If you're headed to camp, here are some helpful details you'll need to know!
ALL CAMPERS MUST HAVE THEIR CAMPER CHECK-IN FORM TO BE ACCEPTED INTO CAMP.
BY BUS – Buses will depart from Charlotte
For Buffalo Creek 2 Only - Central Church, 5301 Sardis Rd, Charlotte, NC 28270
1-1:15pm – Arrival/Check-in
Buses begin loading at 1:30, leave parking lot no later than 2pm.
BY CAR – 207 Charlotte Drive, Lake Lure, NC 28746
3:00-3:45pm - Arrival
Once parked, campers will check-in and then return to their vehicles until the buses arrive.
BY BUS – Buses will arrive in Charlotte
For all sessions - Central Church, 5301 Sardis Rd, Charlotte, NC 28270
11:30-45am – Parent arrival
Buses to arrive between 11:45-noon
BY CAR – 207 Charlotte Drive, Lake Lure, NC 28746
9-9:15am – Parent arrival to campground for check-out
Camp Lurecrest pre-assigns cabins for all camp sessions. Cabins are assigned by biological/birth gender. It is our intention to create a family atmosphere in our cabins, and for all campers to feel comfortable and welcome among their bunkmates.
BUNKMATE REQUESTS
Our policy is to allow bunk requests for groups of up to 4 campers. That means a camper can be paired with 3 buddies, creating the maximum size group of 4. We guarantee that your camper will be with at least one of their requested buddies, and we make every effort to honor all two-sided buddy requests of groups of 4 or less.
Approximately 30% of the kids who come to camp do not come to camp with buddies. We actually believe this can really enhance their camp experience! We do make an effort to place campers without buddies in the same cabin with each other. We do not place a camper without a buddy in a cabin where all other campers have buddies.
Bunkmate requests can be completed from your parent portal beginning on March 15th until May 30th.
CABIN ASSIGNMENT PROCESS
Along with bunkmate requests, we do consider age/grade as we are assigning cabins. All cabins are assigned by biological/birth gender. Some cabins will have multiple grades while others may only be one grade. However, typically, campers will be with other campers of his/her same grade. Furthermore, your camper will not be the only one from his/her grade in their cabin.
A preliminary cabin list will be sent to parents approximately 10 days before camp begins. Changes may still be made to the list at that time and then a final list & cabin name will be sent a few days prior to departure day. That gives parents a chance to double check our assignments. It is no easy task!
Each year, Camp Lurecrest host an open house called Camper Parent Day when campers and their families can visit camp, meet staff, participate in various activities, and enjoy a free meal! It is especially a helpful and fun time for new campers, or for campers who are considering attending the following year. All are welcome!
This year Camper Parent Day will be held Saturday June 8th from 10am-3pm. Please RSVP here if you plan to attend.
Sibling Discount Pay full price for the oldest child, and receive $40 off registration for all other children in the same household; the discount will be applied upon application submission.
Bring a Friend Discount Invite a friend to come to Camp Lurecrest and receive a $25 Referral Credit to your camper's Ranch House fund to purchase merchandise and snacks. Just have the friend enter your camper's name in the "How did you hear about us?" box when registering. A $25 Referral Credit will be rewarded to your camper's Ranch House account around May 1 for EACH new camper who registers. The referral does not apply to family members, previous camper families, or campers receiving sponsorship assistance. There is no limit on the number of people you can refer!
Our food service staff love to care for campers through delicious food and a delightful dining experience. Each Camp Lurecrest camper is provided with a safe and enjoyable dining experience by accommodating for various dietary needs. Meals are served to our 224 campers and 100 staff three times each day.
Community is encouraged at Lurecrest. Campers and counselors sit family-style around tables, engaging in conversation and laughter centered around food.
FOOD CHOICES From fruit and veggies at each meal to sunflower butter sandwiches and desserts each night, your campers will be in food heaven! In addition to three hot meals each day, campers have the opportunity to purchase snacks during their Ranch House time.
FOOD ALLERGIES Prior to each camp session, the food service director will review camper allergies. Each week, the kitchen staff take special care to prevent cross-contamination through a special prep area in the kitchen.
SAMPLE MENU Breakfast Bacon, Eggs, Biscuits, and Fruit; What more could you want to start the day? Snack Time! Head to the Ranch House for a healthy morning snack. Lunch Chicken sandwiches to your heart's content! Snack Time! Popsicles to cool off in the afternoon? Yes, please! Dinner Pizza, spaghetti, kid-friendly food galore! Ranch House Snack Grab something sweet or savory before evening chapel begins!
Our registration system also provides a service where you can send emails to your campers for a fee (although your camper will not be able to email back). Each morning the system bundles and sorts the messages by cabin for us to print out and distribute. This system does not bring revenue to Camp Lurecrest, it simply frees us to do what we do best – be with your kids!
POSTAL MAIL
If you wish to send mail through the US Post Office, our physical address is listed below. Please note that letters/packages typically take 2-3 days to arrive by standard mail.
