HELPING YOUR FAMILY GET READY FOR CAMP (4 OF 4)
Hello again! This is the fourth of four emails designed to share the key info needed to "Blaze the Trail" for a safe, smooth, and successful camp experience. Previous emails covered "Between Now & Camp", "Check-In Day", and “During Camp”. This email’s focus is on "Checkout Day". Whether you’re a first-time camper family or returning, please read each section carefully for updated info.
CHECKOUT DAY
CHECKOUT OVERVIEW
The last day of camp is an important time for your camper and their living group to reflect on their experience together. In the midst of facilitating healthy reflection, farewells, and transitions there’s also a good bit of logistics to tend to. Below you’ll find some key info about checkout day that will help your camper’s departure from camp go more smoothly for all involved.

  • NO EARLY CHECKOUTS: Please do not request early, late, or mid-week departures. To ensure the best possible experience for campers, our small group camping model depends on keeping the living group intact all week. Shortened stays at camp disrupt not only the experience of the departing camper, but the experiences of all campers in their living group.

  • TWO CLOSING CELEBRATIONS: Closing Celebration is an important time for campers and their living groups. For a variety of considerations including space constraints, checkout efficiency, and attendee comfort, we will continue to have two separate Closing Celebrations in the Chapel rather than a single “all-camp” closing in the Holland Building (our gym). At this 20-25 minute celebration, you’ll hear from our Directors about the camp session, catch a glimpse of the faith-forming fun by watching the camp video, and receive important info about the checkout process before being dismissed to check out your camper at their checkout location.
CHECKOUT PROCESS
STEP 1 = ARRIVAL LINE: On checkout day, our staff will direct you to pull into the Lumpkin County High School parking lot to queue in line until it is time for the gate to open. Please follow staff directions to help make this process as smooth as possible.

STEP 2 = PARKING: After the gate has been opened, you’ll be directed to park in the zone as close as possible to your camper’s cabin or checkout location based upon the parking pass you received on check-in day. Please be sure to bring this parking pass with you and display it on your rearview mirror. If you don’t have one, a staff member will have extras to give you upon arrival.

STEP 3 = CELEBRATION & SIGN OUT: After parking, head directly to the Chapel for Closing Celebration. Toward the end of Celebration, campers and counselors will be dismissed to their cabin/checkout locations to prepare for pickup. Parents will remain in the Chapel to receive checkout instructions before being dismissed to check out their camper at their checkout location.

STEP 4 = MEDICATIONS: Our Healthcare Team will be at a tent as you leave camp with camper medications for you to pick up. Please pick up any bottles you've left with the Healthcare Team at the beginning of the week – even if they're empty. This helps us maintain your camper's privacy.
CLOSING CELEBRATION ARRIVAL TIMES
There will be two different Closing Celebrations on Friday morning. The front gate will open at your arrival time. Closing Celebration will begin 15 minutes after your arrival time. Your camper's Closing Celebration arrival time is specific to the program and session they are registered for. Please click or tap the included Closing Celebration Arrival Times Chart to view a larger version and find your camper’s arrival time, which is also accessible on our Arrival & Departure page. For reference, here’s a link to the 2023 Schedule. As a reminder, please do not arrive earlier than your scheduled Closing Celebration arrival time.
CAMP STORE ACCOUNT
If you added money to your child's store account during registration, the system asked if you would like to donate any remaining balance to the Campership Fund or receive a refund (either option is perfectly fine). Refunds will be processed automatically following the end of your camper's session. If you are unsure what you have chosen and would like to check: Login to your account → Find the registration listing for your camper → Click “Store Card”. Note that the camp store will be open on Sundays and Fridays. If visiting the store on a Friday, please move your vehicle to the Dining Hall parking area.
LOST & FOUND
Sometimes items become separated from their owners. If that happens, here's some info that'll be helpful to know:

  • LABEL EVERYTHING: First, as a proactive measure while packing, please label everything your camper brings to camp with first and last names. Labeling greatly increases the odds of a lost item being found.

  • LOST & FOUND FORM: If you realize you're missing something important, the first and best thing to do is to fill out our Lost & Found Form online. Please don't call the office about lost items. If you do call, we'll kindly ask that you fill out the lost and found form online. As we receive submissions, we print them out and deploy a search team member and then contact you with an update. Please note that lost and found items are retained until one week after the close of the camp season and then donated to charity. (Keep in mind that any item of sentimental or monetary value may not be an item you want to bring to camp.)
CLOSING
Thanks for reading! We hope this year's Blazing the Trail series has been helpful for your planning. In case you missed it, the previous three emails were "Between Now & Camp", "Check-In Day", and “During Camp”. If you have any questions, check our FAQs, reply to this email, or call the office at (706) 864-6181.

Our 98th summer of ministry starts in just five days! Our Year-Round Team has been planning and preparing since last August; our Summer Team has been training intensely leading up to the start of camp; and we're all praying that the 2,700+ campers headed our way this summer will grow closer to God and to one another during their time on Glisson's Holy Dirt. See you soon!


Grace and Peace,

The North Georgia Camp & Retreat Ministries Team


We know how to have fun – our passion is forming faith in the process.