PACKING LIST

  • HEAVY Sleeping bag
    (it gets COLD at night)
  • Pillow
  • Change of clothes
  • Long pants
  • Pajamas
  • Towel
  • Jacket
  • Hiking shoes
  • Sandals (for water activities)
  • Toothpaste
  • Toothbrush
  • Insect repellant
  • Sun block
  • Sunglasses
  • Flashlight
  • Fishing license-optional (if over 12 years old)
  • Chap stick / Lip Balm
  • Fishing pole-optional
  • Medication/Inhalers
  • Feminine hygiene products
  • Modest swimwear (NO bikini’s or speedos – one piece bathing suits only)
  • Life jacket (if you have one, otherwise, they will be provided)
  • Cap/sun visor (optional)
  • Toiletries (deodorant, toothbrush/paste, etc.)
  • Hairbrush/Comb
  • Mid-length shorts (no short shorts please; shorts should hit mid to lower thigh in length)
  • Sweatpants/Sweatshirt
  • Extra underwear/socks
  • Towel
  • Water bottle (put your childs name on the water bottle in permanent marker)
  • Fannie pack with water bottle holder
  • Letter to your camper (see section on homesickness) and/or send them a CampGram through the CampDoc system.
  • Backpack (optional, but helpful, especially for younger kids)

Homesickness:

Kids often struggle with homesickness while away from home.  This is especially true for our younger 8-10 year old campers – and most common in 8-10 year old boys.  The most common time for homesickness is in the evening on Wednesday and Thursday.  Phone service is very limited at the camp site and it is not always possible for children to call home or for us to receive calls.  If you wish to write your child a letter and give it to the registration team at check in, their counselor can give that letter to your child when/if they get homesick and that ‘touch from home’ will sometimes be all that is needed to get them through the week.

If your child does call home due to homesickness, it is helpful for you to think through how you will respond before camp starts and even have a conversation with your child before camp about homesickness.  If a child knows that you will not come and pick them up (except in an emergency), they often do better and a call home is just to ‘hear moms voice’ vs. a request for you to come pick them up.

Some parents may wish to pick their child up at the first sign of homesickness while others may want to insure their child stays even in the case of severe homesickness.  Each chilid is at a different stage of development and there is no better person to know where your chiild is at than you, the parent.  We want to partner with parents in making your child’s time the most beneficial as possible.  We have incorporated ‘dorm parents’ into each of the kids dorms to provide a surrogate ‘mom’ or ‘dad’ for the kids to lean upon during these times of emotional stress.  These dorm parents are almost always ‘real life’ moms and dads and their job is simply to help comfort kids that may need it.

If you have a homesick child phone call and are considering picking them up, a good statement to tell them is “Let me talk with the director or your counselor or your dorm parent for a little bit” before committing to a course of action.  At that point, our staff can give you their best assessment on whether they think your child will be ok if they have to ‘stick with it’.  Common parting words with a homesick child are “I love you and I miss you and I am looking forward to seeing you on Friday.  Now, go to bed and go to sleep.”  Almost all our kids that make it to the end of camp have a positive camp experience, even if they struggle early in the week.

OTHER INFORMATION:

Valuables:  Please do not bring valuables.  Camp is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items.

Medication:  All medication will be collected at registration and stored with the camp medical office to be distributed by our medical team.  Please bring any medicine in original packages.

Food:  Food will be provided for the duration of camp by the kitchen staff for all attendees.

Lodging:  Lodging will be provided for youth campers in dorm tent facilities.

Lifeguards:  There will be lifeguards on-site for the duration of the camp.

Activities:  The camp will consist of a variety of structured and open activities.  Structured instruction will be provided for each activity area so all have the chance to experience the activity in a safe manner.  All campers will be expected to follow the direction of activity leaders and staff.

In anticipation of the final awards ceremony, activity leaders will rate each camper’s ability based on several criteria:  attitude/sportsmanship, helpfulness to others, skill.

