Q. What is the food like?
A. Camp Friendship takes pride on a "whole foods" approach to the camp diet, with fresh produce, and foods low in additives and preservatives. Meals are nutritionally balanced and appealing to our campers. All meals are served family style with full fruit and salad buffet available.
Q. Where do the campers live?
A. Cabins in the separate Boys' and Girls' Villages each house eight to ten campers, a Senior Counselor and a Junior Counselor or Counselor-in-Training. There are bathrooms in each Junior Girls' cabin. All Junior Boys cabins are equipped with bathrooms and shower facilities except for two cabins for older boys who use a bathhouse. Senior Village campers are supervised by counselors who live in the village in separate cabins and provide the necessary supervision while allowing for the needs of the teenagers to have a space of their own. Each cabin has electricity. Bathrooms are located in a central bathhouse in the village. In Riding Camp girls live in a spacious lodge divided into three separate living spaces with bathrooms for each. A shared large community room is used for meetings and general fun and relaxation.
Q. What medical attention is available at camp if needed?
A. Medical attention, if needed, is provided by Registered Nurses and other qualified health staff who are on duty twenty-four hours a day. A physician is also on call. Should a child need further attention, two fine hospitals are just thirty miles away in Charlottesville. Each camper is covered by a Camper Illness and Accident Policy, which is provided by the camp at no additional fee.The policy will cover doctor, dentist, or pharmacy bills up to $3,500 per injury and $1,100 per illness. A physical exam signed by a physician is currently required to attend camp.
Q. Does the camp offer transportation?
A. Airport pickups may be arranged to/from the Dulles, Richmond or Charlottesville Airports for an added fee.
Q. Can my friends bunk with me?
A. Camp is the place for friends. Campers may request friends for bunkmates on the registration form. The ages of friends and program selected should be the same.
Q. What is the counselor ratio at camp and how are they selected?
A. Counselor ratio is 1 to 4 in Junior Village and Mini Camp and 1 to 6 in Senior Village, Riding Camp, Challenge and Sport Specialized Camp. All counselors must go through the interview process with one of our directors. The applicants must have experience working at summer camps or with children before. They must provide three references from non-family members together with the application forms. All staff members, ages 18 and older go through criminal background check. International staff are thoroughly selected and interviewed by the counselor recruiting agencies. They must be fluent in English and have experience of working with children in their home countries.
Q. What shoud a camper bring to camp?
A. Upon registering at Camp Friendship, each family receives a Parent Handbook with the detailed description of all the items necessary for camp. The book also helps parents find answers to many other questions they might have.
Q. What if my child becomes homesick?
A. It is not unusual for a camper to be little homesick for the first few hours to first day or so away from home. Camp Friendship staff are trained to recognize and respond to homesickness. They usually try to work with the child for at least 24-36 hours after arriving at camp, helping the camper get settled in to a new routine. If it is deemed that the parent should be contacted, the Village Director will call a parent to try to determine a plan of action for your child.
Q. Do you provide laundry service?
A. Laundry services are available for the additional fee. Campers may sign up for more than one load per week.
Q. My child will have a Birthday while attending camp
A. Camp Friendship provides a birthday cake for any child having a birthday while attending camp. The cake is presented to your child, with a song celebration, at either the lunch or dinner meal in the dining hall, and a large enough to serve all of the campers at your child's table as dessert at that meal. Baloons, flower, and gift sent by parents will be delivered to a camper.
Q. What is ACA Accreditation?
A. American Camp Association Accreditation means that your child’s camp cares enough to undergo a thorough (over 300 standards) review of its operation — from staff qualifications and training to emergency management. Some of the ACA standards that camps rely on include Staff to camper ratios are appropriate for different age groups Goals for camp activities are developmentally based Emergency transportation available at all times First-aid facilities and trained staff available when campers are present ACA accreditation standards require a staff screening system which may include criminal background checks where permitted by law.