We know that you have a precious few weeks each summer to plan awesome events for the students in your ministry. Why spend time lining up chaperones, booking accommodations, and coordinating meals? Let us take care of all that and you can enjoy a week watching your students have an amazing experience!
A week of summer camp can have a monumental impact on the life of a young person. Imagine the impact that bringing a group of young people home from a week of summer camp can have on your local youth or children’s ministry. These students will have bonded over a shared transformative experience, and they will have participated in first-class worship led by young adults who spent the week serving as positive role models of young Christian adults.
What precautions will be taken this year in response to COVID-19?
Please visit our Summer Safety Standards page.
Choosing a week to attend camp
How should I pick a week?
Check with your church calendar about other events that are happening during the summer and pick a week that won’t interfere with VBS or your church’s bus schedule. You do not need to inform the camp which week you’ve chosen. If you are bringing a group over 15, and coming the same week is important to you, encourage your families to register early as some weeks will fill up.
How should I let parents know?
Parents need to know information about camp, including how to register and what is expected of them before camp starts. Create a handout with all of the vital information for registration. Make sure to include the week you plan to attend, the correct name of your church, the name and contact info for the church contact person, how you will be getting to camp, and scholarship and fundraising information.
Do all of the campers from our church have to come the same week of camp?
No. The campers from your church can come any of the weeks of classic camp or a specialty camp.
Registration
Does each camper fill out his/her own application?
Yes. Campers register as individuals online. There are ways for you, as the group leader, to check on your group. Families will need to set up an online account. There will be forms and medical information input there that you, as a leader but not a guardian, cannot sign. It has to be the guardian.
How can I see who is registered from my church?
You can view the most updated status of all of your campers here. To request the credentials to view this page, please contact the registration office at 352-787- 4345 ext 4166 or summercamp@wwumccc.org.
Payment for Campers from the Church
Because campers register as individuals, their balance is tied to their account, not the church. If churches would like to submit a payment towards the cost of camp for a specific camper they will need to mail a check. Checks should be made out to the Warren Willis Camp and Conference Center and should be accompanied by a Church Payment Spreadsheet.
How do I use the Church Payment Spreadsheet?
The Church Payment Spreadsheet must accompany all church checks. The spreadsheet shows how the check is divided among the campers listed. All campers must be registered so that there is somewhere to apply the money listed on the spreadsheet. Please only submit one check per spreadsheet. A church may complete and submit as many spreadsheets as needed and they can be submitted at different times.
Please mail the spreadsheet and check to:
Warren Willis Camp and Conference Center
Attn: Summer Camp Registrar
4990 Picciola Rd.
Fruitland Park, FL 34731
If I have a student that cancels, can I substitute another in their place?
Due to the many variables involved when a camper cancels, substitutions may or may not be possible. You may request a substitution by contacting the Summer Camp Registration Office at summercamp@wwumccc.org. We will work together for the best possible outcome.
Will they need more money at camp? Do they need to purchase anything else?
Each camper will be provided snacks/drinks each day as a part of their camp tuition. They do not need to bring extra money for snacks. Every overnight camper will receive a t-shirt with this summer’s theme.
Our camp store will be open daily featuring Warren Willis themed swag, Items range from $.50 to $30.
A group photo of each camp is available for purchase in the registration line for $7.00 on Monday. Check or cash is accepted as payment in the registration line.
Summer Camp Discounts & Scholarships
How do families receive a Warren Willis Summer Camp Scholarship?
The camp has changed its Summer Camp Scholarship Program to include an elective discount.
Families who need a discounted rate can select Tier 1-Subsidized Tuition as they register for camp. This discount does not require confirmation-of-need like our previous scholarship application. Click here to learn more about our Tiered Pricing system.
Even with the discounted rate of Tier 1 and assistance from their church, the cost of camp could be prohibitive to families in financial crisis. Click here to learn more about our Camp Scholarship.
How do I tell my families about the discounted rate?
Let your families know that as they register and select the week and program their camper wants, they will be prompted to select a Price Tier. As they know their financial situation better than us, they can choose the tier that will fit their family needs the best.
The majority of churches that send campers to camp provide opportunities for fundraising and scholarships. The tuition that remains after church fundraisers and scholarships have been applied is paid by the family. The Tier 2-Standard Tuition rate is the actual cost of sending a camper to camp for a week. It is our hope that families that can afford this rate will select it. However, if the moderate discount provided by Tier 1-Subsidized Tuition is needed, we encourage them to pick Tier 1. There is no confirmation of need required to select Tier 1.
Who should apply for a Summer Camp Scholarship?
If a family would still find if difficult to pay for camp, even after selecting the elective discount, and using scholarships and fundraising opportunities provided by your church, then they could consider applying for the Camp Scholarship. The scholarship is funded by finite sources and, while we hope we will not have to deny a scholarship to a camper in need, some applications may be turned down.
When will families find out if they’ve received a scholarship?
