Outdoor Ministries And Retreat Center

Walcamp
Outdoor Ministries
And Retreat Center
2016
And all God’s people said...
AMEN!
Contents
1 — Contents
2 — History
3 — Calendar
The idea of Walcamp Outdoor Ministries was born in
1955 by the Northern Illinois District of the Walther
League, a dedicated group of young Lutheran
Christians. Walcamp’s 180 acres were purchased in
1959. The camp officially opened in 1963.
The campground grew and developed as new buildings
and cabins were built and summer camp, family camp,
and outdoor education began to grow and boom.
5 — Special Needs Ministry
6 — Events for Ages 6-8
7 — Events for Ages 9-11
9 — Junior High Events
11 — High School Events
12 — Junior Staff Program
13 — Special Need Volunteers
14 — Adult and Family Events
15 — Family Campground
17 — Outdoor Education
19 — Retreat Facilities
Our ministry has grown from serving high school
youth and their families and congregations to include
ministries to adults and children with special needs,
inner city students, retreat ministries, paintballing,
day events, and Jr. and Sr. High Retreats.
21 — Paintball
22 — Mission and Vision
Back — Contact Information
1
Walcamp comes from a rich history founded in God’s
Word and the dedicated support and prayers of God’s
people. We are excited to see how God will continue to
transform lives through the ministry of Walcamp.
2
Winter/Spring
Calendar
January 15-17
Senior High
Winter Retreat
February 27-28
Junior High Retreat
April 8
Family Campground Opens
April 8-10
Special Needs
Easter Retreat
Spring Calendar
May 6
Volunteer Appreciation
Dinner
May 6-8
Workerbee Weekend
May 14
Spring Gala Luncheon
and Auction
May 27
Family Campground
Programming Begins
June Calendar
June 4
Special Needs Volunteer
Training
June 12-17 (Week 1)
Archery Camp
Horse Camp
Owl Night
Horse Camp
CIT (Counselors
in Training)
July 3-8
July 24-July 29 (Week 6)
Family Week
Paintball Camp
Horse Camp
July 10-15 (Week 4)
Children’s Camp
Archery Camp
Horse Camp
Counselors in Training
(CIT)
Discovery Camp
(Two Half Weeks)
Special Needs Camp
(Under-30 Week)
Caving Trip
Walcamp Leadership
Training
July 31-August 5 (Week 7)
Special Needs Camp
Special Needs Camp
July 17-22 (Week 5)
August 7-12 (Week 8)
Owl Night
Special Needs Week
Treehouse Camp
Survivor Camp
Classic Camp
*Day camp runs Monday to
Friday from July 11-29.
Special Needs Camp
Discovery Camp
(Two Half Weeks)
June 26-July 1 (Week 3)
Treehouse-Canoe Trip
Horse Camp
Deaf Camp
Children’s Camp
Walcamp Leadership
Training
Tipi Camp
*Day camp runs Monday to
Friday June 13-July 1.
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June 19-24 (Week 2)
July/August Calendar
Paintball Camp
Special Needs Camp
(Summer Camp week listed in
parentheses.)
Fall Calendar
September 18
Fall Festival
September 30–October 2
Fall Paintball Retreat
October 14-16
Autumn Adventure
Fall/Winter
Calendar
November 4-6
Junior High Retreat
December 2-4
Special Needs
Christmas Retreat
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Children's Camp
ministries, comes with a long history of reliability and tradition.
Walcamp and Voice of Care have been serving individuals with
Enjoy a week exploring Walcamp and
learning about the love of Jesus in a
fun new way! Campers canoe, swim,
hike, play games, build craft projects,
shoot archery, roast S’mores and make
developmental disabilities for over twenty years. Both children and
adults are welcome to participate.
Weekend Retreats
new friends. (Ages 7-8)
Each weekend includes devotions,
activities, and off-site bowling. They
are some of the most anticipated
weekends of the year!
COST: $140
Spring Retreat Winter Retreat
April 8-10
December 2-4
Week long Camps
Campers canoe, swim, hike, play games, build
craft projects and explore God’s creation with old
and new friends through Bible study and fun.
Most weeks are run alongside traditional camps at
times throughout the day. *July 24-29 is for
campers under the age of 30. **August is our large
week exclusively for campers with special needs.
COST: $475
DATES: June 19-24, June 26-1, July 10-15,
July 24-29*, July 31-5, & August 7-12**
COST: $430
DATES: June 26-1, July 24-29
Ages 6-8
Special Needs
Walcamp’s Special Needs program, partnered with Voice of Care
Discovery Camp
Excited about the fun at camp, but not
ready to stay a whole week? These
half week sessions offer the same
activities as a full week of camp and
are designed to make sure that
everyone can enjoy camp.
COST: $250
