Daily Archives: June 20th, 2013

Communication at Camp

June 20, 2013

  1. Dear Moms and Dads,
    I just wanted to introduce myself and let you know a few things about communication at Camp. My name is Tracy Bachmann. I’m Andy’s wife and Mike and Sharon’s daughter-in-law (not to mention Judah, Stella and Remy’s mom). I am the person that you will be hearing from when you read our daily blog during camp. As a mom, I understand how important it is to feel connected! I’m in the office every day answering the phone, shepherding emails and making Camp Facebook updates. Communication is my passion! I’m also wearing the new hat of database wrangler (yippee kai yay), and I’m still learning the ins and outs of this great system. Please bear with us as we live through our first summer with CampMinder.
    A few things I’d like you to know:
    • Feel free to call or email me any time. Do not hesitate to ask for an update on your camper – I’m happy to make inquiries and give you a report. I am in the office all morning long, and much of the afternoon. If we are not at the phone, leave a message and we will call you back shortly.
    • We make frequent blog posts all week long reporting on the weather, fun stuff going on at Camp, what the boys are eating for lunch and MORE. It’s a great way to feel connected to your camper, as well as a great way to relive the memories once he’s home from Camp.
    • Sign in to the gallery on the website.  We upload photos often. We try our best to get as many faces as possible on there, if you don’t see your child don’t worry.
    • If you’d like to email your son, please use our two-way email system through Bunk1. Just click on the “send an email” link on the home page of camphighlands.com. I can usually answer questions you have about this system, and their customer service is great.
    • Like us on Facebook! We will be making daily posts there. Tell your friends and family! It’s a great way for them to stay connected with your camper, too!
    • Follow us on Twitter @CampHighlands  and on Instagram too! (ok, full disclosure, I even have several Highlands Pinterest boards!
    We so appreciate your son’s attendance at Camp Highlands. We try our best to keep you informed about what’s going on at Camp. If you have ideas about things you’d like us to report on, just let me know! I love hearing from parents, and am always available for a chat. If you have any concerns at all just give me a ring.
    Sincerely,
    Tracy B.
    P.S. I’ll be sending my 8 year old, Stella Plum, off to four weeks of camp in July. I completely understand the mix of excitement and apprehension about shipping a child off to camp. So, seriously, if you’re worried, please call me! I can run recon for you and let you know how that boy of yours is doing!
     

  2. Mom-o-gram

    Hello Highlands Moms (and Dads too),
    Just a few words to you from a Highlands mom who has been around for a while. As camp time nears, I know that your and your son’s thoughts will be turning to Camp Highlands. We are so glad that he will be with us this summer.
    I have been re-reading the comments from the parent response forms that we sent out at the end of last summer. Those comments help us know that we are on the right track. Your son will learn much while he is here– learning to take responsibility – learning to put his energy to the good — and learning what it means to be a Worthwhile man.
    Mike and I have been in your shoes. It was a little easier to send our sons Tim and Andy to camp. They were at Highlands and we had selected and knew all of the staff. But when we took our daughter Laura to her camp — that was another story! Her first year, as we reached the gates of her new camp she started sobbing. That did it for me. I was a wreck for the first week she was there. I’m a worrier, how about you?
    I am writing to assure you that your son will be in good hands!  We have an absolutely wonderful staff! We can assure you of that, because we know them. Our staff is an amazing blend of teachers and college students. Our main criterion in staffing is selecting “nice people.” Your son will have a ball!
    We care about your son, and will do all that we can to help him have a great time. Andy, Tracy, Mike and I think about the boys as our own while they are at camp. Please know that we stay on top of any “homesick” situation, and help boys work through any adjustment problems. There are surprisingly few.
    A friend here in Western Springs was telling me how nervous she was because her daughter is going away to camp for the first time. I told her what I want to tell you: Don’t hesitate to call if you have a concern about your child. We are in and out of the office every day, so chances are good that you will reach a Bachmann when you call. We also check the answering machine throughout the day. One of us will follow up on any question or concern, and get back to you with an up-to-the minute report. The office number is 715-542-3443.
    Thank you for the confidence you show in all of us on the Highlands staff. We are looking forward to a terrific summer with your son!
    Sincerely,
    Sharon Bachmann

