• Why do you need my childs immunization record?

    For compliance reasons, we need to have your childs immunization records showing that they are up to date on all immunizations and that they have had their tetanus shot (or a booster) within the last 10 years. We no longer accept immunization waivers for personal or philosophical reasons but will consider legitimate medical exemptions.

  • Do I have to re-type information I entered in the past?

    No. If you already have an account, you can log back in to use your information and forms for an upcoming session.  You will need to make sure the information is still up to date, make any changes and resubmit it.

  • What happens if our schedule changes/we have to cancel a session?

    The $100 deposit made for camper sessions is not refundable – however, it is transferable to another session.  If you have to cancel altogether, you can ask for a refund of the remainder of your camper fees with two weeks notice.

  • Why do you ask for my childs photo during the application process?

    Please make sure to upload a picture of your child during the application process.  Any close up photo will do!  We do not share this photo with any one other than our staff members.  If there is a camp emergency or you call and ask us to check on your camper for you, it is important that we know who we are looking for. We want to be able to put a face with a name from the moment they come to camp. This will help your child’s counselor familiarize himself/herself with your child as well as our other staff and our camp director, Dottie. Our camp nurse will also need to be able to put a face with a name before dispensing medication.  If you do not upload a photo, we will plan to take your campers photo when they arrive so that we can attach it to their file.

  • Can I donate time/money?

    Yes please! See our Donation page

    Here is our Amazon Wish List which we update regularly. https://a.co/fEkOw3U

    To Volunteer at VBYC, please contact us!

  • If I've registered in the past, how do I log back in?

    Log in right here!

  • Can you help me get in touch with other alumni?

    The best place to do that is in this Facebook Group. Or join our alumni registry and we’ll tell you about alumni events.

  • Can I serve on the Board of Directors?

  • Can I rent camp for an event?

  • I am going to be a counselor. What information is specific to me?

    We are so excited that you have chosen to be a counselor at VBYC. Thank you for loving camp and caring about kids!

    http://vbyc.org/counselors-info/

  • When is camper drop off and registration for overnight camp?

    Sunday from 3 – 5 pm unless otherwise stated.

  • When is camper pickup and de-registration for overnight camp?

    Saturday at 10 am unless otherwise stated.

     

  • Is visiting allowed at overnight camp?

    No. To prevent homesickness, parents should not visit or call. Please do send letters, postcards, and small care packages!  If you want to ensure that your letters and packages make it to camp before your camper leaves, please mail things no later than Monday of their session. You can even drop off their first letter the day of Registration, or mail it from home on Friday (before camp) so that it will be here early in their week.  

  • Are overnight camps co-ed?

    Yes.  Every camp session is co-ed.  Campers are separated by boys cabins, girls cabins, or co-ed/gender inclusive – families get to pick in the application process.

     

  • What are your cabin options?

    We offer both gendered and non-gendered cabins at each session. The number of each cabin option depends on the make-up of the campers at each week.

    We had at least one gender-inclusive cabin at every session in 2024, from teens to little bears, and it was a great time. The co-ed cabin is a typical cabin experience with an added opportunity to make friends with more than just one gender.

    If you have any questions about how things work in a co-ed cabin, please do not hesitate to ask! We are happy to share.

    The gender-inclusive cabin option is opt-in only, so if it’s not something your camper is interested in, please simply select one of the gendered cabin options when you complete their application.

    All families are invited to discuss the options with their campers and to select whichever cabin option(s) they would feel comfortable with!

    While our goal is to have a gender inclusive cabin at each session, the availability depends on how many campers are interested. If your camper is only interested in the gender-inclusive cabin, we will email you before the session starts to make a plan for how to proceed.

    Due to counselor availability and a limited male counselor pool, the counselor of your male camper’s cabin may not be male. Please rest assured that are male staff role models to advise the counselor and to address any concerns that may arise.

  • What is the age range for overnight camps?

    Our camp sessions are designed for grades 1 – 12 (or age 6-18).  Each session is for a selected age group like 3-6, 5-8, etc.

  • Tell me about my campers counselor.

