1

Camper Profile & Group Trip Permission Form ...................................................................... p.3

Medical Information & Form ........................................................................................................ p.3-4

Communication With Your Child ............................................................................................... p.5-6

• Calling Your Child

• Writing & Emailing Your Child

Specialty Camps ..................................................................................................................................... p.6

Trip Program ............................................................................................................................................ p.7

Packing For Your Child ................................................................................................................... p.8-9

• What To Bring – What To Send

• Baggage Service

Departure ................................................................................................................................................p.10

Visiting Day ............................................................................................................................................p.11

CLC Refund Policy ................................................................................................................................p.12

Reading and Bar/Bat Mitzvah Tutoring ....................................................................................p.12

Hotel Information and Directions To Camp ...........................................................................p.12

Important Dates ...................................................................................................................................p.13

2015 PortfolioGetting Ready for Camp

Contents

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Please note there are forms in the portfolio that are required to be completed. Below is a list of the forms. For your

convenience, all forms are available by logging into the “MY CLC” section of our website.

Portfolio Forms To Be Completed

Future Forms & Mailings

Camper Profile Available online March 2nd

Group Trip Permission Form Available online March 2nd

Specialty Camp Enrollment

Available online April 13th

CLC Medical Letter w/ Camp Meds Form

Mailed May 1st

Camper Phone Call Procedures

May 20th Email

Division Leader Conference Call Appointments

Mailed June 5th

Camper Phone Call Scheduling

Available online June 8th

Camper Medical Form PDF form - Download and complete

Camp Trucking Form Camp Trucking PDF form - Download and complete

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Camper Profile & Group Trip Permission Form

Online Camper ProfileIn order for us to best prepare for your child’s arrival at camp, we ask you to provide us with some background informa-tion on your child’s personality, interests, bunk requests and any special needs that may exist. This information is shared with our Head Counselors and Division Leaders so that our key staff can ensure that your child has an incredible summer experience. The online camper profile form will also include the Group Trip Permission form. On March 2nd, our online Camper Profile will be available by logging into your MY CLC account.

Bunk RequestsThe procedure for making the bunks is an ongoing process that is not complete until early June. During the course of the winter and spring, we encourage you to contact us with any bunk suggestions that you may have. You can also include your bunk requests on the Camper Profile. We take in all of this information and then at the end of May (after Spring Fling) we start to assign the bunks. While we cannot guarantee that all the suggestions will be met, we do our best to create bunks that have every camper’s interests in mind. The success of CLC has been our ability to create bunks that lead to lifelong friendships and connections.

Online Group Trip Permission FormAll campers must have a Group Trip Permission form on file. This form is necessary for all trips out of camp -- from a night at the local movies to the extended trips taken by our older campers. The Group Trip Permission form will be available March 2nd along with the Online Camper Profile.

Medical Information

Chestnut Lake Camp is proud of the quality of our health and medical program. Our nurses, Health Center Administrator and Doctor operate the facility with the utmost professionalism, providing each camper with the necessary care and compassion. The following will provide you with the details of how we operate our health center with regard to the dispensing of medicine and scheduling of appointments.

Medical FormWe have designed our medical form to provide us with the necessary information to take care of your child. Please make sure you complete the form in its entirety, including the medical insurance and credit card information. We must have your credit card information on file in the event that the hospital or drug store does not accept your medical insurance.

In order to be sure that our health center staff can accurately care for your child you must complete pages 1-4 of the Chestnut Lake Medical Form. The “Health Care Recommendations” form (page 5) must be completed by your family physician. Both forms must be returned to us by June 1st.

No child will be admitted to camp unless a completed medical form has been received and is signed by a physician and the parents. Only our form is acceptable, as the short form often used by physicians does not provide us with all the necessary information.

THE ONLINE CAMPER PROFILE, WHICH INCLUDES SPACE FOR BUNK REQUESTS AS WELL AS THE

GROUP TRIP PERMISSION FORM, WILL BE AVAILABLE MARCH 2ND. PRIOR TO MARCH 2ND, YOU

WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL WITH MORE INFORMATION.

Download the 2015 Medical Form

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Medical Information CONTINUED

Dispensing of MedsWe require that all campers’ medication be pre-packaged before coming to camp. This applies to the following types of medicines:

1. daily prescription medicines and vitamins.