Camper Name
c/o Camp Lurecrest
207 Charlotte Drive
Lake Lure, NC 28746
CARE PACKAGES A handful of families like to send care packages to their campers. If you do so, please refrain from sending food, candy, and gum, as these will not be allowed in the cabin in order to control ants and other critters! Also, we often have campers with severe allergies, which is another reason we do not allow food or candy in the cabin. [Most campers do not receive care packages...so no pressure, parents!] Please Note: Care Packages arriving after a camper's week has ended will not be returned due to excessive shipping charges. Please be sure to send these with enough time to arrive during your camper's week. Thank you!
Your camper's medical safety is of utmost importance to us. Two Registered Nurses are on site each week who will manage your child's medications while at camp. Summer staff are CPR and First Aid Certified. Our camp has an infirmary on site and is within 30 minutes of a hospital.
If you have additional questions or concerns about your camper’s medical care, email us at nurse@camplurecrest.org.
The most important place to communicate about your camper’s medical needs is the camper’s health form. This form is due March 15th and is available on your Campintouch account.
To protect the safety of all campers from having access to meds, all medications must be kept in the infirmary. This applies to both campers and staff. Exceptions are made for rescue inhalers, diabetic supplies, and epi-pens. These will be carried by your camper's counselor at all times.
Please leave "as needed" over the counter medications at home (ex. tylenol, advil) for the week. We’re well stocked with everything they might need! See a full list of the medication we keep on hand at the bottom of this guide.
If your camper requires a FDA-approved OTC medication on a regular basis (ex. takes claritin every day), please send an unopened bottle of the OTC medication to camp. Regulations require us to follow the directions on the original container unless we have a note from a physician authorizing something different. So if a bottle says it is for adult use only and it is checked in for a ten-year-old, we cannot administer it without a doctor's note. Or if your camper requires a higher dosage that what is listed on the medication directions, you will need to provide a doctor's note.
If the OTC medication is not FDA-approved (ex. melatonin), a doctor's note is required with dosage instructions.
If you camper will need prescription or daily OTC medications, then you'll need to provide our arrival day nurses with a signed and completed Camper Medication Form, indicating all medications and their applicable doses. Make sure you keep all medication in its original container. State regulations require all medication to be in their original containers so we cannot make exceptions.
We cannot administer prescription medications that are:
-Expired. All medication must be currently valid.
-Prescribed to other people. Medication must be prescribed to the camper only and not other family members. If dispensing instructions have changed, please ensure the label is updated by the pharmacy.
-Compounded or mixed at home. We can administer medicines that have been compounded or mixed by a pharmacy, but we cannot administer medicines that have been mixed or compounded together at home. Our nurses at camp are also unable to mix or compound medicines together. If you need this, work with your pharmacy ahead of time to bring a pharmacy mixed medicine with you.
-Broken in half. We cannot administer medicines that are cut or broken into smaller doses than prescribed.
We do not administer CBD oil to campers; please do not pack it in your camper’s luggage.
We do not allow multi-vitamins/supplements during a camp week unless prescribed by a doctor. If your child is medically required to take vitamins/supplements, then please bring the doctor's prescription, stating the vitamin to be given and the dosage. Please note: For melatonin, you'll need to provide a doctor's note and the melatonin in its original, unopened bottle. Ensure that the melatonin provided is the same dosage as prescribed on your doctor's note.
On your departure day, you can pick up your meds when checking out at camp. If your camper rides the bus home, leftover medications will be handed to the camper as they exit the bus.
If needed, you may call in a prescription for pickup at our local pharmacy: Ingles Pharmacy, 276 NC Highway 9, Lake Lure, NC 28746. Phone: 828.625.0748
What to have ready for Check-in
What to Pack:
What NOT to pack:
$75 deposit per camper is required at registration.
Full tuition is due May 1 through credit card or eCheck.
Before May 1: 100% Tuition, 100% Ranch House, & 100% Bus Fare refunded minus $75 non-refundable deposit
After May 1: 50% Tuition, 100% Ranch House & 100% Bus Fare refunded minus $75 non-refundable deposit
14 days or less before camper dates: None, unless a medical or family emergency cancellation
During camper's session: No refunds
Medical Cancellation: If a doctor’s written verification is provided prior to the start of the camper’s camp session, a full refund will be given, minus the $75 non-refundable deposit. All cancellations must be submitted in writing. Please do so here.
Family Emergency Cancellation: In the event of a family emergency (death or severe sickness), please contact us immediately. All cancellations must be submitted in writing.
My child is registered and paid for camp, but cannot attend. Can I use this payment for the next summer?
Our costs are fixed each year, so campers who do not attend may request a refund, if eligible, but we cannot hold funds for the next year.
In our Ranch House (camp store), we offer the following items:
1) Snacks - We offer snacks two times a day, but limit campers as to how much they can purchase each time. (suggested amt: $15-25)
2) Crafts - Our craft shop has many free time options for campers, including paracord bracelet, tie-dye, and pottery. We sell small to large items, many of which can be fired in a kiln and taken back home! (prices range $1-15)
3) Gift Shop - Campers can purchase various items at our Ranch House, such as stickers, drinking bottles, Tshirts, hats, etc. (prices range $1-$30)
(All unused Ranch House funds over $3 will be refunded to you following your camper's camp week, unless at the time of registration you choose to donate it to our Sponsorship Fund. Allow 2-3 weeks for us to process any applicable refund.)