The Scholarship Committee will meet in early-May to review the applications and determine the number of scholarships awarded. Notification of scholarship amounts will be mailed to the camper’s home address. Applications must be postmarked by May 1st to be considered.
How much scholarship support can be expected?
The Scholarship Committee hopes to give scholarships that will cover 30 to 50% of the Standard Tuition rate. The amount awarded will be dependent on how many apply and level of need. Please be aware that we do not award 100% scholarships.
How do I know if campers from my church have been awarded a scholarship?
Once the scholarships have been awarded, we will post this information in a secure location on our summer camp website that is viewable only by Summer Camp Church Contacts. To request the information on how to view this location, please contact the registration office at 352-787-4345 ext 4166, or summercamp@wwumccc.org.
Paperwork
How do we turn in medical information and medication?
Camp gathers Health History and Permission to Treat information through the online registration system. Your students register for camp online and then, when camp gets closer, we open the medical portion of the online registration system. Families will need to go back to the online registration system, access each of their campers, and fill out the medical permission slips, medical information and tell us about any medicines that will need to be given at camp.
A report will be available for the Summer Camp Church Contact to see so that you can make sure your students have completed their paperwork before arriving at camp. To request the information on how to view this location, please contact the registration office at 352-787-4345 ext 4166, or summercamp@wwumccc.org.
Transportation/Arrival and Departure
What should they pack?
See a complete list of What To Bring here.
What will Check-in be like on Monday afternoon?
Registration begins at 2:00 PM on Monday. Leave all luggage and sleeping bags in vehicles during registration. For the Registration line, each camper should bring any medication they need for the week bagged and inside the original prescription or over-the-counter bottles. They may also bring cash or a check to use at the camp store and/or to purchase a weekly camp photo (please have a separate check or cash for $7). Campers will also receive their name tags and cabin assignments at this time. It is important that all campers complete the entire registration process. After completion of registration, group leaders are welcomed to assist their campers, and all of their gear, to their assigned cabin.
*Pro Tip* Make sure all of your campers have completed their Medical Forms and Permission to Pick-up Form before bringing them to camp. We cannot accept them into our care until we have all the forms. You will be responsible for your campers as they locate their guardian and complete the forms before they can finish registering. Nothing sucks the joy of being at camp out of a group like watching someone finish paperwork in a long line. Check out the Paperwork section above to find out how to check on your campers’ forms.
The first scheduled activity for all campers is at 4:15 PM. We suggest that all campers try to arrive no later than 3:30 PM.
What time should I pick up my group on Saturday?
Parents and Leaders can arrive early to see their campers celebrate at our last gathering in the Fellowship Hall, starting at 8:30. They will have one last opportunity to sing and dance with our Praise Time Band and to watch a video of their week at camp. Campers leave the Fellowship Hall and go back to their cabins for pick-up, which begins a 9:00 am. Please bring an ID. If you don’t know your campers’ cabin number, there will be a staff person at the Lodge Patio with a complete list of camper housing.
The Camp Store will be open in the Lodge Breezeway. Campers can spend their remaining Fun Card funds or cash and credit cards can be used on Saturday.
For campers attending Creative Spirit Camp, The Big Show! will begin at 8:45 AM in the Chapel. Check out will begin after the show.
What kind of activities will the campers from my church participate in?
Every day at camp is new and exciting. Each day campers will take part in a Small Group which is a time when they dive into the curriculum and theme for the week to learn about the ways that God wants to know them, love them, and transform them. They will also get to choose four camp activities to participate in throughout the week. In addition to meals, rest time, morning devotions, and evening worship, and our famous PRAISE TIME, your campers will swim, play large crazy outdoor games, meet new friends and have an encounter with the living God!
Who will lead worship the week we are attending?
| Week: date | Elementary Camp | Middle School Camp | High School Camp |
| Wk 1: June 19-24 | Rev. Kathryn Halterman | Rev. Danny Bennet | Rev. Mike Luzinski |
| Wk 2: June 26-July 1 | Rev. David Miller | Peggy Ingram | Rev. Scott Smith |
| Wk 3: July 3-8 | Faye Umble | Rev. Nick Lee | Rev. Rafe Vigil |
| Wk 4: July 10-15 | Rev. Emily Knight | Rev. Michael Leblanc | Rev. Juana Jordan |
| Wk 5: July 17-22 | Theresa Reiter | Rev. Matt Horan | Rev. Vidalis Lopez |
| Wk 6: July 24-29 | Rev. Audrey Warren | Rev. Ginger Medley | Rev. Michelle Shrader |
| Wk 3: Creative Spirit | Rev. Bryant Manning | Rev. Bryant Manning | Rev. Bryant Manning |
Volunteering at Camp
We appreciate the help of church staff in making our summer camp ministry amazing for all the students who attend. As an Adult Volunteer, you will be given a place to stay on our site and be included in our camp meals. You will be assigned to lead a small group of students in discussions and activities throughout the week. We also love for our volunteers to be flexible and willing to help out and participate in many ways as the needs arise. Learn more about becoming an Adult Volunteer.