2. prescription medicines that you are sending to camp to be used “as needed” and

3. non-prescription medicines that you are sending to camp to be used “as needed” (ex. Claritin or other allergy meds).

Please note that the policy applies to pills only. You must send all liquid medicines, inhalers and drops directly to us 10 days prior to the start of camp. Medications that are in pill form will be individually packaged and sealed according to date and time of administration. In the event that your child takes more than one pill at the same time these pills will be conveniently packaged together. This method of dispensing medication during summer camp will minimize potential medication errors, ensuring that every camper gets the correct medication and dosage, at the right time, on the right day. It also allows more time for our nurses to devote to your child’s other healthcare needs.

The company we have chosen to serve our families, CampMeds Inc., provides a convenient service that prepares and packages medications for children who attend sleepaway camps in the U.S. In the spring you will receive more information and an enrollment form for CampMeds.

Health Center SchedulingIn order to make sure your child is seen in a timely manner, we use an appointment system similar to your pediatrician at home. For instance, a child who appears to have a fever is seen by the doctor immediately (without an appointment), while a follow-up appointment for a rash will be scheduled for some time during that same day. We schedule appointments from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm. Each morning the Division Leader meets with the Health Center Administrator to book their campers’ appointments. Our nurses will evaluate each situation and will schedule the appointments accordingly. As always, our health center will be open 24 hours per day for emergency situations. We are confident that this program will help us achieve our primary goal: the health, well-being and safety of your child.

GOING ON VACATION? Please be sure to leave us the dates and a phone number where you can be reached. Also please leave us any phone numbers where you can be reached during the summer (i.e. cell phone, work, etc.).

Special NotesMEDICAL INSURANCE AND CREDIT CARD INFORMATION - In the event that your child will need prescription medication or treatment at the local hospital, it is imperative that we have your insurance information and credit card information. Please attach copies of insurance/drug cards to the medical form along with your credit card information.

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Communication With Your Child

Calling Your ChildWe recognize how important it is for you to speak with your child. Our phone procedures provide campers and parents with the opportunity to speak on a regular basis and for a significant period of time, and also allows you the flexibility to speak with your child at different times during the summer (as opposed to the same time every week).

There are four important things that you must pay particular attention to:

1. Campers will call home 2 times per 3 week session with each call lasting a maximum of 10 minutes. As always there will be an additional call on a camper’s birthday.

2. In May you will receive information on our procedures for scheduling your phone calls. Using your MY CLC account, you will go online to a specially designed website to schedule your calls. This system will also allow you to change/modify your scheduled calls throughout the summer.

3. As we have done in the past, there will be no calls during the first week of camp. We have found that this practice helps our campers adjust to camp life. At the same time we know that this lack of contact can be difficult for the parent. In an effort to help the parents we will be in touch with you during these key times, as highlighted below.

4. Your child will be calling you directly and you will be able to indicate the phone number that your child should call (home, cell, work, etc.).

First Week of Camp We recognize that parents benefit from “specific” information about their child during the very beginning of camp. With this in mind we will once again be adding the following opportunities for you to connect with your child’s Division Leader or Head Counselor:

1. Parents should feel free to call camp during the 2nd or 3rd day of camp to speak with the Head Counselor, Paul or Debbi. Division Leaders will not be available until Thursday as they will be spending time getting to know their campers.

2. Phone calls to parents of “new” campers will be made on July 1st and 2nd. These calls will be scheduled in 10 minute intervals and will allow parents to discuss specifics of their child’s adjustment to camp life. In early June you will receive a letter which will provide the date and time of your assigned phone appointment.

3. Phone calls to parents of “returning” campers 5th grade and below will be made on July 1st and 2nd. These calls will be scheduled in 10 minute intervals and will allow parents to discuss specifics of their child’s adjustment to camp life. In early June you will receive a letter which will provide the date and time of your assigned phone appointment.

Writing and Emailing Your ChildSpending time at camp is an experience that is enjoyable and fulfilling for children. Yet, they may feel a temporary sense of loss for home and family, just as parents miss being with their children. There is, however, a simple means by which you can help your child benefit even more fully from camp: WRITE OFTEN TO YOUR CHILD, AND ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO WRITE TO YOU.

