Senior High (entering grades 9-12)

Dates/Availability

Pricing

Senior High

• $295 (minimum deposit of $75 required)
• $265 if paid in full by April 1

• $370 (minimum deposit of $75 required)
• $340 if paid in full by April 1

FAQs

1. Can I stay in the same cabin with 6 of my best friends?

   Probably not. We will place you with one of your top two choices listed as cabin pals. If you bring a friend that does not know anyone else in your church, make a note of that and they will be in your cabin. With cabin groups of 8-10, having most of them be friends leaves the rest of the campers out. Hey – you will love to meet some new friends!

2. Do I need to attend a Covenant Church to attend Covenant Pines?

   No. We have people from many denominations and non-churched campers. It is a BIBLE camp where all are welcome.

3. Do I mail in my Health Card/Bus Pass?

   No, it is your bus pass. We need the health form to accompany the camper on the bus ride to camp. The form on the web can be printed for your use, but you cannot mail it to camp. Be sure it is signed by YOU AND your DOCTOR or NURSE. If you have concerns, call camp and talk to our nurse.

4. What’s up with the mosquitoes?

   That’s a great question. Some years they are bad and other years they are terrible! We do limited spraying. Campers should bring mosquito spray/lotion and have instruction from you on how to use it. Light weight long sleeve shirts and pants for evening work great.

5. Do I need to ride the bus to camp?

   No. Transportation is provided in the cost of registration. Fees are not reduced if you do not use the bus. Campers may ride the bus one way if desired. Please mark the bus stop locations appropriately.

6. Can I call my child when they are at camp?

   In cases of emergency, yes. Otherwise, we discourage calls. If your child is homesick, a camp staff member will call you if we feel it necessary. 95% of the time, campers are fine after the first day or two. We work with hundreds of homesick campers and are very sensitive to their needs.

7. Can my child bring a cell phone to camp and call me?

   No. We collect cell phones from campers and return them before they go home. Often cell coverage does not work at camp. There is a phone in the office campers can use in cases of emergency.

8. How old are your counselors and what type of training do they have?

   Most of our counselors are in their second year of college. We have a week long training session for our summer staff. All volunteers are required to attend a counselor training session in the Twin Cities area before they come to camp.

9. Do you check on the background of summer staff before you hire them?

   We do a National Criminal Background check on all volunteers and summer staff.

10. Is your waterfront safe?

    We have four lifeguards and a waterfront director. All are certified by American Red Cross as lifeguard trained and the waterfront director has at least one year of experience on a waterfront. All our staff are CPR certified and provided a refresher course during staff training.

11. If I bring a neighbor or school friend with me, and they only know me, can they be in my cabin?

    Yes! Please make a note on the registration card and we will put them together.

12. Can I attend more than one week of camp each summer?

    Yes, if there is space available. You can list your second and third options and we will let you know in June if there is still space available for additional camps. This does not apply to senior high students that may want to attend senior high camp, LIT or SWEAT camps. They may attend multiple times.

13. Is there more than one adult in the cabin with the campers?

    Each cabin has a lead counselor that is either on our summer staff or a volunteer, and then there are either LIT (Leadership in Training) or Junior Counselors with them. Occasionally our other summer staff spend the night in the cabin with the campers as well.

14. How much money should I bring to camp?

    That depends on how much they are allowed to spend in the store and give to missions. A sweatshirt could cost $35. Generally $25 could be adequate, allowing them to buy one smaller item in the store, a treat each day in the canteen (limit 2 items each day), buy craft projects, and go tubing on the waterfront. The mission project has received great support over the years, $11,000 last year, so they can give all they want to missions. Our general comment is if you have money left at the end of the week, give it to missions!

15. What are sleeping arrangements like?

    Campers stay in cabins with their counselor. Bedding is needed for bunk beds. Sleeping bags work fine but be sure they are not meant for winter sleeping. Sleeping bags also are needed if they go to “outcamp” for the night, where they stay in tents. Not every camper gets this opportunity, but sleeping bags are helpful for this activity. Some cabins have bathrooms in the cabin, or in the building. Most cabins use a central bathhouse located nearby. The boys generally are in cabins on Round Lake and the girls are in cabins on Davis Lake and in Bald Eagle Lodge. Each cabin has a lead counselor and then a junior counselor or staff cabin pal that will spend the night in the cabin.

16. How do we handle medical emergencies?

    There is a RN on site each week who works under standing orders provided by our local doctor in McGregor. A clinic in McGregor (7 miles) and a hospital in Aitkin (25 miles) provide medical care. Ambulance service comes from McGregor. All our staff are trained in CPR and have basic first aid and medical emergency training.

