Camp FAQ

Western Town campers rotate through their four chosen activities daily and get a fun elective of their choice in the afternoon. Discovery campers rotate through our basic activities of riding, ropes and swimming to make sure that they get a sampling of everything while they are here. As long as the weather co-operates, all campers have the opportunity to swim, ride horses and, climb our high ropes course at least once while they are here. Our specialty camps have independent schedules and activities. All overnight campers participate in a large camp game after dinner and finish the day with a fun and meaningful campfire.

The campers sleep in cabin style bunkhouses in our Western Town. All have mattresses and electricity. Campers attending in August are encouraged to bring extra blankets due to cooler weather.

Circle Square Ranch has an experienced team of cooks who prepare delicious and nutritious meals during camp with a variety of healthy snack options at Tuck times. Campers with particular dietary requirements are encouraged to consult with camp prior to their arrival.

Yes. To help reduce lost and found items we ask that all possessions brought to camp be labelled. We attempt to help care for the camper’s clothing, but often considerable amounts get left behind. Clothes will be accessible at sign-out at the end of each camp session.

We will retain lost and found for one month following camp. If not claimed by then, we will donate appropriate items to a local charity. Medication will be disposed of within two weeks following the camper’s week of attendance. Calls to the camp regarding lost and found will be handled as time permits. We can only look for labelled items. Any found items will be sent C.O.D. (at your expense).

Campers are encouraged not to bring valuable clothing or possessions. Circle Square Ranch is not responsible for lost, damaged or stolen items.

Circle Square Ranch is a nondenominational, Christian camp that promotes the teachings of Jesus Christ. We welcome children and youth of any faith and race, encouraging young lives to grow spiritually, mentally, socially and physically.

Your child will have a devotional time during the day (approximately ½ hour) plus an evening campfire (approximately 1 hour) that will focus on predetermined topics as laid out in the Circle Square Ranch general program. These are times of introduction to Christian values and beliefs presented through small and large group discussions, skits, songs and Bible study.

Circle Square is owned and operated by InterVarsity who has been operating summer camps and year-round outdoor educational programs since 1929. We operate nine summer camps across Canada under the names of Pioneer Camp and Circle Square Ranch.

The Rodeo is an event that happens at the end of the week (on Saturday morning) for the kids who participated in our barn activities. It is an opportunity for parents and other campers to come and watch, and for your kids to show off a little bit of what they learned on horseback during the week. This is a great option if you are keen to see your child on horseback. If that doesn’t matter very much to you, then we might suggest one of our other Western Town sessions. The programming during the week is exactly the same during rodeo weeks and non-rodeo weeks.

The following items are not permitted at Circle Square Ranch and, if brought, will be held in the office for the duration of the camper’s session:

• electronic games, players, entertainment and communication devices (cell phones)
• jack knives, hunting knives, matches or lighters
• nuts and/or peanut products
• chewing gum
• inappropriate reading materials
• alcoholic beverages, narcotics or tobacco products (see note)

Do not bring anything valuable to camp, as occasionally things do get lost or broken.

We reserve the right to send home any camper who fails to cooperate. Circle Square Ranch is a NON-SMOKING facility. Please discuss this with your child prior to camp should you consider this to be a concern.

Please note:

• The use of tobacco, alcoholic beverages, or narcotics is prohibited and will be treated as a serious offense. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.
• Circle Square Ranch is not responsible for lost, damaged or stolen items.

Circle Square operates a Tuck Shop (Camp Store) that is open to the public on Saturday following the Rodeo and Sunday during registration hours. Campers are not encouraged to keep cash in their personal belongings though, so tuck money is submitted to the camp office during registration where it is carefully recorded and safely kept. Campers make orders from their account and receive tuck purchases daily as ordered. Purchases are deducted from their tuck account with the balance of any remaining money returned when they are signed out at the end of their camp session.

We suggest a weekly amount of $20-$30.

*Please note: Regular camp fees do not include tuck shop purchases, camp photos, DVD, clothing and souvenirs.

Camper sign-out happens at 9 am on Saturday.

On weeks that include a rodeo, sign-out will start at 9:30 am. Parents are welcome to come and watch their children participate. This can be a great opportunity to see a little bit of what your child has learned at the barn while they were at camp. (Please note that only campers who signed up for riding as an activity are eligible to participate in the rodeo.) All Discovery campers will participate in the rodeo. If your child signed up for riding, but you need to pick them up before the rodeo, please give us a call and we would be happy to arrange that for you.

Camp photos, DVDs and medication are to be picked up when signing out your camper.

All campers must be signed out before leaving. Please notify the office if someone else will be picking up your child at departure as they will be required to sign them out.

In some circumstances, weekend accommodations may be arranged for two-week campers. Please contact us to arrange for this service, as there is an additional fee of $50 per camper.

Our friendly atmosphere and understanding staff help campers overcome the natural fears and concerns of being away from home. Getting kids involved in the program and making new friends helps to overcome the fears associated with leaving home and their family. It is our goal to make their stay at Circle Square Ranch as enjoyable as possible. The camp director will spend time with any homesick child and, if necessary call the parent.

