:15 AM. Tuesday through Friday, Drop-off is from 8:00 – 8:15 AM. Parents should park in front of the rock building (Phoebe Needles Hall) and come up the front steps. Campers must be signed in and out by a parent or other designated person each day. Parents may designate other people to pick up their children using our Online Pick-Up Authorization Form.
Camper Pick-up – Regular Camp Pick-up is from 3:30 – 3:45 PM Monday through Friday. Campers must be signed in and out by a parent or other designated person each day. Parents may designate other people to drop off or pick up their children using our Online Drop-Off & Pick-Up Authorization Form.
Late Pick-Up – The expectation for Parents/Guardians is that you will pick up your camper by 3:45 PM each camp day. Phoebe Needles Center, Inc. understands that inconveniences do occur which may make it difficult for parents/guardians to pick-up campers by 3:45 PM, such as accident delays, road work, weather conditions, etc. Phoebe Needles Center Inc.’s staff will attempt to work with parents/guardians experiencing these delays on a case by case basis. However, Phoebe Needles Center, Inc. does reserve the right to charge an additional Late Pick-up Fee (up to $15 per day) for any child not picked up by 4:00 PM. If you are going to be late, please call ahead to 540-483-1518 to let us know. After 3:45 PM, campers should be picked up in the Camp Office instead if Phoebe Needles Hall.
What to Bring to Camp – Please bring the following items to Day Camp each day:
- Backpack or bag for holding belongings
- Water bottle (NO GLASS!)
- Change of clothes
- Extra bathing suit
- Two towels (bath or beach)
- Sunscreen (lotion or spray, NO OIL)
- Swim Shoes for the pool
- Close-toed shoes for exploring outdoors
- Lunch if your child has food allergies or is a picky eater
- Optional items: Swim Goggles & Insect Repellant
Helpful Tips for Your Day Camper –
- BE READY TO SWIM – Have your child dressed and “ready to swim” each morning with bathing suit already on and shorts and a shirt over the swimsuit.
- EXTRA BATHING SUIT & TOWEL – Leave an extra bathing suit at camp for the week for those “just in case” moments. Leave these with Camp Staff in a bag marked with your child’s name.
- LABEL ALL ITEMS – Please mark personal items with your child’s name. This goes for everything they bring to camp: towels, lunch boxes, backpacks, water bottles, and even clothes,
- PLEASE CHECK THE LOST & FOUND TABLE at pick-up each day to claim any items that may belong to your camper.
- FOOD – We serve a breakfast snack each morning. This usually consists of milk, cereal or granola bars, whole-grain muffins, donuts and pastries, and fruit. Lunches vary throughout the week. Some days we serve cold sandwiches, some days mac & cheese, some days grilled cheese and soup, usually with water, lemonade, and a variety of accompaniments. Afternoon snacks are usually whole grain chips with fruit and milk.
- FIELD TRIPS – During Weeks 1 – 5, campers should expect to go on at least one short (2-hour) field trip each week. Week 6 (Swim Camp 3) the “field trip” will be brought to Phoebe Needles!
- LAST DAY CELEBRATION – On Friday of each week at 3:00 PM, parents are invited to join us for a “Celebration of Achievements” ceremony on our Amphitheater Stage, near the Office.
For a printable version of this information, CLICK HERE.