Shelter Neck Middle School Retreat 2017
Below is detailed information about the Shelter Neck Youth Middle School Retreat which is Sept 22-24 . Please register on-line here by September 18.
What is the Shelter Neck Youth Middle School Retreat and how is it different from the Family Retreat?
The retreat is for Middle School Youth and their parents who come as chaperons and drivers. The focus of the weekend is on the youth program and help the youth bond for a year of close community. If in the past, your family has attended the Shelter Neck Family Retreat (which is typically held in April), it is important to note that the Youth Retreat has a quite different atmosphere than the Shelter Neck Family Retreat. It is more structured and the adults who go on the trip are going as drivers and chaperons. If you are considering attending as a chaperon and would like to talk with folks who have gone before to find out what it is like, please let me know.
______________________________________
DETAILS ABOUT RETREAT:
Departure Time:
We will depart at 6:15 PM on Friday evening 9/22 from the Community Church Parking Lot. Be there at 6:00 so we can deal with permission slips and money. Please do not be late. We can’t leave unless we have all riders and drivers. We want to get there in a timely fashion. If you are late then you hold everyone up.
Return Time:
We will be back by 2:30 on Sunday afternoon. We will call you from the road with more precise arrival time.
Permission Forms/Medical Forms/Behavior Covenant:
All youth need completed permission forms for this retreat. The permission form will be emailed to you after you register. Including a photocopy of their insurance cards, front and back, if they have insurance. No youth will be allowed to come on the retreat without all forms. No exceptions.
Money:
The retreat costs $55 per person. Please have a check made out to Community Church of Chapel Hill with “Shelter Neck Youth Retreat” in the memo line. Please bring a check and not cash, if possible. Cash is much harder to deal with. If you need help covering the cost let me know confidentially because we have a budget for that and we don't want money to keep anyone from coming who would like to come.
Dinner on Friday:
Please eat before you leave or bring $10 to buy fast food on the road.
Food:
The food is plentiful. And the youth can self serve healthy snacks any time. Plus we have treats too—smores, chips, etc. We accommodate all special food needs -- vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, food allergies.
Chores:
There are no maids and cooks at Shelter Neck. So all the work is done by us and we expect that everyone will help.
Contacting Us at Shelter Neck--
All parents will get a email with the cell phone numbers of the adults on the trip so you have various options for contacting us. There is no landline down there.
Supervision:
Together the adults provide strong supervision for the retreat. In general, youth behave responsibly. We ask all youth to sign a behavior agreement which forbids drugs, sexual activity, drinking alcohol, violence, weapons, alcohol and sneaking out. If the behavior agreement is broken then youth are asked to leave and generally are not permitted to participate in overnight events for at least a year.. If your youth is new to the community, it is important that you communicate to them that you expect them to be kind, cooperative, and respectful to other youth and adults alike.
Chaperons:
Adults will sleep in the farm house. We can not guarantee a private room. If you have a particular need for a private room let me know. You can also tent.
I will be sending much more information about what you need to know as a chaperon in a separate email. The main thing you need to know is “Many hands make light work!”
Schedule
Friday Night
Settling In
Opening Circle
Bed
Saturday
8:30 Breakfast and Clean Up (Pancakes, eggs, bacon)
9:30 Trip to Aquarium/Beach
12-2 Lunch and Drive Back or Drive Back and Lunch depending on weather (Sandwiches)
2:30 Art Project
3:30 Free Time
4-5:30 Capture the Flag/Tail Tag weather permitting (Sardines and Silent Football --alternate activities)
6-7:30 Dinner and Clean Up (Taco Bar )
7:30 -8:30 Campfire, Singing, Smores (Start Face Off Early is alternate rain activity)
8:30- Face Off
9:30 –10:30 More Games and Hanging Out
10:30 –Get ready for bed
11:00 Bed
Sunday
8:00- Breakfast (Bagels, Cereal, Leftovers)
Clean Up and Pack
10ish Closing Circle
Locking Up and Leaving
About Shelter Neck Facilities:
Shelter Neck has three buildings, a farmhouse where the adults will sleep, a school house where the kids will sleep but always with chaperons awake, and a church. It has electricity, toilets, and showers with hot water. It is out in the country so it's quiet and dark at night. http://www.shelterneckuucamp.org/
Packing List
• Sheets and pillows. Youth need singles. Adults need doubles. . Kids can just bring sleeping bags and put them on the beds with no sheets, if that's easier.
