STAYING CONNECTED AT CAMP

Did you know that on average, children ages 8-12 in the United States spend 4-6 hours a day watching or using screens (aacap.org, 2020) – think about how many forts could be built, s’mores could be eaten or friendships could be made in that time!

In a world where our children have constant access to electronics, we thank you for allowing them to unplug and take a much-needed break from technology while they are at camp. There are many ways you can still connect with your camper this summer:

Letters:

To write to your camper (and please do!), address any mail in the following way to help ensure it finds its way to the correct place:

Camper Name

c/o Camp Granite Lake / Cabin Name (when you know it!)

11902 Camp Eden Road

Golden, Colorado 80403

Campers love to hear from you while they are at camp, and a great letter to your camper should be positive, upbeat and encouraging. Make it fun, maybe with a couple of jokes, a cut-out from their favorite magazine or even a fill-in-the-blanks response letter. Get creative, let your camper know you are proud of them and don’t make them feel like they are missing out on anything at home!

If you want your camper to receive mail during the first couple of days at camp (or your camper is attending a mini-camp session with not much time to receive mail), please feel free to leave letters with our staff on drop off day. Please ensure your campers name is clearly marked on the envelope, with the date you wish the mail to be delivered.

Email Your Camper:

Parents/guardians can send E-Letters to their camper/s through the CGL Portal. The ‘My Account’ section of the Portal will also allow you to add extended family members, who can then also send e-letters to your camper. Letters are printed daily, and we ask only one email per family per day (including extended family members), please.

Care Packages:

If you would like to send a care package (please do not feel it is necessary), please limit it to ONE per camper. Any additional packages will not be distributed, and will be held until camper pick-up. Some ideas of things campers love to receive in care packages are: books/magazines, MadLibs, card games or small board games, fidget toys, stuffies, or a few clean fresh pairs of socks!

PLEASE DO NOT SEND ANY FOOD, SNACKS, GUM OR CANDY in care packages! We also ask that you do not send anything sticky (slime, silly string etc.), or anything that could upset other campers (water pistols, fart spray etc.).

You are welcome to drop off a package on drop off day to save you the cost of postage and hassle of couriers. Please clearly mark your campers name and the date to be delivered on the package, and hand to a staff member on check in day.

Phones & Calls:

As a ‘tech-free’ camp, we do not allow campers to bring cell phones (or any other electronics), so please ensure they either stay at home or in the car on drop-off day! Campers do not have the opportunity to make phone calls home during the session, as it has been our previous experience that calls can make the adjustment to camp life more difficult.

We know it is a huge change from the constant communication we are all used to, and why we encourage both you and your camper to write letters/e-letters. Please be aware that while camp is ‘tech-free’ for the campers, our Director team are still very in touch with you during the summer. You are always welcome to call or email the Director team to check in on your camper/s, and we will give you a call if we have any specific concerns.

Camp Today – Photos

We aim to upload pictures of every camper, almost every day. Through the CGL Portal, you can view and download our photos at no additional cost. The system uses facial recognition to detect your camper, and will send you an email when they are tagged (if you have that option selected). Please ensure that your campers profile picture is a clear, close-up of their face to allow our system to work its magic (and save you lots of time).

While we do our best to capture moments of fun and engagement, kids (and staff!) don’t always feel like smiling for the camera. If you notice a photo where your child appears unhappy or uncomfortable, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us so we can address any concerns.

Camp Today – Blog Posts

In the same section of the CGL Portal where you will find the photos, you will also find regular blog posts written by the CGL Director Team. Read what we having for dinner, what animals we have spotted around camp or what fun evening program we are doing to help you feel connected to your camper/s (and to have something to ask about in your letters!).

Social Media

For updates throughout the summer, please ‘like’ our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram! We post regular photos and videos, and sometimes even go ‘live’ to include you in all of the action!

Click on the icons below to visit our Facebook and Instagram pages:

If you have any questions, please reach out to our Director team at directors@campgranitelake.com, or call/text us on (720) 539-7536.