Leave technology behind. We'll safely store your phones, computers, mp3 players, and TI-82 graphing calculators. With these things outside of arm's reach, we can better focus on real talk, real thought, real music, and real math (just kidding, we can make a giant abacus for that).
Let go of time. There’s something timeless about being...well, timeless. The only watch you’ll have access to is that big ball of fire in the sky, but don’t worry, staff will make sure you know what's happening and when.
Play, connect, and reflect. We agree not to talk about the big W (work). Instead of ‘What do you do?’ Try: ‘Have you gone on the slip ‘n slide yet?’, ‘I’d love to paint your face. Would you like some whiskers?’ or ‘Did you try those fresh donuts?!’
Embrace new names. At Camp Wonderful we go by Camp Names only — come up with your own Camp Name that points to your passions and personality — or allow our professional namers to help you find your Camp Name when you get here. Haven't you always wanted people to call you ‘Ice Cream School Bus’?
Be substance free. Camp Wonderful is a safe, no drugs and no alcohol space. As kids at camp, we were able to get weird and wonderful simply by roasting marshmallows and drinkin’ bug juice. Let's do that s'more, shall we?
Be camp-years-old. Our community is made up of of folks who are all ages, and we think it’s far more fun to compare things like cartwheels or s’more making skills than it is to compare how many times we’ve each circled around the sun. We don’t talk about work and we don’t talk about our ages, either.
Principles
More Green Time, Less Screen Time - Camp Wonderful is about connecting to ourselves, each other, and our environment. Along with other agreements discussed below, we emphasize the benefit of immersion in our natural environment, and in the evenings, we’ll gather and connect around the original mass media platform: the campfire.
Personal Space, Safety, and Consent - Camp Wonderful stands firmly for the safety and comfort of everyone at camp. We will not tolerate sexism, racism, homophobia, xenophobia, bigotry, harassment or violence of any kind. We will do our best to use care with our language and our actions to underscore our commitment to inclusivity, and in case anyone feels uncomfortable or unsafe at any time, there will be resources available on-site, 24/7, should the need for support arise.
Environmental Mindfulness - Nature is our home and we treat it with respect. We will do what we can to minimize our carbon footprint and manage the environmental impact of our programming. Likewise, we’ll partner with nearby farms and suppliers whenever possible to source the finest local, organic, and seasonal ingredients for our nourishment.
- Diverse Offerings and Choice - We strive to invite and accept people with different interests, ideas, and preferences, and provide programming to address a wide breadth of needs. From hard hitting athletic competition to quiet meditative practices, we believe there are infinite ways to play and connect with one another - and we encourage them all. While we strongly encourage campers to participate throughout the arc of the weekend, we believe it’s most important that campers get to choose. And, of course, no activity is required at Camp Wonderful. If at any point you’d prefer to keep hanging out in that hammock and reading that book, you’re good. You might even say that wherever you are is exactly where you’re supposed to be.
