What To Bring To Camp

Elementary Camps:

What to bring

Bible, 2 pairs of comfortable shoes, a bathing suite (trunks for boys and a one piece or modest "tank-ini" for girls), sunscreen, toiletries, towels, a water bottle, 2 changes of clothes per day, flip-flops, bedding for a twin bed mattress, a pillow, paper and pencil, insect repellent, rain gear, appropriate sleepwear, plastic bags for wet clothes, and creek wading shoes. Campers may bring money for the Thursday night Communion offering.

Day Camps:

What to bring

 Each day, campers will need to bring: one change of clothes, flip-flops (for the pool), a beach towel, insect repellent, sun screen, a swim suit, and something compact on which to lie for flat time.

Jr High Camps:

What to bring

Bible, a musical instrument, 2 pairs of comfortable shoes, sunscreen, toiletries, towels, a water bottle, 2 changes of clothes per day, a bathing suite (trunks for boys and a one piece or modest "tank-ini" for girls), flip-flops, bedding for a twin bed mattress, a pillow, paper and pencil, insect repellent, rain gear, appropriate sleepwear, plastic bags for wet clothes, a softball glove, and creek wading shoes. Money for canteen (approximately $5 per day), Money for crafts, and Money for the Mission Offering.

Sr High Camps:

What to bring

Bible, a musical instrument (if wanted), 2 pairs of comfortable shoes, sunscreen, toiletries, towels, a water bottle, 2 changes of clothes per day, flip-flops,a bathing suite (trunks for boys and a one piece or modest "tank-ini" for girls), bedding for a twin bed mattress, a pillow, paper and pencil, insect repellent, rain gear, appropriate sleepwear, plastic bags for wet clothes, a softball glove, and creek wading shoes. Money for canteen (approximately $5 per day), Money for crafts, and Money for the Mission Offering.

Mom & Me Camps:

What to Bring

A tent, bedding, Bible, swim suits, a flashlight, outdoor folding chairs, towels, sandals, water bottles, insect repellent, toiletries, creek-wading shoes (or old tennis shoes you don’t mind getting wet), and anything else you need for a two-day, one- night stay.

You’ll receive information about sending electronic messages to your camper at check-in. If you did not receive this information, you can click here to fill out our e-message form. You can submit as many forms as you like throughout your campers stay. Messages are downloaded each day at 11:30a and distributed to campers in the afternoon

If you're a returning camper parent, you'll notice this is different from years past. This new form system allows us to download and sort individual messages in a much more efficient way than printing and sorting hundreds of emails every day.

E-messages and letters are delivered in each day (Monday-Friday) in the early afternoon. Generally when Elementary campers have canteen and Junior High and Senior High Campers begin their afternoon free-time.

Each Sunday, check-in begins at 4 pm. For Elementary campers, check-in is at the Lodge, in either the dining hall or Green Auditorium. For Junior High and Senior High campers, check-in begins at 4 pm in the Dining Hall at Pool Camp. Check-out for Elementary campers begins Friday with a parent program. This program starts at 4 pm and check-out begins as soon as that is over. For Pool Camp, check-out begins at 4 pm. 

At check-in, you MUST have the following COMPLETED & SIGNED forms. ALL of these forms are REQUIRED:

     We would love for your camper to request a roommate! However, please remember that while we do everything we can to ensure that your child’s request is made, sometimes we simply cannot accommodate every camper’s request. For Elementary campers, children are in rooms with 4 bunks. So, in a group of 5, the campers will be split 3 and 2. In such a case, though, we do everything we can to put the campers in a group together, though they won’t be in the same room. For Pool Camp, campers are in cabins with 12 beds. Please note that these assignments are not made until the week before your child’s camp, so we cannot tell you ahead of time if requests have definitely been granted.

NOW! Our camps fill up quickly and once it’s closed, the waiting list grows exponentially. The sooner we have your child’s registration, the easier it is for us to ensure that we are prepared for your camper.

Absolutely!

