Camp Policies FAQ

In order to have the best week possible, we ask campers to commit to these Community Guidelines:  

1. Respect Others: I commit to respecting all campers and staff at RVR. 
   • I will do my part to create a wholesome environment. 
   • I will refrain from bullying speech and actions. 
   • I will refrain from any inappropriate or unwanted touching of others and their belongings. 
   • I will choose kindness, togetherness, and an open mind towards others. 
2. Respect RVR: I commit to respecting RVR’s property and program. 
   • I will follow camp guidelines and procedures. 
   • I will refrain from damaging property and equipment. 
   • I will clean up after myself and leave areas better than how I found them. 
3. Respect Yourself: I commit to respecting myself by making the most of this week. 
   • I will let a staff member know if I feel sick, scared, or need help with something. 
   • I will let a staff member know if there are issues with other campers or camp staff.  
   • I will embrace challenges and try new things to the best of my ability.

The safety of our campers and staff is our number one priority. Therefore, RVR reserves the right to dismiss campers immediately for inappropriate behavior, including but not limited to the following:

• Threats of harm, or causing harm, to self or others
• Possession of drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or vape products
• Weapons of any kind
• Sexual harassment
• Theft
• Property damage
• Fraternization
• Bullying
• Curfew violation
• Infractions of camp policies

If a camper is dismissed for inappropriate behavior, they may not be allowed to attend camp again. We will not issue refunds or prorate camp fees for campers who are dismissed for behavior violations. If RVR determines that the dismissed camper may not attend future weeks of camp for which they’re already registered, the non-refundable deposits will be forfeited.

If your child is attending one of our Overnight Camps, the best way to get to RVR is to follow our directions posted on the website. Once you have arrived on property there will be signs to guide you to either our Fort Roller check-in location (for overnight campers up to age 12) or to our Frontier Town check-in location (for campers age 12-17).

If your child is attending our Day Camp, it is located off-site this year at 2145 E. Deep Run Road Manchester, MD 21102. There will be signs and staff to direct traffic upon your arrival for drop off each morning and pickup each afternoon.

A key to a successful camp experience for your camper is to make sure they come to camp prepared. We have a page dedicated to this info which includes a general packing list for all camps, dress code, as well as items to bring and not to bring for specific camp programs. Click here for Packing List page >>

Our Health Services staff will collect and dispense the medications your child brings to camp as directed. It is very important that you follow these basic healthcare guidelines:

• Be sure to bring your childs completed Medication Administration Authorization form to camp check-in.
• Please send all medication in the pharmacy labeled bottles. DO NOT USE DAILY PILL BOXES. Be sure there is only enough medication for the week your child is at camp. All prescription and over the counter medications must have a Medication Authorization form filled out by your doctor.
• Scheduled medication administration times are typically after breakfast, after lunch, after dinner, and before bed, unless a different specific time is required.
• All medications must be turned into the nurse with the exception of fast-acting inhalers and epi-pens
• You must have a written physician order attached for the nurses to give injectable medications. This includes insulins (with sliding scale dosing if used) and growth hormone replacements.
• Over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol, Ibuprofen or Benadryl are supplied by the health center. Please do not send extras to camp. We do not stock aspirin or aspirin containing products.

We understand that for many parents, leaving your camper is a difficult thing, however, we have several services in place to help you keep in contact with your child.

We do encourage you to write your camper while they are at camp. You can do so in two ways:

1. Use our Email Service (Bunk Notes), available thru your online account ($1 per email, packages available) One way emails are pulled from online once a day at Midnight and delivered the next day during mail call.
    
2. Use regular snail mail to the following address:
   River Valley Ranch
   Attn: Your Camper's Name
   Your Camper's Program (i.e. Frontier Town Horsemanship)
   4443 Grave Run Rd.
   Manchester, MD 21102
   
   Please be sure your return address is included on the envelope should your mail arrive late. It is advised that you send snail mail (post office) no later than Tuesday of the week your child is at camp. Otherwise, it may not arrive until after you camper has returned home.

You can view photos of campers during the week for free. Maybe you'll even see your camper! If you see any photos you like, you can purchase a digital download or prints for a reasonable fee. After camp is over, these photos will remain viewable to purchase for a limited time. Instructions for viewing are available on the Photos and Videos page.

We also release a video at the end of each camp week, highlighting all the fun and excitement that was had! These videos are available to watch and share for free on our summer camp videos page and on some of our social media channels.

Campers will be able to make phone calls each day during afternoon free time starting on Tuesday. We do not open our phones on Monday to help campers get acclimated to the program before talking with Mom and/or Dad (which helps with homesickness). Since parents cannot call campers directly, we advise that parents sit down with their campers ahead of time and discuss how you would like them to call. We will not require campers to call, so they will have to do so on their own initiative. Please note that calls from campers may not identify as coming from River Valley Ranch on your caller ID; so if you see an incoming call from a strange number one afternoon while your child is at camp, you may wish to pick up!