With that in mind, we encourage parents and family not to visit during the week. If a child is homesick, a visit by family is usually not helpful. As well, other campers who are feeling homesick and are aware of the visit may request similar privileges and in most cases, this is not possible. We encourage family to spend as much time on arrival as they feel necessary.

As part of InterVarsity, we believe that summer camp offers a tremendous opportunity for children and teens to grow and mature emotionally, socially and spiritually. At Circle Square Ranch, campers are respected as individuals, challenged and encouraged in all aspects of life, and given the opportunity to experience and develop authentic relationships with peers and leaders. Skill development, social development, personal and spiritual growth are all intentionally fostered by staff and have been hallmarks of the InterVarsity Camp experience since 1929. Finally, and equally importantly, we want every child’s experience to be tremendously fun.

The overall camper to staff ratio is four to one. Each bunkhouse has a cabin leader and, if space permits, a co-leader. Two leaders are responsible for each travel group and there are instructors at each activity that they attend. Trained leaders supervise all activities.

The camp director has more than five years experience working with Circle Square Ranch as well as numerous years experience in the area of youth ministry.

Our summer leadership team consists of individuals with previous camping experience as well as specific skills and training in their area of responsibility.

Health and Safety are emphasized at all times at Circle Square Ranch. We strive to provide safe and enjoyable activities. We have a qualified medical person on staff and emergency services available within minutes of the ranch property. Quality, nutritional meals are provided with a variety of healthy snack options at Tuck times. Drinking water is lab analyzed regularly for quality.

Yes. Because a high level of care for campers is so important to us, the operation of all activities and facilities where campers could potentially experience injury is governed by our risk management manual. This manual clearly details required supervision levels, equipment checks, and operating guidelines to ensure the safe participation of all campers. As well, campers and staff alike are trained to recognize and respond to signals in case of an emergency. This emergency procedure is practised in a drill early in every session.

Medical care is a vital part of our role for your child at the ranch. Please advise us at registration if there are any changes to your child’s medical information. The ranch reserves the right to refuse admission to any camper with a suspected contagious condition (i.e. chickenpox, lice). To ensure your child has an enjoyable week and to protect other campers, please have any condition treated completely before coming to camp. If this is not possible, please call and reschedule to another week, depending on availability.

Due to the structure of our program, Circle Square Ranch requests that medications required throughout the year be sent with your child to camp. All medication brought to camp MUST be kept by ranch staff, including vitamins, puffers and Tylenol. They must be labelled properly with medication name and directions for use. Prescription medication MUST be in the original container with user’s name printed on label. If you want your child to carry their puffer or epipen with them please bring a fanny pack for that purpose. We also request that a second puffer or epipen be checked in with the camp nurse.

Please do not use the week of camp as a break from medication.

All medications left behind after camp will be disposed of after two weeks.

All campers must provide a valid health number and completed medical information on application. Out-of-province campers must have medical insurance.

Details regarding medical/behavioral concerns are to be communicated in writing. Please call to discuss any concerns/special needs by phone.

Should your child have severe food allergies, please contact us at least one week ahead of arrival at the ranch to help us with menu planning. This will allow us to prepare appropriately to ensure your child has an enjoyable stay at camp. If a special diet is required for reasons other than medical needs (i.e. vegetarian), you will be required to provide specialties. Circle Square Ranch will make every effort to accommodate allergies; however, we cannot guarantee that there will be no trace of an allergen in food served. We strive to be a nut free facility and do not knowingly serve foods containing nuts. We sell only nut free products in our store.

Circle Square Ranch cannot guarantee to be a nut/peanut free environment. We do seek to reduce the risk of exposure and therefore do not use or serve peanuts, peanut products or tree nuts on camp property. Nuts or products containing nuts will not be available in our store. However, the food we purchase and serve may contain traces of nut products.

In the interest of protecting your children, please note that all campers will undergo a lice check on the day of registration. Parents are required to stay until this has been done. If any evidence of infestation is found, the child will be sent home for treatment, nit removal & laundering of bedding/pillows before returning. Please inspect your children the day before to ensure they are lice/nit-free.

We provide approved riding helmets, which all campers are required to wear when horseback riding. Campers may bring their own approved riding helmet. No bike helmets please.

Circle Square Ranch is a smoke-free facility. Smoking by campers is prohibited.

Fee includes all meals for camps, housing, use of all recreational equipment and facilities, instruction in activities, and awards.

Fee does not include transportation to and from the ranch or tuck shop purchases. We provide weekend accommodations for two-week campers for an additional fee of $50.

Financial assistance is available but is limited and for those who qualify. Assistance is at the discretion of the Director. Contact the office at 613.335.5403 for information and a scholarship application. The deadline for applications is June 1.

No. You have two options when registering online: Visa or MasterCard or you can mail in a cheque. Paying by cheque will delay the processing of your camp application since registration is not “secured” until full payment is received.

An alternate payment option is only applicable if you are applying for scholarship.