17. What happens with a severe storm?

    We have connections to national weather service and internet radar maps. In the case of severe weather, our siren sounds and campers are brought to the gymnasium or Fireside Lodge for protection from storms.

18. My child is on medications. How do I send them?

    Our nurse collects all medications when campers arrive, except for asthma inhalers. A record is made of when medications are distributed to each camper. Medications are handed out at all meal times and before bed at night, as needed. Medications MUST be in there original containers with dosage legible. Our infirmary has basic medical supplies, but campers are encouraged to bring along cough drops, suntan lotion, mosquito lotion and other basic items. Please instruct your child in proper application of lotions. If you have concerns about medical issues, please call camp and we can connect you to a nurse that will assist you.

19. You didn’t answer my question!!

    Send them to bruce@covenantpines.org and they will be posted on the web for others to read.

Scholarships

• Financial Aid Application form must be on file prior to award of scholarship
• May be filled out by church or individual
• Scholarships will be awarded on or about May 15.

Financial Aid Application (pdf)

Letter to Parents

Dear Friend:

Thank you for inquiring about the availability of scholarship funds for our summer camping program. Through the generosity of some loving members of the Covenant Pines family, we are able to assist a limited number of families in providing a rewarding Christian camping experience for more children. I am hopeful that we will be able to provide you with the necessary help.

In order to ensure that as many campers as possible benefit from this program, we request that you cooperate by following a simple application procedure.

1. Consider what portion of camper fee you are able to pay personally and indicate that on the form provided. Due to the number of families in need of financial aid, it is not possible for us to provide full camper scholarships. The maximum amount that Covenant Pines will provide for any individual is $75 (or $50 for Kids Kamp or Pathfinders). If funds are available at the end of the summer, additional funds may be available. The parent, your church or other sources, may meet the remaining amount. We will be happy to work out an installment payment plan if that will make payment easier.

2. If you are regular attendees of a church, we request that you inquire to see if they are able to contribute a portion of the remaining sum. They should fill in the amount and sign in the space provided. If they are not able to contribute, they should indicate so and sign to confirm this. If you do not attend a church, write “not applicable” in this space.

3. Return the application to Covenant Pines along with registration forms for the campers in need (unless already sent).

We sincerely hope that you will prayerfully complete this process. It is our desire that no child miss out on this opportunity due to financial hardship. If you feel that providing the remaining amount of the camper’s fee would prevent you from sending your child, please let me know and we will explore all options with you.

If you have any questions regarding the application process, please call the camp office at 218-768-2610 during business hours.

In Christ Love,
Pam Cobb
Office Manager

Dakota County Scholarships

Dakota County offers scholarships to camps for children receiving social service assistance. Cases are handled individually, not through Covenant Pines. Please contact your social worker to determine if financial assistance is available.

Ramsey County Scholarships

Ramsey County
Human Services
651-266-4444

Process

Families in Ramsey County who get county services can contact their county case manager (social worker) to request a camp scholarship.
Case manager contacts goes through internal channels to relay & get approval for the request.

Determination of level of scholarship

No formal application process, but they will be asked
1) What amount can your family pay?
2) What amount can your church subsidize?
3) County scholarships may pick up balance.

Will be determined on a case-by-case situation.

Anoka County Scholarships

Anoka County
Children & Family Services Department
Sandy Inman
763-422-7125

Limited Camp scholarships for Anoka County residents receiving county services.
Priority goes to foster care families.  Other families receiving services may also apply.

Process

Have family contact their county case manager (social worker) to request camp scholarship.

Case manager contacts Sandy Inman in Anoka Children & Family Services to relay the request.

Determination of level of scholarship

1) What amount can your family pay?
2) What amount can your church subsidize?
3) County scholarships may pick up balance – not to exceed $140.00 per student.

Will be determined on a case-by-case situation by Children & Family Services – until funds are used up.

What to Bring

Tips: Mark all clothing with camper’s name. Mark sleeping bag with camper name and bus stop pickup. Many people use trash bags to hold sleeping bags.  Clearly mark them for ease of identification.

Medications/supplements must be in original containers with detailed instructions and camper’s name.

Please leave at home:  CELL PHONES, electronic games, expensive jewelry, fireworks, computers, radios, iPod/MP3/CD players, etc. Tobacco, tobacco products, alcohol and illegal drugs are prohibited at Covenant Pines.

Bus Info

Click on map for link to Yahoo! for detailed location

Blaine Aquatore Park Water Tower map
Located by water tower on Highways 65 and 10 in Blaine. Take Clover Leaf Drive west from Highway 65 .

Crosstown Covenant Church map
5540 30th Ave So. Two blocks north and one block east of Crosstown 62 and 28th Avenue near the airport.

Salem Covenant Church map
2655 5th St NW South of 694 on Silver Lake Road about 6 blocks.