Registration
- Online registration is a streamline process where you can make your deposit and it is the fastest and easiest way to register a camper. You can also call the camp office during office hours (Monday to Friday, 9-5 PM). Campers must be registered by their parent or legal guardian. We offer a monthly payment plan and can be applied at any time.
- Resident Camp is for campers aged 8 to 14.
- Deposit
- Your deposit secures your place at camp and is applied to the total summer camp fee.
- Sibling discount
- Camp Peniel offers a $75 off discount for second and additional children registered from the same immediate family (i.e. first child registered comes at full price, second and additional children receive discount).
Trading Post
- This is where you can add camp store funds. We recommend $35 to cover a daily snack and drink. That also gives a little wiggle room for a camp souvenir.
- Campers can visit the Trading Post at least once a day.
- Trading Post Items: candy, snacks, soda, Gatorade, slushies, stuffed animals, t-shirts, bracelets, etc.
Cabin Assignments & Bunkmate Requests
- Campers are grouped by age. We encourage campers to attend without concern for hometown buddies but we will make every effort to place your child with a special requested friend, if that friend also requests your child. We will not place more than 3 friends in the same cabin. With over 50 years of experience, we know this to be the best arrangement for all campers in the cabin. Coordinate your child’s cabin mate choices carefully and with the other camper parents as they need to agree with one another and must be within a year of the same grade. One of the real benefits of a camp experience involves meeting and making new friends from different places. Encourage this openness and flexibility and they will have a great time!
Camper Communication
- Campers love to get letters! There is something special about a hand-written letter that sets it apart from emails. We strongly encourage you to send hand-written letters for your camper to cherish. Since “snail mail” can take three to five days for delivery, preparation (send letters even before camp begins or drop them off at check-in) -but a hand-written letter is often kept for years, while emails are thrown away quickly. Take the time to write a letter; we think this is one of the most memorable parts of a camping experience. Mail will be delivered Monday through Friday to campers.
- Handwritten letters are what campers most love, but we also deliver emails at mail call (if received by 10:00 a.m. Monday – Friday). Only registered families can send campers email through our email service. Emails are free. Remember: Campers cannot respond to email. They are busy having fun outdoors!
- Campers also love receiving packages. Please make sure that whatever you are sending your camper that it can fit into a shoebox.
Packing Lists
- Download the Packing List
- Dress code policies help Camp Peniel create the best camping experience for everyone. Camp Peniel reserves the right to use discretion to ensure all campers are modestly dressed. Campers who are immodestly dressed at camp will be asked to change, so please keep the camp dress code in mind when packing clothes to bring to camp.
Swim Check
- Campers take a swim check in the pool on Sunday afternoon after check-in. Once most of the campers for a cabin have arrived and moved in, the cabin heads down to the pool as a group for the swim check. The swim check consists of swimming approximately 20 yards. After each camper finishes the check, the lifeguards will give them a color-coded wrist band to be worn throughout the week, based on the campers’ swimming capability in the pool. Swim bands will be assigned based upon how comfortable the camper appears in the water, their body position, and the energy that is exerted when they are swimming. One band signifies that the camper needs to wear a personal floatation device (PFD) when in the deep side of the pool. The other band allows the camper to swim in the entire pool without the use of a PFD unless they so desire.
- If a camper is not satisfied with the outcome of the swim check, there will be an opportunity to re-check. A re-check does not guarantee a change in their wrist band color.
Sunday Check-In
- Check-In times are staggered by last name as indicated below (It is OK if you carpool with other families with different last names). Please call the office if you expect to arrive at camp after 4:00pm. When you arrive at camp, you will be directed to our pavilion at the front of camp and walk through the check-in stations. Our staff will conduct a lice check, an initial health screening and then you will proceed to the next table where your camper(s) will find out their cabin assignments.
- This is also when you will drop off medications and letters/cards for your camper(s).
- After passing through the check-in you will drive up the hill to take your camper(s) to their cabin(s), where you will meet their cabin counselors and drop their luggage on the cabin porch. Counselors will take care of getting campers’ belongings situated inside the cabin, as parents are encouraged to not enter the cabins.
- 3:00 pm: A-L
- 3:30 pm: M-Z
Saturday Check-Out and Early Pick-Up
- Resident Camp will end with a Closing Ceremony Saturday morning. Parents and guardians are encouraged to join us for a snapshot of their camper’s week before they head home!
- Closing Ceremonies for the girls will be held at the Rec Shed, behind the main office at 10am. For the Boys, closing ceremonies are at Pow-Wow behind One Tree Field at 10:30.
- After closing ceremonies, you will collect your camper’s things from their cabin and sign them out.
- Early Pick-Up: if you need to pick up your camper before Saturday morning, you must email Savannah and Scott as soon as possible so that we can make proper arrangements. [email protected] [email protected].
Medication
- All medications (prescription, non-prescription, and dietary supplements) must be administered by our health care staff. Camper medications must be turned in during check-in on Sunday. All medications, including over-the-counter and non-prescription drugs, must be in the ORIGINAL CONTAINER. Loose pills, multiple medications in one container, or medications in pill sorters will NOT be accepted. This is a state regulation and there are no exceptions.
Camp Food and Special Diets
- Food is served cafeteria-style with plenty of options so that no one goes hungry! There is a fruit bar provided a breakfast and a fresh salad bar at lunch and dinner.
- The Camp Peniel kitchen is regulated by the Texas Department of State Health Services in the same way public restaurants are regulated.
- Camp Peniel is a nut-aware facility with a peanut free kitchen.
- We are conscious of the ingredients in all our meals as it pertains to allergens. Through our Food Service Department, we will attempt to serve guests with dietary restrictions, but we cannot guarantee to cater to food preferences.
- Please make sure the camper dietary form is completed.
- If your camper has a severe allergy please contact us so proper arrangements can be made.
Bullying/Conflicts
- Conflicts happen, even in uplifting environments like camp. We train our counselors/ camp staff to recognize and reduce conflict within the context of camp. They are also trained on detecting bullying and taking proper measures to defuse these types of behaviors. All camp staff treat each situation as appropriate, and will call parents to update as needed.