• Blankets and Sleeping bags. Very Important. It might be chilly.
• Towels. There are hot showers and we may go canoeing so definitely bring towels.
• Bathing suit, shorts and tee shirts for possible canoeing.
• Sneakers and probably another pair of shoes too. There are fire ants and you need to wear shoes. And the floors are rough wood in many of the buildings.
• Flashlight.
• Hoodie, jacket or some warm clothes.
• Sleeping clothes. The kids are sleeping in dorms so they need to be properly covered up. :)
• Several changes of clothes for both hot and cool temperatures and outside play.
• Toothbrush and other toiletries.
• Games, balls, frisbee
There will be no cell phones for youth at Shelter Neck. We will be collecting them when we arrive and hanging on to them for the weekend. If youth need to call home, the adults will have phones. And if you need to contact your youth, you will the numbers of the adults on the trip. The weekend is technology free.
Directions from Chapel Hill
Take I-40 East to Exit # 390.
Take NC Hwy 117 South (toward Burgaw).
Go about 4 miles. (Look for signs for Well's Pork).
Turn left onto Croomsbidge Road. (The road to the right is called Kirkwood Camp Road.)
Go about 3 miles, over the NE Cape Fear River Bridge, go 3/4 mile more.
Shelter Neck is on the left as you come around a curve.
Pull into driveway beside the Gazebo and before the Chapel. Park in front of the Farmhouse along the fence.
The address is:
3747 Croomsbridge Rd
Burgaw, NC 28425
What is the Shelter Neck Youth Middle School Retreat and how is it different from the Family Retreat?
The retreat is for Middle School Youth and their parents who come as chaperons and drivers. The focus of the weekend is on the youth program and help the youth bond for a year of close community. If in the past, your family has attended the Shelter Neck Family Retreat (which is typically held in April), it is important to note that the Youth Retreat has a quite different atmosphere than the Shelter Neck Family Retreat. It is more structured and the adults who go on the trip are going as drivers and chaperons. If you are considering attending as a chaperon and would like to talk with folks who have gone before to find out what it is like, please let me know.
______________________________________
DETAILS ABOUT RETREAT:
Departure Time:
We will depart at 6:15 PM on Friday evening 9/22 from the Community Church Parking Lot. Be there at 6:00 so we can deal with permission slips and money. Please do not be late. We can’t leave unless we have all riders and drivers. We want to get there in a timely fashion. If you are late then you hold everyone up.
Return Time:
We will be back by 2:30 on Sunday afternoon. We will call you from the road with more precise arrival time.
Permission Forms/Medical Forms/Behavior Covenant:
All youth need completed permission forms for this retreat. The permission form will be emailed to you after you register. Including a photocopy of their insurance cards, front and back, if they have insurance. No youth will be allowed to come on the retreat without all forms. No exceptions.
Money:
The retreat costs $55 per person. Please have a check made out to Community Church of Chapel Hill with “Shelter Neck Youth Retreat” in the memo line. Please bring a check and not cash, if possible. Cash is much harder to deal with. If you need help covering the cost let me know confidentially because we have a budget for that and we don't want money to keep anyone from coming who would like to come.
Dinner on Friday:
Please eat before you leave or bring $10 to buy fast food on the road.
Food:
The food is plentiful. And the youth can self serve healthy snacks any time. Plus we have treats too—smores, chips, etc. We accommodate all special food needs -- vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, food allergies.