DATES: July 10-12, July 13-15
Day Camp
Canoe on a lake, hike in the
woods, float down a river, and
still be home by dinner! It’s
day camp at a real camp.
Programming runs from 9:00a
to 5:30p.
COST: $155/week
DATES: Monday - Friday
June 12-August 5
(except July 3-8)
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Who doesn’t love a little adventure? Our adventure camps feature
cooking over a fire every day, activities centered around the great
outdoors, and roughing it at one of our adventure sites.
Hit the target during this week of
archery lessons! A certified archery
instructor will spend time every day
working with campers while still
leaving enough time for the rest of our
fun Walcamp activities!
COST: $430
DATES: Tipis - June 26-July 1, Treehouses - July 17-22,
Survivor - July 17-22
COST: $460
DATES: June 12-17, July 10-15
Ages 9-12
Ages 9-12
Adventure Camps
Archery Camp
Owl Night
Live it up like you’re nocturnal
during this week of midnight
madness! Sleep all day and stay
out all night, visit a pizza
restaurant, play mini-golf, and
spend plenty of time at
Walcamp with all the night
games and activities you can
imagine.
COST: $480
DATES: June 19-24, July 17-22
Classic Camp
Discovery Camp
Camp as it always has been! Enjoy a
week of making friends, learning
about Jesus, and having tons of fun
doing all of the classic camp
activities. Canoeing, archery, and
swimming are just a few of the
activities we get to do every week.
Excited about the fun at camp, but
not ready to stay a whole week?
These half week sessions offer the
same activities as a full week of
camp and are designed to make
sure that everyone can enjoy camp.
COST: $430
DATES: July 31-August 5
7
COST: $250
DATES: June 12-14
June 15-17
Day Camp
Canoe on a lake, hike in the woods,
float down a river, and still be home by
dinner! It’s day camp at a real camp.
Programming runs from 9:00a to 5:30p.
COST: $155/week
DATES: Monday - Friday
June 12-August 5
(except July 3-8)
Horse camp
Every day head out to On Eagle’s
Wings Equestrian Center, get to know
your new trusty steed and learn how
to ride like a champion. Spend time
the rest of the day at camp, swimming,
canoeing, and enjoying all Walcamp
has to offer.
COST: $590
DATES: See Calendar
Autumn
Adventure
Need a break from school? Enjoy a
weekend escape to Walcamp!
We’ll be bringing back some of
your favorite counselors and
activities from the summer and
adding some fun fall activities too.
So pack your suitcase, grab your
jacket, and head back to Walcamp
for an Autumn Adventure!
COST: $90
DATES: October 14-16
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Get excited for a week of paintballing
while learning about the teamwork
and strategy that goes into the game.
Spend time on each of Walcamp’s
paintball courses using the terrain to
your advantage. Equipment and
paint is provided.
Our most popular trip camp! Enjoy
yourself underground during this
week of subterranean experiences.
Spend two nights camping at Blue
Mound State Park and take a day trip
to Cave of the Mounds in Blue
Mounds, Wisconsin. As with all
Jr. High programming, swimming,
archery, canoeing and high ropes are
included in the weekly activities.
COST: $500
DATES: June 26-July 1, July 24-29
Owl Night
COST: $500
DATES: July 17-22
Enjoy all the fun of a week of paintball camp jammed into one highoctane weekend! Participants will
spend all of Saturday out on the
course, with other activities Friday
and Sunday to round out a great
weekend.
COST: $120
DATES: September 30 October 2
9
COST: $430
DATES: July 31-August 5
COST: $480
DATES: June 19-24, July 17-22
Horse camp
Every day head out to On Eagle’s
Wings Equestrian Center, get to
know your new trusty steed and
learn how to ride like a champion.
Spend time the rest of the day at
camp, swimming, canoeing, and
enjoying all Walcamp has to offer.
COST: $590
DATES: See Calendar
Classic Camp
Camp as it always has been! Enjoy a
week of making friends, learning
about Jesus, and having tons of fun
doing all of the classic camp
activities. High ropes, archery,
canoeing, and swimming are
highlights of every Jr. High week!
Live it up like you’re nocturnal
during this week of midnight
madness! Sleep all day and stay
out all night, visit a pizza
restaurant, play mini-golf, and
spend plenty of time a t
Walcamp with all the night games
and activities you can imagine.
Fall Paintball
Retreat
Ages 12-14
Ages 12-14
Caving Trip
Paintball Camp
TreehouseCanoe Trip
Spend a week roughing it in treehouses and taking a day canoe trip
