Published: May 03, 2008 09:28 pm            

Woods summer camp registration open

ST. MARY-OF-THE-WOODS — Registration has begun for Summer Camp at The Woods at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College.

The camp is an overnight, residential camp dedicated to providing young campers, ages 7-14, with a positive, supportive experience in which their individuality is appreciated. The goal is to provide campers with a fun, safe environment for learning and play. Positive reinforcement is a part of everyday life as camp staff members fill each day with fun challenges and adventure.

There are various camps to choose from – including Adventure, Art, Dance, Equine, Exploring Earth, Journalism and Theatre – so campers of different ages and interests can choose the camp that suits them best. This year, each camp week begins with registration on Sunday afternoon and concludes with check-out at 4 p.m. Friday. Camps will be staged June 8-13, June 15-20 and June 22-27.

Campers also will have the opportunity to explore the grounds shared by St. Mary-of-the-Woods College and the Sisters of Providence – the same grounds where the college foundress, St. Mother Theodore Guerin, once lived and worked. While here, campers will have an opportunity to see a number of beautiful, historical sites including the rock that designates where Mother Theodore and her companions arrived from France, the site of the first cabin and chapel, the Shrine of St. Mother Theodore Guerin, the Church of the Immaculate Conception, the St. Anne Shell Chapel and the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto, a replica of the larger shrine in France.

Experienced camp counselors supervise all activities. Counselors are adults and college or high school- age students who are required to attend a weeklong training each year, learning cardiopulmonary resuscitation, First Aid, emergency measures, counseling techniques, activity planning, supervision and team-building skills. Certified teachers and professionals will provide overall camp direction, supervision and instruction for special interest campers.

Safety is a primary concern, and the campus provides a safe environment for the campers. Situated within the wooded secure boundaries of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, there is a 24-hour security force on duty, an emergency response team, and camper-to-staff ratios of 5:1 to 7:1. Water activities are supervised by certified lifeguards, while health services are under the direction of a camp nurse and all medicine/treatments are administered by her staff.

Campers reside in the residence hall and are assigned to rooms within a 2-year age range, and they occupy a specified area under the care and supervision of a counselor team that stays with them the entire week. We also offer a day camp option, in which campers will be eligible for all meals and activities between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. (Day campers must be picked up before 6 p.m. each day.)

To learn more about Summer Camp at The Woods, call the SMWC Office of Conferences and Non-Credit Programs at (812) 535-5148 or toll free, 1-888-528-0010. More information also can be obtained by visiting the NEW Camp at The Woods Web site, which can be found online at campatthewoods.org, or by e-mailing woodscamp@smwc.edu.

        

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