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT CALLING YOUR CAMPER: It is our experience after 60 years that talking with a parent can often times distract the camper from the experience they are having. Many children are doing fine and enjoying themselves only to become homesick after talking with a parent. Please keep that in mind when checking in with your camper.

CONTACTING YOUR CHILD: If you MUST contact your child due to an emergency, you can call the RVR Camp Office at 443-712-1010, Monday-Friday, 9:00am - 9:00 pm. Messages left on the machine after 9:00pm will be checked the following morning. In an absolute emergency if you need to contact someone after 9:00pm you can email us at emergency@rivervalleyranch.com and we’ll send you our after hours cell phone number.  Simply call that number, leave a message and one of our staff will call you right back.

1. Severe Homesickness - If your child becomes homesick, we will do our best to try and keep them at camp. Most cases of homesickness pass within a day or two. However, if they become unduly homesick, we will contact you. We encourage you to remain enthusiastic about your child being at camp, even if we have to call you. Most children can remain at camp and have a great time with proper support from their parents.
2. Health Reasons - If your child becomes injured or has an extended time of illness you will be contacted as soon as possible.
3. Inappropriate Behavior - Each year a few campers become so disruptive to the camping program that we have to ask their parents to come and pick them up early. Please inform your child that even though they are going on vacation this does not mean they are taking a vacation from appropriate behavior. IMPORTANT- If your child is sent home early for Inappropriate Behavior, they may not be allowed to attend camp again. In addition, if they are signed up for another week later in the summer, you will lose the non-refundable deposit for that week as well. Please inform them of this before they come.

Yes. We reserve the right to search campers’ belongings for signs of pests (including, but not limited to, lice and bed bugs), as well as illegal substances, weapons, or any other items that are not permitted at camp. These searches may be conducted at our discretion for the safety of all participants & staff. These searches may be preventive, and done at check-in; or they may be done during the campers’ stay if a safety concern should arise. We reserve the right to take action to protect our campers & staff; these measures may include sending the camper home, asking the parents to remove infested luggage & other property, or confiscating any banned items.

We also utilize security cameras throughout our campus and cover many safety topics throughout our staff training measures.

If some of the items you packed for your child have taken a hike please fill out our Summer Lost & Found form, or call us at 443-712-1010 and let us know what you have lost. We will do our best to find the item, at which time you may come and pick it up, but please know that our policy is to donate unclaimed items to charity after two weeks.

Overnight Camp: Check-in will be held each Sunday from 3-4:30pm, but we ask that those with last names A-M arrive between 3-3:45pm and those with last names N-Z arrive between 3:45-4:30pm. Fort Roller check-in is held at the campus on top of the hill (follow signage for 'Fort Roller') and Frontier Town check-in is held at the old rodeo arena in the main camp area in the valley (follow signage for 'Frontier Town'). Parking staff will also be present on Sundays to help direct you. After parking and checking in you may escort your child to their dorm and meet their counselors for the week.

Day Camp: Check in will also be drive through, at Mountain View Bible Camp (2145 E Deep Run Rd, Manchester, MD 21102).  Drop off will be at 8:30 on Monday morning for Day 1, and then 9am Tuesday-Friday.

All Camps: All balances must be paid by May 1st, so there will be no need to collect additional fees during check-in. Be sure to bring any necessary remaining health forms and other documents with you that haven't already been completed online, as your child cannot attend camp without them. For more information on camp health forms, visit our Camp Forms page

Campers will be checked for head lice at check-in, prior to admission to camp. We do not follow public school policy for return once nits/lice are discovered.  We strictly adhere to a "no nit" policy.  If live head lice or nits are found on a participant's head, the parent/guardian will be notified immediately and the participant must leave camp for treatment at home, or by a professional head lice removal company. This is for the safety and consideration of all campers and staff at River Valley Ranch.  If nits or live lice are discovered on participant’s head:

• The participant may return to camp 24 hours following the treatment (immediate post-treatment return with proof of treatment by professional), provided camp staff does not find any nits remaining in the hair. If lice or nits are found again by our staff, the camper may not be permitted to attend camp.
• All clothing, bedding and personal items must be properly treated before returning to camp. Refer to the CDC website for further information regarding head lice and its treatment.

Please Note: The best way to avoid this scenario is to check your child's head carefully 2-3 days prior to camp and treat if needed. We appreciate your cooperation in dealing with this sometimes difficult and frustrating issue. 

How do I check for lice or nits?