Camper registration happens through a secure online portal. You will create an account that will allow you to register your camper(s), make payments, and update information.
If you have sent a camper to Lurecrest in prior years, please use your existing account, rather than creating a new account.
If your camper desires to attend 2 full-week sessions, please wait until February 1st to enroll in the second week. We ask this In order to offer opportunities to as many campers as possible. This does not apply to our 3-night camps. Buffalo Creek can always be paired with a full-week camp.
If your first-choice session is on a waitlist, you can register for the waitlist and enroll in your second-choice session. If a spot becomes open in your first-choice session, you will have the option to move your camper's enrollment to that session.
We are committed to maintaining a safe camp environment, creating the opportunity to transform lives into the image of Christ.
Safe Staff
We search college campuses all over the southeast for capable and qualified summer staff. Upon applying, summer staff are interviewed to see if their character matches the ministry of Camp Lurecrest. We purposefully embed questions into our interviews as part of our screening process that would reveal problematic behaviors. We also clearly communicate expectations ahead of time and give staff the opportunity to withdraw after understanding our standards. Additionally, we run background checks, check multiple references, and pray over each candidate we hire. We are thorough in our staff hiring process so that our campers experience the very best of camp.
Medical Safety
Two Registered Nurses are on site each week. All medications are given by an RN. Summer staff are CPR and First Aid Certified. Our camp is within 0.5 mile of Lake Lure Fire Department's first responders and is in within 30 minutes of a hospital. Your camper's medical safety is of utmost importance to us.
Ministry Safe Abuse Prevention
Every summer staff member, full-time staff member, and volunteer is required to take Ministry Safe, a camp-specific sexual abuse training and pass a skillful screening process, along with a background check prior to stepping foot on campus. In addition, our summer staff are continuously trained throughout the summer to reduce the risk of abuse at camp.
Activity Safety
Lifeguards are certified by the American Red Cross in pool and waterfront training, as well as CPR and First Aid. Our Outdoor Adventure Team is trained by ACCT-Level 2 Challenge Course Practitioner, as well as CPR and First Aid certified.
Weather Safety
In cases of inclement weather, staff will lead campers to appropriate shelter. We also monitor multiple weather apps for lightning reports and have backup generators on site in order to respond to power outages.
Pest Prevention
We have partnered with Ivy Oaks Analytics, a public health company that specializes in the control of ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers/ mites and poison ivy at large campgrounds, parks and summer camps. Ivy Oaks works with over 150 top summer camps.
We feel an obligation to our camp community to do everything in our power to reduce the risks associated with ticks, mosquitoes, chiggers/ mites and poison ivy.
Their process includes ongoing tick population measurements, landscape modification, natural control methods and more. Camp Lurecrest is proud to be one of the few camps nationally with an advanced public health standards certification by implementing this program.
Sexual Abuse Prevention
We partner with, and use the training resources of the premier sexual abuse prevention organization in the country; MinistrySafe. We follow strict policies in order to create a culture of accountability, communication, and willingness to bring potential risks to light.
Every year a summer staff member is hired, 1)we email and call independent reference checks, 2)we complete a new background check, and 3)we require the staff member to complete MinistrySafe Sexual Abuse Awareness Training, followed by a test. Every year we have a volunteer on campus (ex. camp nurse), we require a new background check and completion of the MinistrySafe Sexual Abuse Awareness Training, followed by a test.
We have strict policies in place forbidding staff members or campers to have phones or technology in the cabin. All changing happens in the closed stalls in the bathroom, and staff members are not permitted to be isolated with campers alone; we are committed to the two adult rule. We have regular cabin audits, a rotation schedule through activities led by independent staff leaders, and a follow-up system for campers to express concerns to other leaders.
We are aware that some families are facing financial difficulties and it is our desire that no child is prevented from attending camp for financial reasons. Family circumstances and the available sponsorship funds will determine the amount of sponsorship granted. Any remaining camper tuition, the camper’s Ranch House spending money, and the bus fare, if applicable, are the responsibility of the registering party.
To apply for camper sponsorships, first register your camper, which requires a $75 deposit, so that a bed is held for your camper. Our camps fill up quickly; this will ensure that your camper does not end up on the waitlist during the sponsorship inquiry process.
After your camper is registered, fill out the Camp Lurecrest Sponsorship Request Form. Each sponsorship request is given consideration in the order it is received.
Camp Lurecrest is a Christian youth residential summer camp in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina on Lake Lure. From September through April, Camp Lurecrest hosts retreat groups from churches, schools, and ministries. Our mission is to love God, love others, and make disciples of Jesus Christ through camping ministries.
CAMP ADDRESS
207 Charlotte Drive
Lake Lure, NC, 28746
(704) 841.2701
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