Youth Group 2025 Summer Camping Trip
Indiana Dunes State Park
We are going camping at Indiana Dunes State Park! It is an incredible park with a huge waterfront on Lake Michigan with miles of hiking trails. While on this trip, we will enjoy long days on the beach to swim and play games (volley ball, soccer, frisbee, 9-Square, etc.). Students can also go on hikes around the dunes. In the evenings, we will spend lots of time around the fire singing worship songs, telling stories, and eating s'mores. In short, we are going to have a ton of fun and enjoy all that the outdoors have to offer.
Packing List
Packing List:
- Tent (if applicable)
- Cot/camping mattress (if applicable)
- Flashlight with batteries
- Sleeping bag or bedding
- Active clothes for 4 days, extra clothes recommended
- Sleepware for 3 nights
- Lots of underware
- Socks
- Tennis shoes
- Sandals
- Bathing suits (1 or 2)
- Deodorant
- Toothpaste and tooth brush
- Beach towel
- Collapsable lawn chair
- Reusable water bottle
- Bug spray
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Bible
- Pens or pencils
- YG Journal
- Battery pack for phone charging (optional)
- Favorite snacks (optional)
- Favorite board game, coloring supplies, or sporting equipment (optional)
Goals
Our goals:
1. To have fun, growing closer together as a community by playing games, eating together, and worshiping the Lord together.
2. To connect to God. Retreats provide the unique opportunity to get away from the distractions of daily life and focus on our relationship with God. In order to maximize this opportunity, we will engage a lot of spiritual practices: morning devotionals, prayer, evening chapel, small group discussions, and worship times.
1. To have fun, growing closer together as a community by playing games, eating together, and worshiping the Lord together.
2. To connect to God. Retreats provide the unique opportunity to get away from the distractions of daily life and focus on our relationship with God. In order to maximize this opportunity, we will engage a lot of spiritual practices: morning devotionals, prayer, evening chapel, small group discussions, and worship times.
Notes on Accommodations:
1. We have reserved a group camp site. We will have our own space, largely away from other campsites. We will NOT be stacked next to total strangers.
2. Public spaces are shared, but ALL Indiana Dunes amenities are available to us.
3. We will have a water spicket and outhouse on-site but no access to modern showers, restrooms, or electricity. Before you freak out, remember that this is about enjoying the great outdoors! But seriously, students can take a hose-shower if they would like (while clothed in a bathing suit, of course).
4. We will be swimming in a fresh-water lake, and so going without a shower for 3 nights should not be too terrible, or out of the ordinary for some of our students!
5. Please bring your own tent if you are able. If not, we will provide one for you or you can share with a friend of the same sex.
6. We will be cooking over the fire, thankfully there are a lot of delicious options and we will ensure that there is more than enough food, snacks, and drinking water available.
2. Public spaces are shared, but ALL Indiana Dunes amenities are available to us.
3. We will have a water spicket and outhouse on-site but no access to modern showers, restrooms, or electricity. Before you freak out, remember that this is about enjoying the great outdoors! But seriously, students can take a hose-shower if they would like (while clothed in a bathing suit, of course).
4. We will be swimming in a fresh-water lake, and so going without a shower for 3 nights should not be too terrible, or out of the ordinary for some of our students!
5. Please bring your own tent if you are able. If not, we will provide one for you or you can share with a friend of the same sex.
6. We will be cooking over the fire, thankfully there are a lot of delicious options and we will ensure that there is more than enough food, snacks, and drinking water available.
Policies
Cell Phones
1. Students may bring cell phones. However, phones must remain in their tent. Students are expected to spend the whole time enjoying the State Park, their friends, and our group activities. Students will need to bring their own portable battery if they want their phone to stay charged.
2. Students may call home at any time using an adult's phone, all adult leaders will have parent contact information for each child. Parents can call Blaise or another adult leader to contact their child.
Behavior
1. Students are expected to act with respect toward every fellow student and adult on this trip. The ordinary discipline process will be: a verbal warning, a call home, and then if negative behavior persists, the student will be sent home. A parent will need to come pick up student.
2. Students are expected to follow the directions of each adult leader.
3. No romantic displays of affection.
4. If a student tries to physically harm another student, they will be sent home. A parent will need to come pick up student.
Medications
1. Prescription medications must be checked-in with Alexis (RN) on the day of departure.
2. Prior to check-in, parents must assemble their child's prescription medications in a weekly meds organizer according to morning and evening. While we are at camp, Blaise will administer medications in the morning and evening accordingly.
3. Students may not keep prescription meds on their person. This is to keep medications from being lost or stolen.
4. Each adult leader will have a first-aid kit nearby containing ibuprofen, allergy medication, band-aids, etc. Students should not bring bottles of over the counter medication.
Drugs
1. No illegal drugs or alcohol may be used at camp whatsoever. This includes vapes, cigarettes, illicit drugs, alcohol, inhalants, etc. If found, this will result in the student being immediately sent home. A parent will need to come pick up student.
Clothing
1. Boys and girls are encouraged to dress appropriately throughout the trip. Two piece swim suits are allowed for girls, but should have an appropriate cut. Boys must wear a shirt while off the beach. Common sense is fine :)
1. Students may bring cell phones. However, phones must remain in their tent. Students are expected to spend the whole time enjoying the State Park, their friends, and our group activities. Students will need to bring their own portable battery if they want their phone to stay charged.
2. Students may call home at any time using an adult's phone, all adult leaders will have parent contact information for each child. Parents can call Blaise or another adult leader to contact their child.
Behavior
1. Students are expected to act with respect toward every fellow student and adult on this trip. The ordinary discipline process will be: a verbal warning, a call home, and then if negative behavior persists, the student will be sent home. A parent will need to come pick up student.
2. Students are expected to follow the directions of each adult leader.
3. No romantic displays of affection.
4. If a student tries to physically harm another student, they will be sent home. A parent will need to come pick up student.
Medications
1. Prescription medications must be checked-in with Alexis (RN) on the day of departure.
2. Prior to check-in, parents must assemble their child's prescription medications in a weekly meds organizer according to morning and evening. While we are at camp, Blaise will administer medications in the morning and evening accordingly.
3. Students may not keep prescription meds on their person. This is to keep medications from being lost or stolen.
4. Each adult leader will have a first-aid kit nearby containing ibuprofen, allergy medication, band-aids, etc. Students should not bring bottles of over the counter medication.
Drugs
1. No illegal drugs or alcohol may be used at camp whatsoever. This includes vapes, cigarettes, illicit drugs, alcohol, inhalants, etc. If found, this will result in the student being immediately sent home. A parent will need to come pick up student.
Clothing
1. Boys and girls are encouraged to dress appropriately throughout the trip. Two piece swim suits are allowed for girls, but should have an appropriate cut. Boys must wear a shirt while off the beach. Common sense is fine :)