down the Kishwaukee river! As with
all Jr. High programming,
swimming, archery and high ropes
are included as options in the weekly
activities.
COST: $480
DATES: June 12-17
Junior High
Retreats
Jr. High youth groups, Bible study
groups, and confirmation classes can
take this amazing opportunity to join
other Christians their own age in
Christian fellowship and to dive into
Bible study and fun in God’s creation.
COST: $90
DATES: February 27-28, 2016
November 5-6, 2016
February 25-26, 2017
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Paintball Camp
Camp as it always has been! For
high school students we ramp
things up even more with high
ropes, challenges, late night
activities, and more freedom
throughout the day. Enjoy a week
of camp without the responsibilities
of being a Junior Staff member!
Get excited for a week of paintballing while learning about the
teamwork and strategy that
goes into the game. Spend time
on each of Walcamp’s paintball
courses using the terrain to
your advantage. Equipment
and paint is provided. High
school participants can enjoy
extra freedom and activities.
COST: $430
DATES: July 31-August 5
COST: $500
DATES: June 26-July 1,
July 24-29
Fall Paintball
Retreat
Sr. High
Winter Retreat
Enjoy all the fun of a week of
paintball camp jammed into one
high-octane weekend! Participants
will spend all of Saturday out on the
course, with other activities Friday
and Sunday to round out a great
weekend.
Every January a group of high
schoolers from Northern Illinois
venture up to Wisconsin Dells for a
weekend of skiing, swimming,
fellowship and fun! Walcamp
organizes this get-away weekend for
high school groups.
COST: $120
DATES: September 30 October 2
11
COST: Varies
DATES: January 15-17, 2016
January 13-15, 2017
Walcamp is committed to training high school students not only to
prepare them for an opportunity to serve as summer staff members
when they reach college, but also to become leaders wherever they
go. This year we are revamping the Junior Staff program and
making some adjustments that will hopefully benefit both the Junior
Staff members and the campers that they will be serving.
Counselors in
Training (CIT)
Our CIT program is designed to help
8th and 9th graders make the
transition from camper to Junior Staff.
Participants will enjoy a week of
spiritual and leadership training filled
with tips on working with cabin
groups, peers and staff, followed by a
week attached to a cabin group just
like a Junior Staff member.
AGES: 14-16
COST: $560 (Two weeks)
DATES: June 19-July1
July 24-August 5
Junior Staff
Ages 14-18
Classic Camp
Junior Staff
Junior Staff members are high school
students and graduates who are
willing to volunteer a week of their
time to help at Walcamp. JSs are
attached to a cabin group aiding a
counselor throughout the week and
have at least an hour of time with
other JSs each day. Applications are
available on our website; 9th & 10th
graders must have completed CIT.
AGES: 15+
COST: $110 (to cover food)
DATES: All weeks with summer
camp programs.
TRAINING DATES: June 11-12
Walcamp Leadership Program
This new program is available by invitation only. Walcamp staff as well as
pastors and teachers can nominate individuals who have finished their 10-12th
grade years to participate in the Walcamp Leadership Program. Participants
will spend three weeks at Walcamp receiving leadership training as well as
aiding in training new CIT and Junior Staff members.
AGES: 16+ ; COST: FREE; DATES: June 12-July 1; July 17-August 5
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Each weekend retreat and week of camp, Walcamp needs dedicated
volunteers to aid their trained staff in assisting and caring for those with
special needs. These volunteers are the lifeblood of the program, and we
could not do what we do without those who are willing to serve.
Volunteers must have completed their freshman year of high school at the
time of their volunteer week. Younger students may come to observe, but
will not be heavily relied on for assistance.
Our annual Fall Festival is an
amazing opportunity for the whole
family to come out and enjoy
Walcamp! The event begins with
worship at 11:00am, then continues
throughout the day with a pig roast,
lawn games, archery, canoeing,
paintball, civil war encampment,
and many other events for all ages!
COST: $5 per vehicle plus food.
DATE: September 18
Thiel Center
Enjoy a weekend stay at the
Thiel Center this summer
