Developing realistic expectations about camp is important. Spending a week at camp can be a wonderful experience, and it is important to make sure your camper understands it may not be fun every minute – there may be problems to solve, cabins to keep tidy, tables to set and new skills to develop. Learning and challenging yourself is all part of the camp experience.

Making friends and building confidence are also integral parts of the camp experience. Campers should be open to sharing about themselves, trying new things, and helping others. Camp is physically active, with long days spent outside. Participating fully allows for campers to get the most out of their experience.

1. Overnight camp check-in takes place on Sunday from 2:00pm to 3:00pm. Please do not arrive early, as our staff will not be prepared to welcome campers until 2:00pm.

2. Please use the entrance marked Cheff Lodge YMCA Camp Manitou-Lin and park in our main parking lot. Camp staff will greet you, give your camper’s cabin assignment, and show you where to leave your camper’s luggage. PLEASE BRING ALL MEDICATION SEPARATE FROM YOUR LUGGAGE.

3. If you will be arriving late due to unforeseen circumstances, please call us as soon as possible to communicate those changes by calling us at 269-795-9063. You will check-in at the Welcome Center (by main parking lot) if you are a late arrival.

4. You will be directed to enter Cheff Lodge, where the rest of the check-in process will take place. Our staff will confirm our child’s name, cabin placement, and your contact information. Your child will be screened for head lice. Our Camp Nurse will be present to accept all medications and answer any questions you may have. You will also have the opportunity to speak with our Food Service Director if you have questions or concerns about food allergies or dietary restrictions. Our Camp Store will be open if you would like to purchase any CML gear for your camper before your departure.

5. Campers will be directed towards their cabins by camp staff located around the property. You can walk your child to their cabin, meet their counselors, and help them get settled into their bunk. We aim to have all luggage delivered to cabins before your departure, but we appreciate your patience in the event of a delay.

Cabin groups are assigned by age, grade, and gender. We make every effort to place campers with mutually requested cabin-mates submitted via Camper Information form within your Camp Brain account. We will not be able to accommodate requests made at the time of check-in.

After you have helped your child get unpacked and make their bed, give them a kiss and say goodbye with a big smile! We have found that positive parents help make for positive campers.

Camp sessions end on Friday afternoon and pickup runs from 3:45 – 5:15 p.m. We will also have a Family Farewell Celebration at 4:15 p.m.

1. Please use the entrance marked Cheff Lodge YMCA Camp Manitou-Lin and park in our main parking lot. Exit your car and meet a member of our camp staff by our Welcome Center.

2. Camp staff will ask for either a valid photo ID or an overnight camp check-out card (provided during check-in). Please make sure that the adult picking up your camper has been listed as an authorized pickup in your CampBrain account.

3. If you dropped off medication during check-in, the empty container or remaining medication will be returned to you.

4. Camp staff will give you an end-of-session folder. There will be a photo of your camper with their cabin, a note from the camp counselor, information about upcoming events, and an option to make a donation to camp in honor of your child’s favorite camp counselor.

5. Once you have been given your child’s folder, we will help gather your camper’s luggage and load in your vehicle.

6. Once luggage is loaded you will head to your campers cabin to collect them. We will be having a family show at 4:15 p.m. at our chapel. You and your camper(s) are welcome to stay for that or head out.

7. On your way out please make sure to check our lost and found table outside of the camp store for any items that may have been misplaced.

8. Exit at the south corner and we’ll see you in 2026!

Campers will be assigned a trail group and counselor(s) for the week. These trail groups are age/grade specific and mixed gender. These groups will be their “family group” for the entire week and will do all weekly activities together.

If you would like to request a specific camper to be in your child’s group, please note that on the Camper Information form. Similarly, if you need to request that a camper NOT be placed in your child’s group, please note that on the same form.

Please note that we DO NOT guarantee group mate requests, but will try our best to accommodate them. Last minute changes (i.e. requests made on the first day of camp) are extremely challenging for us to facilitate and will not be considered.

We love to celebrate summer camp birthdays! Let us know if your camper has a birthday while at camp so we can snap a photo of them in the Birthday Chair. We will email a copy to you, so you can share in their special day.

Day Campers will be provided with lunch each day from our camp kitchen. We serve kid-friendly menu items like turkey sandwiches, pizza, macaroni and cheese, mini corn dogs, fresh fruit and vegetables, and lots of water! If your child has food allergies or dietary restrictions, please include that information in your child’s Medical Form so our kitchen staff can prepare appropriate meals for them. If your camper is a picky eater, feel free to send them with a lunch from home.

While our camp kitchen does not serve products with nuts, we cannot guarantee that our facility is nut-free. We ask that our day campers opt to leave snacks with nuts at home. Our staff will remind campers not to share food or snacks so as to avoid allergen transmission.

Day Campers will be given an afternoon snack each day. If your child rides the bus, or is an active snacker, feel free to pack additional snacks for your child each day. Also, make sure your camper is sent with a refillable water bottle each day that is labeled with their first and last name!

Campers will receive one Trail Group photo in their Friday folder each week. These are 5×7 full-color photos of your child’s “trail group” of campers and their counselor.

Trail Group photos are taken each Monday morning. We have a very tight turnaround to get our photos ordered, printed, and shipped to camp within four days, so retakes are not possible. if your camper is absent on Monday morning, the trail group photo will not include your camper. If your photo is lost, email Josh Wilson at jwilson@grymca.org.

Campers will be able to visit our camp store twice during their session. Most families deposit $20.00 – 25.00 for one session, which can be used to purchase items like t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, slushies, snacks, and other items.

Families can add money to their camper’s store account by logging into your Camp Brain account. Please do not send your camper on the bus with cash in their possession. Bus counselors cannot accept camp store money.

You can check your Camp Brain account to see any remaining balance in your camper’s store account at any time. You may request a refund by emailing camp@grymca.org. Any unclaimed money at the end of the summer (August 16, 2024) will be donated to our Annual Campaign, which aids in sending children to camp at a reduced cost.

You will receive an emailed copy of our Day Camp Newsletter at the beginning of your camper’s session. This document has information regarding any special activities that are planned for the rest of the week. It also has a schedule of activities your camper will be doing throughout the week, along with reminders from the Day Camp team. Make sure to check your email so you don’t miss out!

Penny Wars is a day camp tradition that takes place each week, campers are invited to bring in loose change to raise money for our Annual Campaign. Campers will be able to place their change in their own trail group boxes or another’s pennies (and notes) count as positive points, where as silver counts as negative points and can be used to sabotage other trail groups. Penny wars will be open Tuesday-Friday, with the trail group earning the most points receiving a trail group prize following Friday lunch!