Camp Updates Letter for 2018

Dear Camp Families,

Welcome to our 46th Camp Season! While much has changed over the years, the Roughing It values are just as important today as we help children build the life skills needed to be happy, contributing citizens in the 21st century.

Updates for Summer 2018

As we open up the new season, we wanted to share what’s in store for Summer 2018. These changes and improvements allow us to continue to provide the best all-outdoors camp experience for your child.

Camp Dates

Our 2018 camp season will start one week earlier to better accommodate our campers’ schools and family schedules: June 18 through August 10. We are now able to go back to offering 4-8 weeks sessions for our Day Camp Program as we have traditionally done. This provides our campers with a more consistent environment to grow in, more opportunities to make friends and learn new skills, and all campers have closure together which fosters a greater sense of community.

Camp Operations & Fees

This year we continue to face the challenge of higher operating expenses. We want to share the reasons for the tuition increase:

  • Riding Expenses. Horses and riding have been a defining part of Roughing It for over 40 years. In 2016, we purchased our camp horses in order to continue our riding program. Owning a herd of 25 horses is more expensive than leasing. We have a wonderful off-season home for our horses at Lazy K Ranch in Chowchilla; however, the costs for their year-round care has doubled over the past two years. There is a great amount of work and expertise that goes into caring for and keeping a herd healthy and safe for children to ride. We have hired JoJo Peterson, a long-time staff member, as our year round riding coordinator. She will manage our riding programs, grow our herd, and care for our beloved older horses through retirement.
  • Transportation. We use First Student professional drivers and buses to provide the safest bus experience for our campers. This costs substantially more than using college-age staff as drivers, but the quality and safety of our transportation is much higher. First Student has replaced their older buses with a new fleet with modern safety equipment and air conditioning standard on all buses. It is an added expense for us to offer bus service from 36 locations (SF – San Ramon); and we know this is essential for many of our families.
  • Staff Salaries. We are raising staff salaries to match or exceed the recent increases in California minimum wage. We remain committed to hiring the best adult counselors who can make camp special for our campers.

Smaller Groups for Roughing It Day Camp - Enroll Early

To allow for the optimal group experience, last year we changed the camp group sizes from 15 to 12 campers for 4 & 8 Day Camp. The smaller group size gives an even more personal experience for each camper and offers better teaching and hands-on learning at our riding, swimming and waterfront programs. Enroll early to ensure your child’s spot in their group.

CampPlus - Extended Care is Available

Our before and after camp program, CampPlus, continues to be popular with our campers. Families love the convenience and campers enjoy the variety of new activities offered daily. Many camper favorites like Saddle Club, Swim Club and Res Club fill quickly. CampPlus registration is available when you sign up for camp.

 

Thank You for Your Continued Support

Our camper families and alumni are key to keeping the Roughing It spirit and camp community going strong, and we are very grateful to you all. We hope you will join us for our 46th summer and continue to share the magic of Roughing It!

Happy Camping,

Ann, Hobie and Amy Woods

“Helping Children to Grow in Wonderful Ways since 1972”

2018 Dates & Rates | Register Online