10 Key Questions to Ask When Selecting a Camp

What makes Timber Lake special is that we recognize that every one of our campers is special. Our STARFISH character-based program is uniquely designed to help us create the warm, welcoming summer home that sends our campers back to your home having had a great, fun, high-spirited summer, feeling more confident, feeling better about themselves and better able to tackle the challenges of growing up in an increasing complex world.  What sets us apart?  The positive change every parent sees in their child the day they step off the bus after a summer at Timber Lake.

Picture this: it’s 7:45am and the familiar bugle horn goes off playing Reveille, alerting our campers that the day has begun! Off to morning lineup where they gather together as a group. Next, a delicious and fortifying breakfast, and back to the bunk for clean-up and getting ready for the day. Off they go! Periods 1 and 2 involve athletics, electives, and waterfront. Then lunch time, rest hour, back into our 3 afternoon activity periods for more athletics, electives, and waterfront.

After dinner we have Free Play and an incredible evening activity that changes daily.  Let’s get a good night sleep, for the whole thing starts all over again the next day!

Our highest in the industry compensation attracts a large pool from which we scout, interview and select only the best counselors to care for our campers, utilizing the most sophisticated competency-based interview process in the camp profession.

One quarter of our counselors are former campers that have grown up at camp. The bulk are from across the U.S. with representation from all over the world, including Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand!

Timber Lake’s mission is to teach our campers the skills of making AND keeping friends while building their self-confidence, self-esteem, and resilience.

In addition to developing their character and self-esteem, your child will come home from each summer with new skills, amazing friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.

We play competitive sports with an appropriate emphasis on sportsmanship and doing one’s best. We have all different levels of athletes and we offer optional private and semi-private lessons at no additional cost. While we do win our fair share of tournaments, sportsmanship and learning to play on a “team” outweighs any outcome on the court, field, or rink.

Our sports programs are led by top coaches in their respective disciplines, all whom possess either high school or collegiate level coaching experience. No matter a camper’s skill level, everyone improves!

At Timber Lake, we have 2 doctors and 6 nurses in our modern health center at all times. We deal with health issues on an individual basis and our staff makes sure parents receive regular updates if a camper is not feeling well.

The average camper to counselor ratio in a bunk is about 2.5 to 1.  With that type of supervision and training, our counselors will be your child’s go-to for any concern or problem.  Of course, we have a complete open door policy at Timber Lake where any camper can talk to their Division Leader, Head Counselor and Jay or Mindy without hesitation. Jay and Mindy are on the campus all day, fully accessible to your child. There is no hierarchy!

On average, each bunk has 3-4 counselors and 9-10 campers.

Each age group in camp has what we call a “Division Leader.” Division Leaders are mature adults who supervise individual age campers on our boys and girls campuses. They will be your first point of contact.  Beyond that, with any further concern or problem, you will speak directly with our directors, Jay & Mindy Jacobs.

Each camper has 4 phone calls home per summer.  Visiting Day for parents takes place 4 weeks into the summer. No electronics are allowed at camp other than mp3 music devices (no iPhones or iTouches) & Kindles.