What to Bring to Camp

What to Bring

EVERYTHING must be labeled.

Help us avoid piles of lost and found. Labeled belongings make a difference. Those labels also help when items get mixed with those of another camper.

For years, I have had a long list of things to bring on this page of our website. This year I am changing that because a wonderful parent has given me her list of suggested items to pack. So I am including that for your reference and invite you to adapt it to your son or daughter.

The 'What to Bring' checklist is in pdf format so you shouldn't have any trouble reading it. If you do, please alert me and I will mail you a copy of the What to Bring checklist.

Click Here for Your What to Bring Checklist.

I always have a few things to add however and so I include those below. These are make-sense items, but thought I'd be better off reminding you than to have you forget them.

A small throw-rug to put next to your bed. Makes it more gentle for your feet to touch the floor in the morning whereas the floors are wood and can sometimes be cold.
Costumes if you have them for talent shows, fashion shows, fun nights, karaoke/dance nights.
Optional: music to play on our piano, fishing pole and tackle, tennis racquet, your already books to donate to the camp library
Any medications you take: like allergy meds. (These are checked in with the nurse when you arrive.) If you carry an inhaler or need an epi-pen, let the nurse know that you will be keeping them with you and that they are needed on trail rides.
Your required forms: Medical Form, Homesick Plan, Rider Release Form, Community Guidelines and Out of Camp Permission Forms
Your enthusiasm, creativity, imagination and sense of humor.

Policy on Food in Cabins

Often campers want extra snacks in their cabins. They beg mom and dad or friends and relatives to mail those snacks to them. I want to be straight with you however that those snacks attract little animals, especially mice. All you need are a few crumbs on a sleeping bag or lingering on the cabin floor and suddenly our campers become the guests sleeping in the mouse's home.

If you have a son or daughter afraid of mice, then obviously you want everyone to honor the 'no food' policy for cabins. Should you want to send your camper a gift, order the camp care packages recommended on this website or make a care package of your own - without food inside!!!

Encourage your campers to use our camp store. That way they can eat some goodies and in the end help camp earn a little extra money toward summer and winter bills. That way they can eat their food in the camp lodge or on the front lawn rather than inside their cabin.

Please, please help us with this. Several summers ago, we attracted skunks with the food inside cabins. It took all summer and the skills of a hired trapper to catch the skunks and remove them from haunting trails to the outhouse. Another summer we entertained raccoon with food that campers thought they could keep concealed. Well, guess what? Those animals in the wild have smellers that beat ours!

So my plea is here in writing. Camp is camp. Little animals will find their way in unless you help us keep food out of the cabins. Thanks for listening. I'll probably say this a million times over during the off season, but I will continue to speak my mind so we have no difficulty in 2010.

What Not to Bring

Respect our policies, please. There is a specific list of items that campers are not to bring into camp. Each item on the list has a very clear reason for being excluded from Sprucelands. In most instances, the item has been in camp at some point resulting in a Health Department violation or frightening situation...yes, even true for cell phones.

Please read over the lists below and then honor our request that these items stay home. Your cooperation respects our policies and we appreciate you. Thanks.

Unwelcome items

Knives. Hatchets.

Cigarette lighters/cigarettes. Matches. Smoke bombs. Fireworks.

Non-prescription drugs. Alcohol.

Stereo systems. Boom boxes. Game boys. Computer games. Walkie-talkies. DVD players. Nintendo DS. Play Station Portables. NO HAND HELD GAME SYSTEMS.

Ouija boards. Tarot cards. Magic cards. Pokemon cards. Dungeon/dragons.

Extension cords. Electric fans. Hair dryers. Curling irons. TVs. Computers.

Candy. Soda pop. Junk food.

CELL PHONES.

Cell Phone Policy

Right at the start, we do not accept cell phones at Sprucelands. That is our policy.

Campers, CITs or Staff who constantly interact via cell phone with people outside of camp inadequately immerse themselves in the program and therefore compromise the positive Sprucelands experience.

Everyone who chooses to come to Sprucelands is expected to participate in all parts of the program.

Our program is active, interactive, and appreciative of the nature around us. It also promotes individuals taking responsibility for what they do, and if problems arise, work them out with support from within the camp community.

In addition, Sprucelands is located in the rolling hills of Western New York. It is difficult to access a clear consistent signal, and parents become frightened when they receive a dropped call from their camper.

If you must send a cell phone with your child so they have it during their trip to Sprucelands, no problem. However, the Camp Nurse will keep your child's cell phone until camp is over.

Once again, let me repeat, cell phones are NOT permitted in camp. That is our policy. Teach your camper to be honest about this and give your cell phone to the nurse.