A great addition to camp has been our one-way e-mail system which allows you to e-mail your child. It is a one-way system since you can e-mail your child, but they cannot e-mail back. We encourage you to e-mail your child once a day (or every other day). We will print the e-mail and deliver it to your child during mail call. Later in the spring we will send you all the details of this system.

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Communication With Your Child CONTINUED

A good way to start every letter or e-mail is to discuss camp activities, especially the ones your child has mentioned to you in writing or over the phone. Comments such as “How’s your basketball coming along?” or “Your counselor sounds great,” will help your child adjust to the newness of camp and take advantage of all that camp has to offer. What’s more, by commenting positively on remarks your child has made, you are showing that you have truly listened to what your child has said.

Keep your child informed for what is going on at home, but do so in a way that does not promote a sense of longing. Information such as “Aunt Sue stopped by this morning” might seem insignificant to you, but to a child away at camp, it is an important link with home and family.

Avoid phrases such as “The house seems empty without you” and “If only you were here.” Although these sentiments may be true, they can only make your child miss you even more. A better way to express your feelings is to discuss what you might do when your child returns and how it relates to camp. For example, you might say “We’ll have to try out that great backhand when you get home,” or “By August, you’ll be able to teach me how to golf.”

When you receive letters from your child, be sure to read them thoughtfully. Enthusiasm for camp does not mean that home is boring, nor does an unhappy incident at camp suggest that life there is miserable. Camp life has its ups and downs, just as life at home does, and the child who today “Hates Steven who sleeps next to me” may tomorrow think “Steven will be my best friend forever.”

Finally, as corny as it sounds, save the letters your child sends you from camp and keep them in a safe place. Years from now, you will be able to pull them out and read them together and relive those childhood summers.

Specialty Camps

We will once again be offering our highly successful specialty camps this summer. Each of these mini-camps is offered as a supplement to our program and provides campers with an opportunity to receive additional personalized, higher-level instruction. We gear the camps so that the beginner, as well as the advanced camper, will be able to learn in a fun-filled environment.

As with everything we do at CLC, these programs reflect our “success based on attitude rather than aptitude” approach while developing our campers’ skills and more importantly, their self-confidence.

In mid-April, you will receive more details for our Tennis, Golf, Basketball, Baseball, Soccer, Lacrosse and Dance camps.

Special NotesCAMPER LETTER WRITING DAYS: We require our campers to write home at least two times per week. We realize that you are eager to hear from your child and you should not hesitate to call us in the unlikely event that you do not receive letters on a regular basis.

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Trips

Our trip program is designed to provide our campers with a unique outdoor travel experience.

We feel that these trips are a constructive and stimulating part of the camp program, and they are intended to foster curiosity and broaden the interests of the campers. Campers will travel in comfortable buses to the various sites and will sleep in well-equipped campsites under safe and closely supervised conditions.

Please refer to the chart below to determine the trip your child will be taking. In addition to the extended group trip, the campers will also take day trips, including intercamp games, movies, bowling, etc. We will need the Group Trip Permission Form submitted online before the camp season begins.

Special NotesSLEEPING BAGS: All campers except Sani, Kaya and Varsity will need a sleeping bag. Those campers will stay in hotels and therefore will not need to bring a sleeping bag.

Dates

July 6th - July 7th

July 12th - July 13th

July 12th - 14th

July 12th - 14th

July 12th - 14th

July 13th

July 13th

July 14th

July 13th - 14th

July 14th

July 27th - August 4th

July 31st - August 2nd

August 1st - 4th

August 2nd - 3rd

August 2nd - 4th

August 2nd - 4th

August 3rd - 4th

August 3rd

August 3rd

August 3rd

August 4th

August 4th

August 4th

Grade

LTs (11th)

8th Grade Boys

1st Year Varsity

2nd Year Varsity

LTs (11th)

4th Grade Girls

5th, 6th, 7th Grade Girls

4th Grade Boys

8th Grade Girls

5th, 6th, 7th Grade Boys

LTs (11th)

