I'm not Presbyterian. Can I still attend Stronghold and feel comfortable?
Certainly. Campers from many different faith orientations attend including some who do not have a faith tradition. We only ask that campers participate in Bible study, worship, and group discussions that are part of our camps.
Can I visit camp before I come?
Absolutely. We would love to have you visit. Call 815-732-6111 to schedule a visit.
Is ther financial assistance available?
Yes. A limited number of Stronghold scholarships are available. Please call for more information. (Many churches also provide their own scholarships.)
Do you have a medical staff on duty?
Medical professionals are on duty at camp 24 hours a day and all of our camp staff members are certified in CPR and First Aid.
Can you accommodate special dietary needs?
Definitely. We happily accommodate campers who are vegetarian, lactose intolerant, allergic to certain foods, and the like. Our menu is nutritious, well balanced, and tasty, and provides plenty of choices at each meal. Please make sure to note special dietary needs on the health/registration form so arrangements can be made to accommodate your camper's needs.
Can my child have a cell phone with them while at camp?
We do not allow campers to have cell phones. Besides disrupting the group building process, we prefer campers to work out their differences or problems rather than just calling home. If a problem arises, a camp representative will be in touch with you, and if deemed necessary, or requested by the parents, we will put you in touch with your child. We will never prevent a parent from speaking with their child.
Can I send letters and email to my child?
Absolutely. Letters and email from home can make the transition to camp life easier. Please limit email to one per day, per camper and do not send attachments with email messages. Stronghold's email address is summercampinfo@strongholdcenter.org (please include the camper's name and camp in the subject line). Campers will not have access to phones or computers while at camp.
What is your refund policy?
If your camper registers for a particular week of camp and cannot come due to COVID-19 illness or exposure we will work to transfer their registration to a later week in the summer (if space is available), transfer their camper fees to another Stronghold camp session in 2022 or 2023, or provide families the opportunity to donate or receive a full/partial refund of their camper fees.
When does camp start/end?
Registration times will be staggered by camp group. Each camp group will have an allotted drop off time to help mitigate the amount of people on site at one time. If you are dropping off multiple campers then please drop off all of them during the drop off time of the earliest camper.
Why are there multiple prices listed for each camp? What is Tiered Pricing?
Realizing that many families have different abilities to pay, Stronghold has instituted a voluntary three-tier fee program. You may choose the tier that is most suitable for your family. All campers recieve the same Stronghold experience no matter what they pay. For those families that can not afford Tier 1 additional financial assistance is available to ensure that all children have this wonderful opportunity to attend camp. In addition, some families use this system to give themselves a multi-child or multi-week discount.
Tier I is our historically subsidized rate and does not reflect the true cost of operating summer camp programs.
Tier II is our partially subsidized fee for those who can pay a little more but still can not afford the actual cost of camp.
Tier III more closely accounts for the true costs of camp including wear and tear of buildings and grounds.