  3. Make sure you are ready for camp!

    From Andy and Mike Bachmann….
    Dear Highlands Parents:
    We are happy that your son is going to be with us at Camp Highlands this summer. You will want to make sure you’ve read all the information about travel to camp, mail, the email system and more. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call with any questions.
    Mail: Please write your son frequently. He will check the mail every day! The summer address is: “your son’s name” c/o Camp Highlands, 8450 Camp Highlands Road, Sayner, WI 54560. If you’d like your son to write you, we strongly suggest sending him with pre-addressed, pre-stamped envelopes.
    E-mail: We utilize the services of Bunk1 for e-mails. They coordinate the notes so we receive them in an organized manner. You can download the Bunk1 information on the homepage. We even have the instructions in Spanish! There is a link on the homepage called “email your camper.” Once you’ve set up your Bunk1 account, this is the link you can click to access the Bunk1 portal.
    Also, if you need to contact us you can always call, but we also answer email. Our e-mail addresses are: Mike: mike@camphighlands.com, Andy: andy@camphighlands.com, Tracy: tracy@camphighlands.com, Sharon: sharon@camphighlands.com.
    Packages: We encourage packages, but we ask that you NOT send food – even the healthy stuff. Packages are opened in the office, and edibles will have to be confiscated (and will not be saved until the end of camp). The four-legged critters can clean out a cabin in no time. Books, magazines, games, and puzzles are always popular. PRIORITY MAIL, UPS, DHL, and FED EX deliver right to camp.
    Telephone: The camp office telephone number is 715-542-3443. The best time to reach us is between 9:00 and 12:00 in the morning. The answering machine is always on, and we promise to get back to you if we are out when you call. We do not allow the campers to receive or make phone calls. It’s an interruption of life at camp and has a way of bringing on homesickness! Please don’t send cell phones, unless you want one for your son’s travel (remember to include the charger). We will keep the phone in the office until it is time for him to go home.
    The Lodge: If you plan to come to gather your son at the close of his session, or visit camp during the summer, consider staying in the Highlands Lodge. It features seven guest cottages and a separate dining facility. The Lodge cabins all focus on the lake and maintain their rustic northwoods charm. This is a convenient and fun way to visit camp! To make your reservation, email Sharon or call her at 715-542-2950.
    Friends + Family Camp: August 11 to 18, we offer a fun vacation where the parents get to play too! Each family has an individual cabin. The meals are great, and it is a lot of fun. Contact Sharon to enroll.
    Concerns: Please know that when you have a concern about your son; we want you to call or email us. You may read something “between the lines” in a letter and worry about it for a week before calling. Nine times out of ten it is something we can check on and clear up immediately – giving you a better night’s sleep! We do not consider your calls to us a bother. They are one way you can assist us in helping your son have the best possible time at camp.
    A time to grow: At Camp Highlands, character and values are important. Your son will learn new skills and make new friends. We will do our best to help him have a relaxed and fun time. We emphasize the value of each person. We provide different chores to foster responsibility. We encourage boys to try new challenges and finish what they start. Kindness and consideration are a big part of everyday life at camp. We will do what we can in our own unique setting to reinforce those qualities we know you believe to be important. We will have a wonderful time with your son! Thanks for sharing him with us!
    Here are some things you’ll want to know about Sunday:
    Bus riders:
    • Please have your son at the O’Hare Oasis by 9:15 a.m. so that we can be on time for our 10 a.m. departure. This is a link to a Google map showing the location of the Oasis.
    • Don’t forget to pack your son a lunch. (although if you do forget, we have a stash of PB&Js on hand)
    • Our Rockford stop is between 11:00 and 11:30 am at the Clock Tower at Business 20/State Street.
    • We stop in Madison, WI at the Pine Cone Shell, Exit 132, 51 Madison/Deforest between 12:30 and1:00 p.m.
    Arriving by car:
    • The best time to arrive is 1:00 – 3:00 p.m on Sunday.
    • If you are staying in the area and need to drive back home, you may bring your son earlier that day (hint, if you get here around noon, you are welcome to join us for lunch!)
    Directions from Minocqua: US 51 North to County M. Right on M until you reach N. Right on N 4.5 miles to The Corner Store. (Great ice cream cones!) Turn left at the store on Razorback Road, then right on Camp Highlands Road; the road dead-ends at Camp. It’s about 5 miles from The Corner Store to Camp.
    Directions from Eagle River: Hwy 70 west to St. Germain. Go straight on 155 at the intersection with the giant statue of Chief St. Germain. Go through Sayner to County N. Left on N to The Corner Store. Turn right on Razorback Road, then right on Camp Highlands Road; the road dead-ends at Camp. It’s about 5 miles from The Corner Store to Camp.
    Arrival by plane:
We will call you once your boy has landed and is in our care. We will then get him to the busses to be transported to camp. All boys will be in camp and ready to eat supper by 6 p.m.!
    Forms: A special thank you to all the parents who got all those forms completed! Thank you!! And thanks for bearing with us as we experience our first summer using this new database system!
    We can’t wait! We fully expect this to be….the best summer ever!