Communication

While summer camp is a great opportunity for campers to gain independence, keeping in touch with those at home can be a unique and fun part of the summer camp experience.

US Mail

We encourage you to write to your child during his or her stay at camp, but note that sending several letters to your child every day is discouraged. The mailing address for Camp Echo is listed on the cover of this booklet. Parents are welcome to mail letters before camp begins to ensure timely arrival.

We suggest first time and younger campers be given self-addressed pre-stamped post cards or envelopes for writing home.

Because many children receive letters daily, campers receiving no mail are often disappointed. Remember to keep all letters cheerful and encouraging. Talk about things other family members are doing and focus on the time later in the summer when everyone will be together again. For young or first-time campers, avoid topics that may make them miss home.

Email (Bunk Notes/Replies) – In-Camp Programs

Bunk1, a web-based company in New York, provides email service for Camp Echo parents and campers. Details are provided on the last page. Send Bunk Notes before midnight for printing the next morning and distribution at mail call. If you have questions or problems with Bunk Notes, please call Bunk1 at 800-216-9472 or use their web-based help. Please don’t call the YMCA or Camp Echo for help with Bunk1.

Participants in Bunk1 (see above) will see about 20-30 representative pictures each night. Our goal is to give you a glimpse of what’s happening at camp that day. Every camper will appear in a Cabin Photo on the third full day of each session.

Note: Participation in Bunk1 has a $5 registration fee, which allows you to view the online photo galleries. There are additional costs if you would like to participate in the BunkNotes communication process. If you don’t want to see or purchase photographs from camp, or if you have concerns about additional costs, we suggest sending faxes and letters.

First Day Post Cards (Pathfinders/Main Camp)

A few days after the start of the session you will receive a postcard from your child indicating the name of his or her cabin. The Program Manager and the Head Counselor check these postcards for early signs of missing home or other problems. Please begin including that cabin name with all mail, faxes, and email. This will save us time during the sorting process.

Faxes

We have a dedicated fax line, 231-924-7075, for sending a fax to a camper or staff member. Please include a cover sheet with the camper name and cabin. Faxes should read like a letter and not be just one sentence.

Telephone Calls

Campers are not allowed to make or receive personal phone calls during their stay except in the case of a family crisis, emergency, or when deemed necessary by the Camp Echo staff. Parents may call the Health Officer with health concerns, or the Program Manager or Head Counselor with other concerns.

Photos, Video, and Other Media for Promotional Purposes
The Camp Echo registration form requires parent signature on a photography release. If you do not want your child to be photographed, please instruct your child to notify the photographer and to remove himself/herself from pictures.

Packages
Parents may send packages containing non-food items only. Because we live in a wilderness setting, food in cabins attracts undesirable animals and insects. Do not include food, candy, gum, or snacks in packages. Campers visit the Trading Post (“TP”) to have the opening of their package supervised by a staff member; edible items will be removed and discarded. Consider ordering a Warm Fuzzy package through Camp Echo.

Camp Echo has a partnership with Becky & Me Toys, located at 620 Grove Street in Evanston (two blocks east of the McGaw YMCA). Becky & Me Toys is a great source for camp games, postcards, journals, and more! Mention Camp Echo and 10% of your purchase will be donated to Camp Echo’s scholarship fund.

Mail, Faxes, Email, and Packages for Adventure Trip Participants
For Adventure Trip participants, mail that arrives at camp during the session will be held until the trip returns to camp; there is no way to forward mail to the group once they leave camp. Teens on trips that don’t return to camp will have no way of receiving mail that arrives during the session; it will be forwarded to the home address after the session ends.

Visiting Your Camper(s)
Camp visits are allowed during breaks between sessions (“Layover”) only. Please fill out the Release Form, “To and From” Form, and Layover Form. We do not allow visits during the camp sessions. Experience has shown that visits disrupt the camp routine, detract from the counselors’ ability to effectively manage their cabin groups, and increase the level of potential homesickness for the child being visited and/or his or her peers. If you want to see the facility before camp starts, you may do so. Please call camp a few days before to notify the Camp Director of a visit.

Parent Letters, Leadership Evaluations, and Trip Journals
After the camp session ends, parents of all children entering 9^th grade and under will receive a letter from their child’s counselor. Entering 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th graders will be evaluated on their leadership ability and offered suggestions for improvement; the evaluation is shared with the teen and kept on file to assist with future hiring decisions. Adventure Trip participants will receive a Trip Journal in the mail, typically in late November or early December.

National Emergencies, Weather Situations, or Health Crises
The Camp Director monitors the national news and local weather. If there were an identified emergency situation, campers and staff would be gathered and informed. McGaw YMCA staff would assist in checking on the safety of family members and relaying messages to and from camp. Check the camp website for information before you call Camp Echo or the McGaw YMCA. Camp Echo has policies and procedures in place for addressing a weather emergency or a health crisis; we have a backup generator that maintains electric power during any power failure in the Fremont area.

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