Pets:  No pets are allowed.

Drop off / Pick up:  Parents should arrange to drop off their children at the campground and pick them up after camp.  If you are not able to drop off/pick up your children during allocated time frames, please make alternate arrangements BEFORE camp starts.  Children will only be released to a parent/legal guardian or authorized party.  Due to limited phone access, please have these arrangements worked out before camp begins.

Drop off / Pick up times:   Parents should arrange to drop off their children at the campground on Tuesday, between 4-7 PM and pick them up on Saturday, after 7:15 PM.  Please do not come early to drop off or pick up your kids as our team is still in process of training and preparing for registration/check-in/check-out.

Awards Ceremony: There will be a final awards ceremony on Saturday from 6:00-7:15PM, which parents may wish to attend.  After the awards ceremony, all the kids will be released to the check out process.  Please allow approximately 30 minutes for that process.

Scholarships:  A limited number of need-based scholarships are available.  Please contact registration for scholarship information.  If you wish to sponsor a child, please make checks out to Beacon of Montana Youth Camp.  If there is a specific child you would like to sponsor, please let that be known or the scholarship will go to a child at the staff discretion.

Camp Rules:

There are a variety of camp rules we abide by in order to allow everyone to have a good time, and remain safe.  We will go over these during opening camper orientation so that everyone understands.  

  • No swearing, bullying or picking on others.
  • No being alone with members of opposite sex.
  • No leaving camp area without permission.
  • No getting into other people’s property.
  • Mandatory Quiet Time: 10 PM – 8 AM.  This is a campground requirement.
  • Life jackets required for all persons on the water (life jackets are provided if you do not bring your own)
  • Fishing is available with a valid license (optional – during scheduled free time).
  • Girls are not allowed in the boys dorm tent(s); Boys are not allowed in the girls dorm tent(s).
  • Girls are required to wear shorts/pants over swimsuits when not at water activities.
  • No bikinis, speedos or short shorts.  Modest swimwear (1 piece swimsuits preferred).  Shorts should hit mid to lower thigh in length.
  • While at camp, all staff and campers are issued 2 camp shirts they are expected to wear at all times during the day. Camp shirt laundry is done on Wednesday and Thursday.  No writing or alterations on shirts until Friday during the ‘shirt signing’ time.
  • Campers always travel by dorm when going to/from activity areas.
  • Within the ‘base camp’ area (which is defined during opening orientation), campers may travel via the ‘buddy system’.
  • Side hugs.  We love one another, but to help keep things platonic, we ask that you hug via ‘side hugs’ while at camp.  Certain exceptions are sometimes made for siblings, dorm parents with homesick kids, etc.

Electronic Devices: Please do NOT bring walkmans, ipods, laptop computers, or other electronic devices or items of value. Cell phones are permitted, but there is limited cell phone reception in the camp area.  All cell phones, electronic devices, and medications will be collected at registration and stored for campers in the office.  Phones are not allowed in the dorms.  Campers who would like to call home during camp will be able to use the camp phone to call. Parents needing to call their child may call the camp phone at 458-8604 or 439-4753.  However, cell phone reception is LIMITED.

Camp Store:  There will be a camp store in which you may wish to set up an account for your child to purchase snacks or souvenirs.  You may fund the store account with cash or check.  At the end of camp, if your child has not used up their fund, the remainder will be donated to the camp fund.

Important Phone Numbers:

  • Camp Director: Tobe Johnson: 406-439-5986 / 406-458-8604
  • Assistant Camp Director: Barb Johnson – 406-458-8604 / 406-439-4753

Camp Shirts: Camp shirts will be provided for all staff and campers to be worn by staff and campers for the duration of camp. If you have camp shirts from previous years, you may bring these as acceptable alternative wear.

There will be special themed shirts you can purchase at registration (online) or from the camp store while at camp.