8th Grade Boys

2nd Year Varsity

7th Grade Girls

8th Grade Girls

1st Year Varsity

7th Grade Boys

4th Grade Girls

5th Grade Girls

6th Grade Girls

4th Grade Boys

5th Grade Boys

6th Grade Boys

Destination

Penn State East Coast College Tour

Hershey, PA Adventure

Boston, MA

Lake Placid, NY

Rehoboth Beach & Delaware ECCT

Bushkill Falls Day Trip

Dorney Park

Bushkill Falls Day Trip

Hershey, PA Adventure

Dorney Park

Western Adventure

Lake George, NY

Toronto

Waterfall Hike and River Experience

Lake George, NY

DC

Waterfall Hike and River Experience

Blueberry Picking

Delaware River Rafting Trip

Lehigh Rafting Trip

Blueberry Picking

Delaware River Rafting Trip

Lehigh Rafting Trip

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Packing For Your Child

What To BringBy now you should have received the “What To Pack” email. We have spent a great deal of time putting together our packing list which details everything that your child will need.

Please pay special attention to the following items on this year’s packing list:

1. All campers must have 5 uniform shirts (3 hunter green and 2 white).

2. Varsity campers should order 5 Varsity shirts (3 green and 2 white) in place of the 5 traditional uniform shirts.

3. We require all campers to bring a mesh sock bag which will be used to wash your child’s socks.

4. All campers must bring an “end of the bed” shoe bag with their name and velcro straps.

5. If your child is bringing hockey equipment or roller blades, you must provide them with a roller blade or bike helmet and a small separate bag in which the equipment will be stored at our hockey rink. Please make sure the bag is clearly marked with your child’s name.

6. All campers must bring a medium size sport duffel or backpack to be used for their trips.

7. All campers (except Sani, Kaya and Varsity) must bring a sleeping bag. Even our youngest campers will be going on an overnight during the summer and must have their own sleeping bag. Please note that the group trips overlap and siblings cannot share sleeping bags.

NOTE: Only one-piece swimsuits are permitted. No bikinis or tankinis.

What Not To BringWhile many of us use electronic devices such as cell phones, computers, etc. in our daily lives, we feel they are not appropriate or needed in “camp life.” The beauty of camp is that it is not home, and we are not allowing these items because of our goal of fostering camper interaction and development. Please do not send Gameboys/PSP’s, video iPods, iPod Touches, video cameras or cell phones to camp.

Additionally, the following items are not permitted at Chestnut Lake: Poker chips, folding chairs, inflatable furniture, bedside mats, curling irons or straighteners, cardboard chests, under bed storage boxes, egg crates, and shoes (or sneakers) with high heels or wedges. We have created a community based on the idea that there is “one standard for everyone” and we ask for your cooperation in making sure that these items are not sent to camp. Please note that these items will be taken away and returned to you by mail C.O.D.

iPodsWe recognize that many children like to listen to music during rest hour and before they go to sleep at night. In the past, we have recommended that you do not send an iPod to camp. However, the reality is that most of the campers have their music on their iPods.

Therefore, we will allow campers to bring their iPods (except the iPod touch or any other device with wireless capabilities) provided that they remove all video content from the iPod. The reason for prohibiting the videos/applications is that we don’t want campers sitting around during freeplay, rest hour, or before bedtime watching TV shows or movies on their iPods. We ask for your cooperation and want you and your children to know ahead of time that we will send home any iPod that is found to have videos on it.

Please be aware that Chestnut Lake will not be responsible for lost or damaged iPods and/or applications.

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Packing For Your Child CONTINUED

What To Send During The Summer - Zero Package PolicyDue to numerous requests from parents, as well as our own philosophy, we do not allow packages. If your child needs anything special we will let you know. This does not include birthday presents OR flat envelopes containing magazines and/or books. Birthday packages should be sent to Paul’s attention and should be labeled on the outside “Birthday Package” and have the date of the birthday.

BaggageCamp Trucking will pick up and deliver your child’s luggage door to door. Please have someone at home on the day the bags are picked up. This will ensure that the bags are sent on schedule.

Remove all old tags, and attach new tags that have been completed with the correct information. Label every article in the trunk or duffel bag with the camper’s first and last name.

