Deposits and Camp Registration

• To reserve a spot at a youth camp, a completed 2008 registration form and a $100 deposit must be sent to the Canon City office. Send a separate check and registration form for each camper. The balance of the fee for youth camps is due June 1st. Deposits for youth camps are nonrefundable after June 1st.
  Family camp deposits are $300 for each family or $150 for a single individual. The balance for the July family camp is due June 1st. Half of the balance for the August family camp is due June 1st. The remaining balance for the August family camp is due July 1st. The remaining balance for Labor Day is August 1st. Deposits for family camps (both week-long and Labor Day camps) are nonrefundable after April 1st.
  
  Registrations CANNOT be faxed; original signatures are needed. Credit card payment is acceptable for both deposit and balance. Registrations are processed by postmark until December 8th. The first registration date stamp is December 1, 2007. Any registrations received prior to that date will receive a December 1, 2007 date stamp.
  
  Online registration will be available this year. Online registration can be accessed by clicking here. Online registrations will be processed in the same manner as the paper registrations. They will be included in the lottery and any registration received after or on December 1st will be processed in that postmark date.

Camperships

• Camperships are available for all campers attending Rainbow Trail programs. All that is required to receive a campership is a letter from the pastor of your congregation stating there is financial need. Camperships are kept confidential. The maximum campership is half the cost of a youth week at mainsite.
  

Age Groups

• All age groups are based on grade entering in the fall.
  
  Intros: 2nd-3rd grade
  Junior: 4th-6th grade
  Junior High: 7th-8th grade
  Senior High: 9th-12th grade
  
  Rainbow Trail does not move campers up to an older age group. We must be true to these policies due to issues of liability and insurance. If a 9th grader would rather be with his/her friends in Junior High, we’ll move the camper down one grade.
  

Multiple Age Weeks

• The August 13-19 week of camp is the only multiple age group week having both Junior (entering grades 4-6) and Junior High (entering 7th and 8th) campers. We feel that the program and our staff operate better if we are able to concentrate on a specific age group during a week. Also, the span of ages and maturity level within the camper age group make even basic parts of our program such as Bible Study challenging.
  

Typical Day

• Campers awake and get ready.
  Morning watch is a personal devotion time that takes place at 7:30 am.
  Breakfast: 8:00 am
  After breakfast, one village will do KP while another cleans the shower house. The rest of the staff and a camper representative from each village meet to go through the plans for the day.
  Next, morning worship.
  From 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, the campers do the activities they’ve planned including Bible study, arts and crafts, wood carving, field games, archery, challenge courses, environmental education, camp improvement projects, volleyball, water games, bucket brigade, etc.
  Lunch is served outside at noon and is followed by rest hour.
  Dinner: 6:00 pm
  Round up is time for Bible study groups to share what they talked about in a creative way.
  Next, campers participate in all-camp activity planned by the village of the day
  Worship/Campfire closes the camp day.
  
  Lights out for each group is as follows:
  Intros: 9:00 pm
  Juniors: 9:30 pm
  Junior High: 10:00 pm
  Senior High: 10:30 pm
  

Camper to Staff Ratios

• Main site youth camps maintain a 1:7 counselor to camper ratio for Junior-Senior High campers, although ACA standards allow us to go as high as 1:10 for older youth. Intro camp always has a 1:6 ratio and Day Camp 1:8.
  

Bedtime

• Lights out for each group is as follows:
  Intros: 9:00 pm
  Juniors: 9:30 pm
  Junior High: 10:00 pm
  Senior High: 10:30 pm
  

Family Camp Typical Day

• Morning Worship after breakfast.
  The camp is split for Bible study. Adults are in Columbine with an adult study leader brought in special for the week, and the kids break up into age specific groups with the counselors.
  Mid-morning there’s a snack break after which the adults continue with study and the kids all join together for an activity.
  The entire afternoon is made up of optional activities such as: hiking, arts & crafts, environmental education, woodcarving, recreational activities and more. These can be done as families or as individuals. Baby-sitting is provided during the morning activities and can be arranged for special times in the afternoon.
  The evenings consist of an all-camp activity such as a beach party, hoe-down, talent show or concert and a campfire with devotions.
  Games and fellowship end the day.
  

