First Time Campers
Friendships happen here
The campers and staff commit to be respectful of themselves, each other, and all living things. HUG Camp enables children to form friendships that are more meaningful because they are able to be their “best me.” Many friendships formed here are often lifelong friendships that continue beyond the camp season. Many veteran campers and staff report that returning to HUG Camp is like coming home each summer and often send their own children to camp in the future. Homesickness is a gift Homesickness is a good thing. I bet you did not think we would say that here. Learning to overcome homesickness is a critical developmental process in a child’s life that can only occur by going through it. HUG Camp is a great place to practice this skill and our counselors and staff are here to help campers through this experience. Studies suggest that 97% of campers feel some form of homesickness their first time away from home with most campers discovering healthy ways to cope within 48 hours of arriving at camp. We need your help too because a lot of homesickness prevention occurs prior to a child arriving at camp. There are many resources available to parents about how to lessen the effects of homesickness. We recommend Michael Thompson’s Homesick and Happy and Dr. Chris Thurber’s Expert Advice for Parents. Safety is our top priority We understand how much trust it takes to leave your child in the care of another person and we take your child’s health and well-being seriously. Staff monitor food and water intake, cleanliness, and overall personality changes that may signal a discomfort or concern. Staff are approachable and sensitive with their campers needs. Camp leadership carry two-way radios with them and are able to communicate with the camp office should a problem arise. Tower Hill staff are CPR and First Aid certified, with some staff holding more advanced medicine certifications including life guarding, and defibrillator certified. Our Health office is staffed daily to address any medicine, allergy, or other needs that may arise. We are a family HUG Camp, while only one week creates a family environment. From the long time staff that utilizes personal vacation time to volunteer, to the many siblings that volunteer, HUG Camp comes together to create a very positive and unique environment. Many campers will talk about how if you come to camp once, you will be hooked for life. HUG Camp is proud to see multi-generations of campers come through. Many parents remember when Carol was their camp director and now have the opportunity to see her again with there children in attendance. All the Tower Hill and HUG Camp staff work to ensure everyone has the feeling of belonging and family. We collaborate with parents We work with parents to ensure of any issue that arises can be solved. Whether a camper is feeling home sick, needs medication, gets injured, or has any other issue, there is someone here to help. HUG Camp has been around for over fifty years helping parents and campers. Many fears and anxieties of your camper, or yourself, can be eased simply by what you say leading up to dropping your child off at camp. During the week we will keep you up-to-date with what is happening at camp through daily updates on our photo page. If you would like to contact camp, Carol or Donna are available throughout the week. If you happen to not see any photos of your child having fun, simply use the contact form to send Mike an email and he will track them down. Invest in camp The research is speaking loud and clear and experts agree that camp is important for the health, well-being, and development of your child. Going to summer camp enables children to practice 21st century skills like grit, resilience, curiosity, gratitude, optimism, and self-control. Rumor has it is that children who attend summer camp are more likely to be successful college students too. They’ll thank you later. Links |