Please note any medical conditions on your child’s registration AND on the Health Form. All of our paid counselors and summer staff teams are CPR and First Aid certified. We also have a nurse on site the entire time your camper is here. Nurse Buck has been at Sumatanga for years and has seen everything you can imagine; he can handle it (Please visit our FORMS page for ALL Health and Medical FAQs).

If your child has a FOOD ALLERGY, please contact:

"Nurse Buck" Blackwell, R.N. - Camp Nurse nursebuck@sumatanga.org

Our Nurse and Food Director will need to be aware of the food allergy so they can accomadate and prepare for your child. All medication(s) will be handled by Nurse Buck. All special food/dietary requests will be handled the Food Director.

NOTE: It is VERY important that you remind the staff during Check-In about any allergy. That way the staff can inform Nurse Buck and you can speak with him, if necessary.

We know it’s hard to let your camper go, especially for their first week at Sumatanga. After years of working at Sumatanga, though, our staff is very adept at handling homesick campers. We will never force a child to stay against his/her will, so if he or she has absolutely decided that they must come home, we’ll work with you. Otherwise, we ask that you please allow our staff to handle the situation. Sunday night is usually the worst night for homesickness; the rest of the week, the campers are too worn out and happy to think about home! Please don’t be alarmed if you receive a letter later in the week. Often, campers will write a letter on Monday and it won’t arrive until Thursday or Friday. If your camper is really upset (ie, more than just sad on Sunday), we’ll give you a call. 

Your camper is under constant supervision. We follow all American Camp Association requirements for camper/counselor ratios as well as United Methodist Safe Sanctuary Policy. This means that there are always at least 2 adults with your child. For elementary campers, each counselor will have no more than 8 campers under his/her supervision (usually, this number is closer to 4 or 5). For junior high campers, there will be a 1:10 counselor/camper ration. For Senior high campers, there is one counselor for every ??? campers. Our counselors are always over 18 years old and will always be at least 5 years older than the oldest camper under their direct supervision. If you have a 17 year old camper at Senior high Camp, the counselor in his or her cabin will be at least 22. Each counselor and staff member has a background check and several days of training before working with the campers.

Unfortunately, we cannot have campers over the stated age. 

If there is an emergency, please call us and let us know. In such case, of course you may speak with your child. Otherwise, we ask that campers be allowed to fully immerse themselves in the camp experience. This includes letting go of mom and dad! Some campers may write letters (we encourage this!), but in our experience, the parents are more concerned than the campers. It’s a fun week and they get busy! 

Of course. Please call the Summer Camping office at 256.538.9860 ext 155 and let us know when you’ll be coming to pick your child up. The only time you cannot check your camper out is after 3 pm on Friday. After this time, campers will be getting ready to say goodbye to their new friends and our staff will be busy preparing for check-out.  

NO. Camp Sumatanga is a time for your camper to get away from the world and listen to God’s voice, as well as have fun with lots of great new friends! It’s hard to listen to God, sing silly songs, and talk to new people when you have headphones in your ears. Please keep anything with batteries at home (except an electronic toothbrush, if that’s what your camper uses). We’ll even wake your camper up every morning.

Ahhh, campers. They always seem to leave something behind. Our staff cleans the rooms and cabins every Saturday and will gather up everything that is left. This is then placed in a bag. If you know that something is missing, please let us know. We’ll be happy to check the bag and see if we can find it for you. If something is stolen, we will do our best to recover the object, but we are not responsible for any items that do not make it home with your camper. 

No. Please contact us early on if you would like to apply to volunteer with us for a week. We’d love to have you! Otherwise, no.

Nope. Food brings crumbs. Crumbs bring ants. Ants bring mice. Mice bring snakes. SNAKES BRING NO FUN!!!!!

DISCLAIMER: Sumatanga medical staff, counselors, lifeguards, and team members DO NOT take the place of a medical doctor or healthcare provider. None of the information provided on this website is meant to replace a doctor.  Every camper & parent should have their own health care provider. The information on this website is meant for informational purposes only. Sumatanga, it's staff, counsleors, team and nurses are not responsible for anyone who does not follow the advice, direction and/or orders of their own physician or health care provider.

Please visit our Sumatanga's Health & Medical FAQs page