TRUCKING OPTIONS

Download the Camp Trucking Form

CAMP TRUCKING (door-to-door service): 970-949-0690

2 Soft Trunks or Duffles Round TripMA, RI ............................................................................................................................................................. $186.00

CT, DE, NJ, NY, PA ....................................................................................................................................... $195.00

DC, MD, OH, VA .......................................................................................................................................... $214.00

FL, IL................................................................................................................................................................ $235.00

Extra Duffle ........................................................................................................................................................ $95.00

*Camp Trucking does offer a discounted price for shipping one way as well as only 1 trunk/duffel. Please contact

Camp Trucking directly for more information.

FOR FAMILIES LIVING OUTSIDE SERVICE AREAS ONLYPlease contact Camp Trucking regarding the details for shipping from other areas.

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Campers From Aprox. Time Will Depart From

Manhattan 8:00 a.m. Holiday Inn at 57th Street, 440 W. 57th Street

(between 9th & 10th Aves.) New York, New York

Westchester & Connecticut 8:45 a.m. Bed Bath & Beyond parking lot, Tarrytown Road

(Exit 4 from Westchester Expressway) Elmsford,

New York

Long Island 8:00 a.m. Macy’s parking area, Community Drive (corner of

Northern Blvd.) Manhasset, New York

Rockland County & 9:00 a.m. Target - Spring Valley Marketplace

Northern New Jersey Spring Valley, New York

Livingston 8:45 a.m. Livingston Mall, 112 Eisenhower Pkwy,

Livingston, NJ

Southern New Jersey 8:00 a.m. Lord & Taylor, Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania

& Philadelphia City Line Avenue

Florida Fly from Ft. Lauderdale to a New York airport with

chaperone. You will be contacted with all the details

Maryland 6:30 a.m. Walter Johnson High School Parking Lot,

6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, MD

LunchLunch will be served to all children when they arrive at camp, so do not pack lunch for your child.

Individual FlightsIf your child is flying to/from camp, please book their flight arriving and departing from JFK International Airport. Arrival flights should arrive between 10:00am - 1:00pm on your child’s first day of camp. Departing flights shoud depart between 2:00pm - 5:00pm on your child’s last day of camp. Detailed information about who will be meeting your child at the airport will be emailed to you one week prior to arrival.

Departure

For your convenience, we have made arrangements for campers to depart from centrally located sites near their homes.

Special NotesIn the unlikely event that your child was placed on medication a few days prior to camp this medication for the first afternoon and evening should be given to the bus counselor in a separate package and should be clearly marked: “First Day Meds.” All other medication must be sent 10 days prior to the start of camp.

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Visiting Day - July 11th (10:30am - 4:15pm)

Visiting Day is a significant event during the camp season. It gives you and your child a chance to spend time together and to share experiences you have enjoyed since you last saw each other. You will also have an opportunity to meet your child’s division leader, counselors and bunkmates.

We will continue the same procedure as last year and will need everyone’s cooperation. Starting at 9:30 a.m. we will open our gates and use the Hockey Pavillion as a waiting area where we will serve coffee and snacks until 10:30 when Visiting Day officially starts.

We will once again be having our famous Visiting Day Barbeque. In order to efficiently serve so many guests, we will have lunch tickets in your name. We will put out some benches and chairs for you to use during the day. However there aren’t enough to go around, so we encourage you to bring chairs or blankets.

Visiting Day is a great day to spend with your child and we believe that it is an experience that you will remember for years to come. The day should focus on spending quality time with your child and not on bringing them material things. While you may want to bring a special treat for your child, it should be for your child only. A gift and a special snack from home is appropriate. What is inappropriate is food for the entire bunk or food that could not possibly be eaten by the end of the day. We live in a community where there is one standard for everyone and all food that is not eaten by the end of the day will be taken away.

Please remember that we do not allow bunk gifts. We have asked our staff not to permit the distribution of such gifts. You may bring a gift for your child only. Please do not put staff members in a compromising position. Staff members are not allowed to accept gratuities.

At 4:15 we will end the day and will get ready for a special evening activity. We ask for your cooperation in helping us get the children back to their groups so that we can prepare for this event.

• No camper may be taken off campus at any time.

• No pets are permitted on the campus at any time.

• No smoking is permitted on camp premises.

