Today’s children face more stressful situations than we can imagine. Kids often react by indulging in unhealthy behaviors. As parents and childcare providers, we feel the need to protect them, but we must remember that our goal is to prepare them to be happy and productive adults. YMCA Camp Bernie focuses on helping campers to build the 7 Cs: competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping and control in order to better deal with stressful situations. Together we can raise successful children who will make their unique and substantial contributions to the world.
Campers are grouped by gender and grade level to provide optimal living and learning experiences in a safe, supportive environment. Lodges and cabins are equipped with bunk style beds, storage areas, indoor toilets and showers. All cabins have interior fireplaces and/or exterior fire pits for evening cabin activities. Older boys (grades 7-10) reside in the Nation, a more rustic, natural environment with screened wooden cabins and a central bath house.
Created for campers entering grades 3 and above who want to focus on skill development and building confidence in the saddle, Horseback Riding Lessons help campers hone their skills on safely working around horses, confidently leading a horse and mounting/dismounting a horse properly. Staff create lessons for campers to learn new skills while improving those learned in pervious lessons. Campers will be assessed and placed in lessons dependent on their skill level. Since each camper is unique and advances at their own pace, lessons are individually created following CHA guidelines. Horseback riding lessons are eight hours total split between a four-day period. There will be time set aside for make-up lessons due to inclement weather. Campers must bring long pants and boots with a heel and are encouraged to submit the Horseback Riding Questionnaire prior to their session.
Campers going into grades 7 and above are eligible to sign up for Dirt Bike Lessons at camp. No experience is needed! Campers will be assessed and placed in lessons dependent on their skill level. Lessons include safety, mechanics, and techniques of operating the equipment, and instruction takes place on our practice field and on camp trails. Dirt Bike Lessons are eight hours total split between a four day period. There will be time set aside for make-up lessons due to inclement weather. Safety equipment is provided, including helmet, pads, and gloves, but riders must have long sleeves and boots with ankle support. Campers are encouraged to submit a Dirt Bike Questionnaire.
Campers in grades 8-10 can choose to go on the optional whitewater rafting trip each session. Campers who take part will camp out at Hickory Run State Park and then spend the day on the Lehigh River with our Pocono Whitewater guides. The eight-mile stretch of river includes class I and II whitewater, as well as a touch of class III. Campers must register in advance for this trip, and there will be an added fee of $100. There is a minimum requirement of 10 campers in order for each trip to run.
| Date | Theme | 2021 Earlybird Rate | 2021 Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/27-7/9 | Session: 13A | Tier 1 $1900, Tier 2 $1850, Tier 3 $1800 | TBD |
|
7/11-7/23 |
Session: 13B | Tier 1 $1900, Tier 2 $1850, Tier 3 $1800 | TBD |
|
7/25-8/6 |
Session: 13C | Tier 1 $1900, Tier 2 $1850, Tier 3 $1800 | TBD |
| 8/8-8/20 | Session: 13D | Tier 1 $1900, Tier 2 $1850, Tier 3 $1800 | TBD |
| Date | Theme | 2021 Rate |
|---|---|---|
| June 20-June 25 | Try It Week | Tier 1 $925, Tier 2 $900, Tier 3 $875 |
| June 27-July 4 | TBD Session: 7A1 |
Tier 1 $1,025, Tier 2 $1,000, Tier 3 $975 |
| July 11-18 | TBD Session: 7B1 |
Tier 1 $1,025, Tier 2 $1,000, Tier 3 $975 |
|
July 25 - August 1 |
Color Wars: TBD Session 7C1 |
Tier 1 $1,025, Tier 2 $1,000, Tier 3 $975 |
| August 8 – 15 | TBD Session 7D1 |
Tier 1 $1,025, Tier 2 $1,000, Tier 3 $975 |
| Date | Theme | 2021 Rate |
|---|---|---|
| June 20 - 25 | Ranch Camp | Tier 1 $1,025, Tier 2 $1,000, Tier 3 $975 |
|
August 1 - 6 |
Camp Hero Session: 6C2 |
Tier 1 $1,025, Tier 2 $1,000, Tier 3 $975 |
| August 15 - 20 | Camp Survive Session: 6D2 |
Tier 1 $1,025, Tier 2 $1,000, Tier 3 $975 |
The dessert of the camp session! If you’re signed up for multiple sessions, you can stay through the weekend and have the camp all to yourself! Holdover is also a great late pick-up option for families who have difficulty getting to camp on the scheduled Friday. Specialized activities, meals and even off-camp trips or on-site entertainment is included.
Please note: holdover can be added on to the end of a session for parents who prefer a Sunday pickup, however, holdover cannot be the beginning of your camp sessions.
| Session | Date | Trip/Event | 2021 Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A to B | 7/9-7/11 | TBD | TBD |
| Session B to C | 7/23-7/25 | TBD | TBD |
| Session C to D | 8/6-8/8 | TBD | TBD |
"Try It" is a perfect week for new campers to get a feel for what overnight camp is all about!