with your family! Stay in our
condo-style accommodations
in the middle of our beautiful
camp. Weekend programing
is provided from Memorial
Day until Labor Day.
COST: See Facilities page.
DATE: Weekends June 12August 12
Open the rest of the year.
All volunteers are encouraged to attend a Special Needs Volunteer
Training Day. These events will equip volunteers with Voice of Care’s
REST training, which can be utilized both in the camp setting and
anywhere that participants may interact with those with special needs.
Cost for these events is $30, with all subsequent volunteer weeks/
weekends being completely free. Please note that completion of a training
weekend does not guarantee acceptance in the volunteer program.
All volunteers must go through an application process before being
accepted as Special Needs Volunteers. Applications are available on the
Walcamp website. Filling out an application does not guarantee
acceptance into the volunteer program.
For more information on volunteering and for more information on
training events, please contact our Program Director Louis Blocker at 815784-5141 or [email protected].
Adult & Family
SN Volunteer
Fall Festival
Family week
Looking for a new Fourth of July
tradition? We put a pause on our
normal summer camp programming
to allow the whole camp to be open
for families to utilize.
COST: Varies
DATE: July 3-8
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Listed prices are from May 27 - September 5, all other dates have a 15%
discount. Call about weekly or monthly rates.
Tent Camping
Four rustic tent sites near the playground and large grassy area. No
hook up available.
Walcamp’s Family Campground is open from April through October
with exact dates dependent on the weather. Call ahead to check on
opening and closing information if the weather is cold.
From Memorial Day to Labor Day we offer extra programming every
weekend for campground guests. These include canoeing, archery,
swimming, hay rides, and other special activities. The trading post is
also open at various times during the weekend. Holiday weekends
(Memorial Day, Labor Day, Fourth of July weekend) include extra
programming, including bingo, crafts, and extended times for our
standard programming. Schedules will be posted every weekend
that programming is offered.
Campground
CampGround
Walcamp offers spacious camp sites that are quiet, relaxing, and fun!
Each includes a picnic table and fire ring. There are two bathhouses
that service the campground. The grounds have plenty of large grassy
areas with shade trees and a playground. Firewood, ice, pop, snacks,
and other supplies can be purchased at the trading post.
Coming for a week? Day camp is available for any children staying the
week in family camp!
$20/night
Cabin Camping
Six one-room cabins with electric and
air conditioning. Each cabin has four
beds and also includes a picnic table,
fire ring, and charcoal grill.
$50/night; $93/weekend;
$132/three-day weekend
RV Camping
Seasonal RV Camping
Fifteen RV or tent sites with water and
30/50 amp electric. Campground also
has two dump stations.
Seasonal sites are available for purchase. These
sites allow owners to spend every weekend from
open to close at Walcamp. In addition, seasonal
site owners may use their site for 10 weekdays
during the campground’s open season. Winter
storage is included but also available separately.
30amp site - $32/night; $55/weekend;
$83/three-day weekend
50amp site - $35/nigh; $60/weekend;
$90/three-day weekend
15
Seasonal Site - $1640
Winter Storage - $300
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Outdoor Ed
Outdoor Ed
Come here for outdoor ed...
At Walcamp we give schools the opportunity to bring students out
during the school year for a day trip or up to a 4 night stay to
experience and learn about God’s creation.
We give instructors the option to simply bring their class out and
lead their own programs, or have our trained staff lead units while
teachers and chaperones spend quality time with their students.
...Or Bring outdoor ed to you!
We are starting a new program to bring outdoor education to your
school! A member or members of our trained staff can come to your
school and bring along items from Walcamp to help teach lessons
about the outdoors.
This program is designed both for preschools that do not have the
ability to come out to camp, and to help students in other grades
prepare for a trip to Walcamp in future years.
Available Programs