Here are 2 video demonstrations showing proper technique for checking for head lice:

• https://bit.ly/CheckLice1
• https://bit.ly/CheckLice2

*New for 2019*  RVR has partnered with MD Lice Control, a professional lice removal company.  MD Lice Control is offering a discount to RVR patrons for PRE-CAMP HEAD CHECKS!  You may call or text their hotline to schedule an appointment or with questions:  410-487-2899 or visit https://mdlice.com/ for more information.  The MD Lice Control Salon is located at 2065 York Rd, Timonium, MD 21093 (use side entrance).

Mention that you are a patron of RVR and you will receive a pre-camp head check for $10/camper. (Regular price is $25 for long hair & $15 for short hair). IMPORTANT: Be sure medium and long hair is completely tangle-free before visiting MD Lice Control Salon.  Tangly/knotted hair may result in additional charge.

What do nits and lice look like?

Here are 2 videos that show what live lice and nits look like on a child’s head.

• https://bit.ly/LiveLice1
• https://bit.ly/LiveLice2

What should I do if I find nits or lice?

Your child should be treated to remove the lice and nits. Here are some options:

1. Call a head lice removal company.  Try mdlice.com as mentioned above (offers in-home treatment or you may visit their salon) OR licehappens.com
2. Get an OTC product from the drug store such as NIX, RID, or Sklice (order online) and follow the instructions carefully. (Combing every nit out is key to prevent re-infestation) 
3. Check out this video for an all natural at home option. Be sure to use a good nit comb such as this one from Amazon!
4. Also it is important to wash and heat dry any used clothing items and bedding, as well as sanitize brushes, combs, & hair accessories. Any toys or items that cannot be washed can be placed in a bag for 2 weeks.

REMEMBER: RVR has a NO NIT policy.  Campers who arrive at RVR with an active case of head lice will need to be properly treated before admission.

We will be doing a drive through pick up for campers this year. Please bring your ID with you, so we can verify that you are authorized to pick up the camper. If someone other than the person designated on the camp application is going to be picking up the camper, please email notification by noon on Friday.

Overnight Campers

Overnight Camper Pick up is between 4:00-5:00pm on Friday afternoon, at the same parking location where you dropped them off at the start of the week. You will not need to exit your vehicle, as your camper and their luggage will be brought to your car by our staff. If you need to pick up your camper early, RVR has designated early pick up times that must be arranged in advance. These requests must be submitted by emailing info@rivervalleyranch.com no later than Thursday at 4pm. We will confirm your request by sending you the designated early pick up options and procedures. However, we encourage families to pick up their campers in the 4:00-5:00 window, so the campers are able to participate in the full program and don't miss any fun activities! We do not prorate camp fees for missed meals and activities due to early pick ups.

Day Campers

Day Campers will need to be picked up at 5:00pm each day (Mon-Fri), unless you've signed up for extended aftercare through 5:30.

RVR’s mission is to cultivate a wholesome Christian environment where guests and staff may grow to their full God-given potential. This means that we believe all people have been created in God’s image and can have a personal relationship with Him through His son Jesus. We see the entire camp experience as one that shares the love of Jesus in both our words and actions. This is done through the formal communication that happens in our daily meetings/small groups and how well we love and care for each camper who comes to RVR. Our hope is that each camper will experience, as Jesus described it, “life to the fullest”!

You can read more about what we mean by "Christian Camp" here >>
RVR's statement of faith is also available here >>

If you have any questions about who we are and the Christian messages and values we teach, please call us at 443-712-1010.

For our camp programs, we welcome any camper regardless of their gender identity. Our staff is trained to share the love of Jesus with all campers and provide a safe space for them. In order to create this environment,  we have some guidelines that need to be respected in order for gender issues to not become a disruption at camp. We want to share these with you in advance, so that parents, along with their children, can make an informed decision about whether or not RVR is the right fit.  If your child identifies as LGBTQ, please discuss these guidelines with them prior to registering them for camp, to make sure they can feel comfortable in this setting.

1. Any camper identifying as LGBTQ must not use their camp experience as an opportunity to try and force other campers to accept their viewpoint on gender identity. If the expression of their gender becomes disruptive, we may decide to remove the camper, for the benefit of the camper and the other campers in the cabin.
2. Conversely, if any camper harasses or makes a significant issue with a camper who is identifying as LGBTQ, he/she may be asked to leave (Note: this would also be true for a camper who is harassing another camper for any reason).
3. For those identifying as transgender, they will be housed with their biological birth gender.  Our staff will use biological gender pronouns consistent with the housing in which the camper is staying or simply use their name. Transgender campers may request other campers use their preferred pronouns, but may not make an issue if another camper or staffer prefers not to use it.  A camper who is uncomfortable using the preferred pronoun may also simply use the transgender camper's name. If any camper anticipates this being a problem, it may be better to refrain from coming to camp. 

If you have further questions, please contact our office.