These rules are intended to promote a pleasant Visiting Day, and we greatly appreciate your compliance with them. We firmly believe that self-respect and respect for others are learned by example, and there is no example more important to your child than yours. By observing the regulations we have established for Visiting Day, you are reinforcing the values we have attempted to build in your child.

Special NotesIN EARLY JULY, YOU WILL RECEIVE A LETTER WITH THE DETAILS OF VISITING DAY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE GIVE US A CALL.

If circumstances prevent you from coming to camp on Visiting Day, we will arrange for you to visit your child at another time. You should contact us well in advance to make these arrangements.

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Refund Policy

We want to thank you for choosing Chestnut Lake Camp and for your confidence in us.

As we prepare for the start of another great camp season we wanted to reiterate our refund policy so that there is no misunderstanding. We will provide a refund for any child up until the start of camp. Once camp begins, there will be no refunds.

Our goal is to keep Chestnut Lake Camp as one of the premier camps in the country. In order to continue our fine reputation we continually update and improve our facility.

As we all do in our daily lives, we must work within a certain budget and adhere to that budget.

When camp starts we have already paid many bills that will be incurred for the summer and have allocated money to pay for the rest of the bills and staff salaries. Additionally, unlike other businesses, we are unable to fill the bed for any child that leaves camp early.

Because of our commitment to excellence, we cannot offer any refund for early withdrawal once camp starts.

Reading and Bar/Bat Mitzvah Tutoring

ReadingFor your convenience, we have an education teacher on our staff who works with campers during the summer.

We offer tutorial programs, as well as instruction for any camper who just wants to read to maintain his/her grade level, or for pure enjoyment. A complete library with age appropriate books is available for each child in the camp library in the Head Counselor’s office.

You will have the opportunity to enroll your child in tutorial, advanced or grade level reading on the online Camper Profile Form. We will try to offer this program during rest hour so that your child will not miss any activities. However, we cannot guarantee this if a large amount of campers sign up for the reading program.

Bar/Bat Mitzvah TutoringWe realize that some campers will need to continue their Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparations during the summer. For the most part this will require the camper to listen to the tapes provided by your Temple and practice 2-3 times a week. We will have the camper go to our camp library where our reading instructor will make sure that they are practicing. In special situations we can provide actual tutoring. Please contact us if your child will need to practice or be tutored during the summer.

Need Hotel Information, Directions to Camp or Misplaced a Form?

Important information including hotels and directions to camp can be found on our website, www.chestnutlakecamp.com. All forms can be found by logging into your “MY CLC” account from the Chestnut Lake Camp home page.

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Important Dates

January 12th ...........................Discovery Camp Enrollment Begins for Current Families

February 9th ................................Discovery Camp Enrollment Begins for New Families

March 2nd ..............Camper Profile and Group Trip Permission Form Available Online

March 15th ...................................................................................... Final Payments Due

April 13th .............. Specialty Camp Enrollment Begins (Online) - More Info. to Follow

May 1st .........................Camper Profile and Group Trip Permission Form due (Online)

May 17th .......................... Spring Fling/New Parent Workshop @ Camp (11am - 3pm)

June 1st ........................................ Last Day to Send Medical Forms to New York Office After June 1st, Please Send to: Chestnut Lake Camp, P.O. Box 369, Beach Lake, PA 18405

June 8th .................................... Phone Sign Up Begins (Online) - More Info. to Follow

June 29th ........................................................................................... Opening Campfire

July 11th ................................................................................. Visiting Day (10:30-4:15)

July 19th ............................................................................End of the First Three Weeks

July 20th ....................................................................................... Second Session Begins

August 1st-2nd ......................................................................................Discovery Camp

August 9th ........................................................................................... Closing Campfire

Special Notes: All forms can also be downloaded by logging into MY CLC.

You can update your contact information (address, phone numbers, email address, emergency contacts) by clicking on “MY CLC” on the home page.

ChestnutLakeCamp.com • Facebook.com/ChestnutLakeCamp

SUMMER PO Box 369 • Beach Lake, PA 18405

Tel: 570-729-1010 • Fax: 570-729-8883

WINTER1714 Wantagh Avenue • Wantagh, NY 11793

Tel: 516-221-8800 • Fax: 516-221-4350