Ranch Camp gives campers an opportunity to bond with one of the most elegant and powerful animals on earth, the horse. This is a wonderful opportunity for children who would like a more personal learning and riding experience. Campers in this program will learn proper riding techniques while riding a variety of horses. They will also learn first aid and general care of horses as well as social and life skills through interactions with other like-minded people. Whether this will be your first introduction to horses or you are a riding expert, Ranch Camp will be a wonderful experience for you.
Camp Believe is far different from regular overnight camp. You begin a live action role play style quest where you learn how to create potions, cast spells and fight evil creatures of the realm. You will create your own character and costume as you level up throughout your quest. If you love adventure, you won’t believe how much you’ll love Camp Believe!
Camp Survive provides campers with a fun and educational experience with wilderness survival. The program teaches campers priorities in the wild, as well as how to build fires and shelters, purify water and identify safe and unsafe food sources. Camp survive also runs games and simulations to test their knowledge and teamwork in a fun and exciting way. Can YOU survive Camp Survive?
We accept one request per camper and both children must request each other. With an age gap, the older child must agree to move down to the younger group. We do not allow multiple requests as this can lead to cliques and some kids feeling excluded.
We help the children make new friends through cabin chats and team building exercises. Additionally, we call parents/guardians within 48 hours of a first-time overnight camper’s arrival.
Eighty percent of counselors are 18 or over, mostly college students. Seventeen-year-old JCs are paired with a Senior Counselor in Overnight Camp and lead younger groups in Day Camp. Counselors are interviewed, have a minimum of three references checked and clear a Criminal Background Screening. Specialty staff members carry certifications relevant to their program areas. On average, one third of our counselors were campers at YMCA Camp Bernie helping them to relate to the children attending camp.
This is our camp store with snacks, drinks, clothing items and souvenirs. We carry a supply of toiletry items that campers may have forgotten. Campers visit the Trading Post on a daily basis.
A licensed RN, LPN or EMT is on property 24/7. There are regular call times and medication is stored and administered by the Nurse. Hackettstown Regional Medical Center is 20 minutes from Camp. Many staff members are certified in Basic First Aid and AED/CPR.
If it is moderate, we run our regular program; campers will need rain gear. For heavy rain, we run special, pre-planned indoor activities. During a thunderstorm, all campers and staff will immediately be brought indoors.
Parents can send e-mails via their online accounts; these are delivered to the campers daily. We also encourage parents to send traditional letters. We do not allow cell phones, as in our experience, phone conversations lead to increased homesickness.
The Overnight bus from the Ridgewood YMCA checks in at 12:00 p.m., with a departure of 12:30 p.m. On closing days, the bus departs Camp at 10:30 a.m., arriving at the Ridgewood YMCA at 12:00 p.m.
The basic idea behind tiered pricing is it gives families the freedom to choose a camp fee that fits their financial situation.
The summer camp experience is the same for every camper, regardless of which price tier is chosen.
Most camps use a three-tier system and the tiers recognize that some families are able to pay the full cost of camp, while others have the freedom to choose a subsidized cost without having to fill out any forms.
The typical explanation goes something like:
Tier 1 (highest price) the full cost of camp
Tier 2 (middle price) partially subsidized fee
Tier 3 (lowest price) fully subsidized fee
The majority of camps, including Camp Bernie, are now receiving significantly less in the form of subsidies. Rather than substantially raise prices on all families, tiered pricing essentially asks families with greater financial means to subsidize those who can’t pay the full cost of camp.
We also offer additional scholarships for campers who need greater financial assistance.
You might think that everyone will choose the lowest tier, but the experience of most camps is that they get a surprising number of families who choose the middle or high tier.
Tiered pricing helps us to respond to changing economic conditions while giving families the chance to pick the option that works for them.
No, one-week campers will be placed with two-week campers in the same cabins. They will be starting camp on the same day and time, receiving the same first day orientation as two-week campers.
Yes! We will be in contact with parents should a one-week camper express interest in staying for the full session.
They are eligible for regular horseback riding and dirt biking. They can only register for one of these two specialties, however.
Most campers will stay in cabins with full bathrooms and showers inside the cabin. Older boys, grades 7-10, stay in the rustic Nation area with a central bathhouse serving the entire unit.
Campers sign up for their "free choice" progressive activities. These sign-ups take place during orientation on the first day of camp. Cabin activity periods are pre-scheduled by our staff and campers rotate through activities with their cabin mates during these blocks.
It is the philosophy of the YMCA for safety purposes that all children should learn how to swim. Within the first 24 hours at camp all campers have a swim check to determine their ability to swim. Campers in grades 2-6 will be placed in an appropriate YMCA swim lesson class. For safety purposes, and in the interest of ensuring a positive teaching environment for all campers, if a camper is uncomfortable in the water or misbehaving they will sit out of the pool on the bench on the pool deck.
You have three options for any unspent Trading Post money:
1. Do nothing - the money will be kept as a credit in your Trading Post account for your next session or event at camp.
2. Donate - send an email to info@campbernieymca.org and let us know you'd like to donate your unused Tranding Post money to our scholarship fund to allow children to have a magical camp experience who otherwise would not have been able to.
3. Request a Refund - send an email to info@campbernieymca.org and let us know you'd like your money refunded and we will process your request.
We do not give refunds after June 1.