Medical Concerns

• RTLC has a RN on duty 24 hours a day. We have standing orders with a doctor in Westcliffe as well as agreements with the clinic in Westcliffe, the hospital in Canon City and Flight for Life. All medications are given to the nurse on Sunday and are dispensed as needed throughout the day. All campers are covered by insurance during their stay at RTLC. While away from the campsite, counselors are equipped with two-way radios that are monitored by our nurse. We strive to accommodate campers with food allergies if information is sent ahead of time. We do our best to meet the specific needs of campers with special abilities and disabilities.
  

Homesickness

• We deal with the issues of homesickness during staff training and our nurse is always ready to assist in helping a camper get used to being away from home. It is not a reason to leave camp though!
  

Discipline

• RTLC has a policy statement on camp discipline that basically states:
  Under no circumstances is a staff person to lose control of his/her temper, single out or make the camper feel unloved or unwanted, give threats or hold grudges. RTLC affirms the special uniqueness of each camper. Our counseling staff is taught to use positive reinforcement to lift up good behavior in our campers and model what is acceptable at camp. Reasons for campers being sent home would be because of breaking one of our policies such as smoking, drinking, taking drugs or by posing a safety threat to themselves or others.
  

Sexual Misconduct Policy

• We spend time during staff training going over the RTLC Sexual Misconduct Policy and help interpret the policy and actual appropriate and inappropriate behavior.
  

Food Issues

• Food is not allowed in cabins, so any food sent with or to campers must be consumed or stored in our kitchen until the camper leaves. RTLC is very proud of the delicious, nutritious, kid oriented meals served, and there are snacks provided each evening. If there are any special food needs, please contact Dave or our nurse ahead of time so that we can accommodate their needs.
  

Phone Use

• Campers are not allowed to make or receive phone calls during their week at camp. Phone calls from home can affect the whole cabin and breed homesickness. We deal with the issues of homesickness during staff training and our nurse is willing to assist in helping the child. Parents will be called in case of emergencies or illness.
  We encourage letter writing.
  

Pop Shop

• At our camp store we sell pop, ice cream treats, t-shirts, sweat shirts, travel mugs, boxers, hats and other RTLC souvenirs. Prices on t-shirts range from $10-$16, sweatshirts $15-29, fleeces $34-36, hats are $11, and all treats are $0.75 each.
  Intro campers receive a t-shirt and water bottle as a part of their registration, so sending money for treats is optional.
  

Showerhouse

• There is a central showerhouse for all campers to share. There is a men’s and a women’s side each with 5 sinks, 5 toilets (on the men’s side 2 are urinals), 5 individual showers with curtains and 5 changing areas. One of the toilets and showers on each side is handicap accessible. The interior of the showerhouse was renovated in the spring of 1998 and now has skylights to brighten the room and tile floors that are much easier to keep clean.
  

Staff

• Our staff is recruited through Rocky Mountain Synod congregations and our ELCA colleges. Many have been campers here. The minimum requirements for our counselors are that they must be 19 and have an equivalent of one year of college, a strong Christian faith, and a love for kids.
  They fill out an application including 3 written references. One from their pastor and from any former camp director they’ve worked for.
  All staff go through a personal or phone interview with Dave and all references are checked. Criminal records checks are performed on all staff members.
  

Ropes Course

• Rainbow Trail has both low and high ropes challenge courses available for use by our junior high and senior high campers. A release of liability and statement of health forms must be completed prior to use.
  The instructors are certified in ropes course facilitation.
  

Hike Day

• Tuesday is hike day. Unless a physical limitation exists, all kids are encouraged to hike. The campers choose from 5 hike options, depending upon age groups and abilities. They range from our Circle Hike (1 mile); Fire Hike (4 miles round trip); Balman Reservoir (4 miles round trip); North Rainbow Trail (5 miles round trip); Peerless Mine (8 miles round trip), Rainbow Lake (8 miles round trip), and Eagle Peak (13 miles round trip).
  All campers need sturdy hiking boots or tennis shoes and socks for hike day.
  

Rafting

• Rafting is available for Junior High and Senior High campers. There is an extra charge of $38 and a release form that must be signed by a parent or legal guardian.
  

Car Pooling

• Information on other campers that are coming your week from your area is available through the camp office.
  

Pets

• Pets of Rainbow Trail campers and guests are not allowed at camp. If a family must bring their pet along to drop off or pick up a camper, we ask that they please leave the animal in the car.