FAQs

What should i expect on Day 1 of Camp?

On Day 1 of camp, you will probably feel a little nervous. We will have spent two full weeks (for Leadership Staff, a little more than that), talking about what camp looks like and how to be successful as a camp staff, and Day 1 of Week 1 feels like a big test to see if you can really do it. Trust us, you can! We are there to help you learn and grow through all eight weeks of camp. None of us were perfect on our first day! It's more than okay to have questions you never thought of during staff training, or to need support from leadership.

Here's a sample schedule for a check-in day (Sunday) at camp:

Check-in Schedule

What is skills week?

Skills week is the second week of all staff training! Trainings are specific to what you will be running for campers this summer. Some trainings take up more than one day, like high ropes, life guarding, and natural wonders. Others take a few hours, such as archery or arts & crafts. During skills week, you do not have to stay on camp overnight, although you are more than welcome to. We encourage you to spend the time when you're not training getting to know your unit mates and your first co-cabin leader, which will be revealed at the end of the first week of all staff training.

The trainings you can be certified in are:

Arts and Crafts
Climbing Wall
Archery
Natural Wonders
Outdoor Skills
Lifeguarding
High Ropes
Teambuilding
Big Canoe
Boating
Dual Zip

Where will I live?

Counselors will stay in cabins with campers during the week and are welcome to stay in their cabins on time off. In the cabins, you have a room that is slightly separated from the camper bunks that you share with your co-cabin leader. Our 17 cabins have bunks, heating, bathrooms, a shower, sinks, and electricity. Our older campers may stay yurts, which have bunks, heating, electricity, and a fan. The five yurts share a set of bathrooms. Leadership staff will stay in on-site housing around camp. This is typically dorm-like, you will likely be sharing a room with one other leadership staff, with a shared bathroom nearby.

Is food provided?

Camp will provide meals while campers are here, and Sunday lunch before they arrive. Our kitchen staff works hard to make sure everyone has food at every meal, so please let us know your dietary restrictions on the pre-summer survey so we can feed you! We regularly accommodate gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, and vegan staff and campers, among other restrictions. On the weekends, you will have access to the staff kitchen which includes a fridge, microwave, oven and stove.

What else do I need to know about living at camp?

Laundry
We have laundry on site in the Rich Lodge building. We have four washers and four dryers that are shared by all staff. There is no cost to using these facilities, but please provide your own liquid detergent and dryer sheets. If you need to do laundry in your off-time, make sure it gets moved in a timely matter. These are also used for camper laundry when needed, which may take priority.

Technology
Campers are not allowed most tech, including phones and smart watches, and we expect cabin staff to leave these items in your backpack or in the cabin while supervising campers. During your time off and breaks, the Staff Lounge has WiFi and you are welcome to use tech in that space. Cell service is spotty on camp, so if you need to make a phone call, WiFi calling and texting is the most reliable way to get a message out of camp.

Medication
During the camp week, campers and staff are not allowed to keep personal medication on them outside of emergency meds and as needed inhalers. You can take your medications in the Health Hut or at meals the same time campers take theirs. If you have a more specific schedule for your personal medication, we can accommodate that too! The Camp Nurse brings the staff medication to the Check-Out day meeting so you can pick it up for the weekend, to be checked back in with the Nurse before Check-In starts on Sunday.

Quiet Hours
Camp is uniquely situated on Glen Cove. The residents nearby can hear lots of what goes on at camp, and we try and respect their evenings and mornings. We hold quiet hours from 10:30pm to 7am each day. This fits nicely in with our scheduled programming, but also applies to staff on camp during time off and weekends!

Drugs and Alcohol Policies
We are a substance free workplace. This applies to alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and drugs in any form. This applies to all of camp's grounds and for staff of any age whether campers are on site or not. Please refer to the welcome packet to see our policies in full.

What is there to do around camp?

Camp Seymour is located in Gig Harbor, Washington, on the Key Peninsula. We have a few options within walking distance from camp. This is a 10-15-minute walk on a rural road that has a shoulder but not a sidewalk. These include a small grocery store, a Subway, pizza, Mexican restaurant, and a cafe. Otherwise, it's about a 20-minute drive into Gig Harbor proper for things like Target, bigger grocery stores, a movie theater, more restaurants, thrifting, and parks. On weekends, places like Tacoma, Seattle, and Olympic National Park are nearby! If you're staying at camp on your off time, use of program equipment like canoes, kayaks, and climbing wall may be available with the proper training and prior approval from our Program Director.

How does time off work?

Each day of camp Cabin Staff have two scheduled breaks, both an hour long. There is also a two-hour break on Monday evenings. Each Leadership Staff has an assigned morning or evening break during the week and their Assistant Director will help them find breaks during the day.

The camp week ends Friday afternoon after our staff meeting, which happens once all the campers have gone home and we've cleaned camp. At the staff meeting you will get a chance to shout out fellow staff, look at the next week's schedule, and find out what cabin you'll be in. We are typically completely done by 5pm on Fridays. You have the rest of Friday evening off and all of Saturday! You are expected back at camp, in uniform, well-rested, on Sunday before 11AM, or before 10AM for Leadership Staff.

If you need specific time off during the Summer, you must request that in the time-off survey. If you need other time off, or have an emergency over the Summer, you need to contact our Summer Director, Jenn Amos.

What does Staff Training look like?

Leadership Staff Training will prepare our Leadership team to guide us through an incredible summer. We will practice things like parent phone calls, running large games, hosting campfires, and using our radios. You'll stay with other Leadership Staff in a few cabins and get to know each other while gearing up to help the Director Team host All Staff training.

On the first day of All Staff Training, our Leadership Staff will meet you in the parking lot and guide you to the Dining Hall. It is the expectation that you stay on Camp for the full week of Staff Training. You'll be e staying in one of our 17 cabins with other Cabin Staff and two Leadership Staff. We try and model our week of staff training like a week of camp so you can feel the flow of what it will be like with campers! There's a mix of small group activities and large group trainings. You'll have the chance to play camp games, perform in a campfire, participate in classic camp activities, and spend time with your cabin.

What does a day/week at camp look like?

Can I bring a car?

Absolutely! Many of our staff members drive to camp and keep their car at camp all summer. We have a specific part of the parking lot for staff vehicles. It is recommended you always keep your vehicle locked and do not keep many belongings or valuables in your car.

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