Freed from the stresses of so many "ought to" and "have to" elements in their young lives, campers have a say in how they plan their days. They may choose familiar pursuit or try out new ones. They like the idea that no day is exactly like the one before or the one after.

Our skilled counselors and administrative staff members are mostly college aged men and women who sare a love of the outdoors and a deep enjoyment in working with children. Their diversity provides an added level of enrichment to camp life.

Camp Dark Waters is proud of its 4-1 camper-to-counselor ratio and overall 3-1 camper-to-staff ratio. Much life a family- a big family- Director Travis Simmons, his staff and team of counselors interact closely with all the campers on a personal level.

The health and safety of each camper, day and night, is the prime responsibility of every staff member and counselro. Medically trained staff monitor the health of each camper and a doctor is on call 24 hours a day.

An important aspect of personal growth is group living. Children learn the value of responsibility and cooperation. They learn how to care for themselves and each other. Each child is assigned to a crew of about 12 campers from all age grous, and two or three staff. The crew becomes a team, eating meals together (the food is great!) and fulfilling crew duties. The tasks vary an may include meal setup, table-setting, cleanup or general utilities like litter patrol. Campers develop a sense of ownership. The call Camp Dark Waters, "MY CAMP!"

Since 1928, Camp Dark Waters has held a simple belief: That the days of summer should be a time when children are free to play, to ventrue forth in learning new skills and to grow. We offer a friendly emphasis on physical, emotional and spiritual growth through living simply, encouraging independence, caring for self and others, building self-esteem and learning to resolve conflicts peacefully.

In this peaceful, wooded haven, children learn, have fun and forge friendships that can last a lifetime. We honor our founding principles of Peace, Education, Simplicity, Stewardship, Equality, and Integrity.