    This person’s sole responsibility is your child’s safety and fun. They are selected from our Leadership Workshop (the first week of every summer) or they have equivalent experience. They are screened through personal interviews, performance at the Leadership Workshop, previous counseling experience, and personal references. Each counselor is in charge of a cabin of eight campers. They are with their campers at classes, meals, sleeping in the cabin, planning sessions, etc. They foster unity, trust, friendship, and responsibility in their cabin. They are ages 14 and up. depending on the age group of the session they are volunteering for.

    Due to counselor availability and an unfortunately limited male counselor pool, the counselor of your male camper’s cabin may not be male. Please rest assured that there are male staff role models to advise the counselor and to address any concerns that may arise.

  • Do you take cabin-mate requests?

    No. We find that when a cabin of kids start on equal footing of being new to each other, they have a happier week and have greater growth in self confidence. There are still plenty of times throughout the day campers in different cabins can be together. For example: Morning free time, afternoon free time, store time, Thought, Evening Rec, and Campfire.  Please talk to your camper(s) about this before they arrive.  We are a tight knit camp and they will never be far away from their friends, old and new.

  • How does the store work?

    Parents deposit spending money in their child’s store account which the camper may “charge” purchases to throughout the week. Unspent money will be refunded at the end of the week in the form of cash at de-registration. The store sells sweatshirts, hats, T-shirts, pens, postcards, candy, drinks, stuffed animals, etc.  We do not allow campers to give us cash money during the week and do not encourage them to have money in their cabins.  

    Counselors – go here to learn how the camp store works for you.  http://vbyc.org/counselors-info/

  • What about sending Care Packages?

    • You are welcome to send a care package to your camper(s). Please do not send food/snacks unless they can be consumed the moment they open their package or if it is candy they can share with their cabin at that time.  We are no longer storing packages in the camp store.  We have plenty of candy and drink options available in the store for $1 – $2.
    • For any candy/snacks you send – Absolutely NO NUTS!!!  VBYC is a peanut-free facility and we have children with peanut allergies here every week.  If you send snacks/candy with peanuts in it or even candy made in a peanut facility (read the back of the package, please)  we will dispose of it or hold it until pick up if space allows. Please do not send homemade treats. 
    • The best care packages contain things they can do during quiet time like sudoku, letter writing, mad libs, or books to read.

  • How will I be in contact with my camper(s) during overnight camp?

    Every day we have a Horizontal Hour.  This gives all of our campers time to relax, take a nap, read or write letters home.  We have a mailbox in the Lodge where campers can put out-going mail.  This is taken to the mailbox at the entrance to camp once a day. Please show your camper how to address an envelope before you come to camp if you know they plan to send a letter.  Thank you!

    Just as we send letters home each day, we also receive a ton of mail!  This is all sorted, alphabetized, and delivered to cabin row each day.  Campers really love to get letters from home…especially now that mailing things doesn’t happen very often.

    In the rare event that a phone call is needed, a staff member will be present to facilitate that call in our camp offices. As a general guide, we do not encourage phone calls and will work with a camper to utilize other forms of communication to let their families know how things are going at camp.

  • Bed-wetting

    Don’t despair! Bed-wetting is very common.  Our counselors and staff are trained on how to deal with any issues quickly and discreetly.  Here are a couple of wonderful links for you to view if you or your child are concerned about a week away at camp because of bed-wetting.

    https://www.parentmap.com/article/how-handle-bedwetting-overnight-camp

    https://www.babycenter.com/0_bed-wetting-strategies-for-summer-camp_10408735.bc

  • Missing Home

    Our counselors and staff are trained to help homesick campers adjust and from the very first day/night we go out of our way to make every one feel safe and happy.  Here are a couple of links to help you prepare for sending your child to camp.

    https://www.parenting.com/child/child-development/handling-summer-camp-homesickness

    https://www.acacamps.org/press-room/how-to-choose-camp/homesickness

  • Why can't I reach anyone Saturday afternoon or Sunday??

    Once our campers leave, staff spend time cleaning up camp and preparing for our campers arriving the next day.  They then get to take a much deserved night off. Sunday they come back ready and excited for the next session and are busy preparing for our new families to arrive. We will get back with you on Monday! (or see you at registration)

    You will sometimes catch a Board “Campsitter” by phone in between sessions. They may or may not have all of the answers you need, but will know who to get a message to.