Chores:
There are no maids and cooks at Shelter Neck. So all the work is done by us and we expect that everyone will help.
Contacting Us at Shelter Neck--
All parents will get a email with the cell phone numbers of the adults on the trip so you have various options for contacting us. There is no landline down there.
Supervision:
Together the adults provide strong supervision for the retreat. In general, youth behave responsibly. We ask all youth to sign a behavior agreement which forbids drugs, sexual activity, drinking alcohol, violence, weapons, alcohol and sneaking out. If the behavior agreement is broken then youth are asked to leave and generally are not permitted to participate in overnight events for at least a year.. If your youth is new to the community, it is important that you communicate to them that you expect them to be kind, cooperative, and respectful to other youth and adults alike.
Chaperons:
Adults will sleep in the farm house. We can not guarantee a private room. If you have a particular need for a private room let me know. You can also tent.
I will be sending much more information about what you need to know as a chaperon in a separate email. The main thing you need to know is “Many hands make light work!”
Schedule
Friday Night
Settling In
Opening Circle
Bed
Saturday
8:30 Breakfast and Clean Up (Pancakes, eggs, bacon)
9:30 Trip to Aquarium/Beach
12-2 Lunch and Drive Back or Drive Back and Lunch depending on weather (Sandwiches)
2:30 Art Project
3:30 Free Time
4-5:30 Capture the Flag/Tail Tag weather permitting (Sardines and Silent Football --alternate activities)
6-7:30 Dinner and Clean Up (Taco Bar )
7:30 -8:30 Campfire, Singing, Smores (Start Face Off Early is alternate rain activity)
8:30- Face Off
9:30 –10:30 More Games and Hanging Out
10:30 –Get ready for bed
11:00 Bed
Sunday
8:00- Breakfast (Bagels, Cereal, Leftovers)
Clean Up and Pack
10ish Closing Circle
Locking Up and Leaving
About Shelter Neck Facilities:
Shelter Neck has three buildings, a farmhouse where the adults will sleep, a school house where the kids will sleep but always with chaperons awake, and a church. It has electricity, toilets, and showers with hot water. It is out in the country so it's quiet and dark at night. http://www.shelterneckuucamp.org/
Packing List
• Sheets and pillows. Youth need singles. Adults need doubles. . Kids can just bring sleeping bags and put them on the beds with no sheets, if that's easier.
• Blankets and Sleeping bags. Very Important. It might be chilly.
• Towels. There are hot showers and we may go canoeing so definitely bring towels.
• Bathing suit, shorts and tee shirts for possible canoeing.
• Sneakers and probably another pair of shoes too. There are fire ants and you need to wear shoes. And the floors are rough wood in many of the buildings.
• Flashlight.
• Hoodie, jacket or some warm clothes.
• Sleeping clothes. The kids are sleeping in dorms so they need to be properly covered up. :)
• Several changes of clothes for both hot and cool temperatures and outside play.
• Toothbrush and other toiletries.
• Games, balls, frisbee
- sunscreen, insect repellent, hat
There will be no cell phones for youth at Shelter Neck. We will be collecting them when we arrive and hanging on to them for the weekend. If youth need to call home, the adults will have phones. And if you need to contact your youth, you will the numbers of the adults on the trip. The weekend is technology free.
Directions from Chapel Hill
Take I-40 East to Exit # 390.
Take NC Hwy 117 South (toward Burgaw).
Go about 4 miles. (Look for signs for Well's Pork).
Turn left onto Croomsbidge Road. (The road to the right is called Kirkwood Camp Road.)
Go about 3 miles, over the NE Cape Fear River Bridge, go 3/4 mile more.
Shelter Neck is on the left as you come around a curve.
Pull into driveway beside the Gazebo and before the Chapel. Park in front of the Farmhouse along the fence.
The address is:
3747 Croomsbridge Rd
Burgaw, NC 28425