Orienteering

Canoeing

Service Projects

Astronomy

Tree Identification

Fishing

Archery

Devotions

Team Building

Pioneer Life

Pond Study

Challenge Course

Survival Skills

Bird Watching

High Ropes Course
And Much More!
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Walnut and Hickory each have a living room, kitchen, and screened in
porch with access to a common fire pit and wood box. Walnut has one
master bedroom with four beds, while Hickory has a bedroom sleeping
four and an upstairs loft with ten bunks. Walnut has two futons, Hickory
has three.
The lodge
The top floor of the lodge has our dining
room/common room with space for up to
200 people. Outside sits the amphitheater
with seating for over 100. Includes a fireplace
and television with DVD.
Facilities
Facilities
ThiEl Center
The Thiel Center is home to our condo style units, Walnut and Hickory,
as well as our Nature Center. All three units have outdoor access.
Walnut is a central unit with doors that may access Hickory and the
Nature Center.
The Nature Center can serve as a meeting space for up to forty with a
gas fireplace and television. Tables and chairs are available for meetings
and meals.
This building is for family and adult retreats and events.
$75 per night for Walnut, $225 per night for Hickory,
$120 minimum for nature center use
Downstairs houses three bunk rooms with a
total of 64 beds as well as a common room.
Oak & Maple
Oak and Maple are two cabins
situated in the woods away from the
main camp area. They each have two
rooms with 14 beds (28 total)
separated by a common room
complete with wood firebox,
mini-fridge, television and outdoor
fire pit. Each room has its own
bathroom attached.
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The Pavilion
This open air structure offers 15
picnic tables which seats 8 per
table, electricity, fireplace,
mounted projector screen &
bathrooms. This is a lovely site for
parties, receptions and picnics.
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$50 for Course Fee, Rental, CO2 and 500 Paintballs
OUR MISSION
At Walcamp Outdoor Ministries, Jesus Christ shares Himself
through relationships and creation to declare His love to
every person.
$20/500 Paintballs
$70/2000 Paintballs
Add Paintballing to your overnight retreat or bring your own equipment
and receive a $10 discount per person!
The JunkyarD
OUR VISION
Walcamp will transform lives through effective Christian
programming led by exceptional staff in quality
facilities supported by an engaged alumni and donor base.
Mission
Paintball
Spend a day paintballing with us! Just let us know when you want to
come out and use the course. Use our equipment or bring your own!
Paintballing is open year round. Winter rates may be adjusted based on
temperature and cost of weather-resistant paint.
The Woods
Fort Pioneer
Open Year-round!
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815-784-4085 (FAX)
815-784-5141
[email protected]
Walcamp.org
Kingston, IL 60145
32653 Five Points Road
Walcamp