Family Camp

Dates: Summer of 2011 are August 13 - August 20

What is Family Camp?

In August, after the boys (mostly) have gone home, it is Friends and Family time at Camp Highlands! Hosting our friends and family is a tradition that traces its roots back to the time of our founder, Harry O. Gillet. Known casually in its early decades as Post Camp, Highlands in August has always naturally lent itself to fun and relaxation - Camp is the perfect place to get away right before the glory days of summer in the Northwoods come to an end...

The last week of the camping season at Highlands is set aside for friends of Camp, alumni, friends of friends, and family members thereof. A small counseling staff and Chef Lois stick around for us - and the good times roll! Friends and Family week has become a special part of Highlands culture. Would you believe we have FOURTH generation guests? Clearly, the idea has legs!

If you have a son/grandson who is still a bit young for Boy's Camp (our youngest campers are eight years old), Friends and Family is a great way to introduce him to the adventure filled world of Camp Highlands. Many parents and grandparents also use the opportunity to scout out neighboring girl's camps. (Red Pine Camp, Clearwater Camp, Camp Osoha and Camp Nicolet).

The flow of each day is completely stress free (so you can completely de-stress) - Friends and Family is designed to be a true vacation. Other than three square meals a day and a siesta (known as Rest Hour), there is no set schedule. You might find yourself rising for a morning dip, having a casual breakfast, and running from one form of recreation to the next - or not; you might find yourself canoeing over to Five Pines Island and reading a book. The options are limitless...

Activities:

You are invited to water ski, sail, windsurf, canoe, kayak, play tennis, golf, play a game of baseball, soccer, ultimate frisbee, shoot for a bulls-eye at the archery range, go along on a guided hike to Star Lake, fish, swim, sunbathe, dive off the towers, read a book, take your camera to Texikek (Bog), nap, watch Plum Lake, hang out at one of several nightly campfires, stargaze...the list goes on and on!

A typical day:

7:30 - Roll out of bed (and hit the lake?)
8:00 - 9:00 - Leisurely breakfast
9:15 - 12:30 - Open Activities
12:30 - 1:15 - Dinner - our main meal of the day
1:15 - 2:30 - Rest Hour (Read, Write, Relax, Rest)
2:30 - 6:00 - Open Activities
6:00 - 7:00 - Supper
7:00 - Dusk - Free time (could be an organized activity)
Dusk - Campfire!

Dining:

Three meals a day are prepared by our chef of many decades, Highlands Hall of Fame member Lois Craig. We gather in the "Doc" Monilaw Dining Room, a historic building, now in its 85th year of use! See the Dining Room - Paddles page of the Highlands Archives for more on the building. We all work together to clear and set our respective tables, as well as bring out the delicious family style entrees.

Staff:

Staff members who stay for Friends and Family are those who have the hardest time leaving (some would say they can't leave!). These men are without fail true lovers of Camp Highlands. This love shows through - they enjoy sharing their home away from home, and you will undoubtedly feel their commitment to all things CH. Whether they are pitching in to keep the dining hall running smoothly, pulling you around Back Bay on a slalom, life-guarding, or leading an epic journey up Star Creek, the staff are an omnipresent part of the Friends and Family experience.

Childcare:

For those with young children, babysitters will be made available upon request during activity periods - so you can play too!

Lodging:

If you already know Highlands, you will be familiar with our philosophy regarding living close to nature. Most of the cabins at CH have been around since the time of Calvin Coolidge! On purpose, most cabins are free from electricity and even screens.

Nineteen boy's camp cabins are available for Friends and Family week; these are more rustic and are used by the boys during the seven week camping season. Many alumni prefer the more rustic Boy's Camp cabins they grew up with and in some cases have a sentimental attachment to one in particular!

Nine cabins are also available within The Highlands Lodge these have windows, screens and electricity.

There are four restroom/shower houses around Camp.

We honestly believe that if you haven't fallen asleep to the the call of the loon, the spicy scent of pine needles in the air, and the reflection of moonlight shimmering on the walls of your cabin - you haven't had a complete summer vacation!

Tuition:

Camp's expenses are calculated based upon the amount of time you reserve, and are on a per person basis. (The cost of missed meals and/or days are not refunded if you have reserved them.) Dogs must be left at home. The charges below are all-inclusive with the exception of a Wisconsin state tax of 5.5%.

The evening of Wednesday the 11th is chef's night off; we all head out for dinner. (This evening you are on your own - we can help you decide where to go!) The official start of Friends and Family week is supper on Saturday, August 7th. The last meal is breakfast on Saturday the 14th. A refundable deposit of $100 will save you a cabin.

Full Week	Adult	Under 12	Under 2
Lodge Cabin	$550	$500	$325
Camp Cabin	$500	$450	$275

Daily Cost	Adult	Under 12	Under 2
Lodge Cabin	$95	$85	$65
Camp Cabin	$80	$70	$50

Getting to camp:

Most will drive. From the Art Institute of Chicago, Camp is 361 miles - a 6 1/2 hour drive.

For those of you flying in from afar, there are five airports to think about, depending on your situation. Chicago (361 miles), Milwaukee (MKE - 280 miles), Minneapolis (MSP - 249), Central Wisconsin Airport in Wausau (CWA - 104 miles), Rhinelander airport (RHI - 44 miles, renting a car is possible).

What to bring:

Bedding (can be a sleeping bag or sheets/blankets - either way a sheet to put over your mattress is a good idea); pillow(s); towel(s); two swimsuits; sunblock; camera; insect repellent; lantern; flashlight; rain gear (including a hat to keep you dry in the rain); umbrella; shoes for use on the piers/in the water, athletics, and a hike in the woods; clothing for a range of weather (nights especially can be cool, bring layers); tennis racquet (and balls); camping chairs; minor first aid items such as Band-aids, After-bite, and Bacitracin (Camp has an infirmary should the need arise, and the closest medical facility is in Woodruff (18 miles away); fishing gear (camp has equipment, but if you prefer your own, bring it); golf clubs (the historic and charming 9-hole Plum Lake Golf Course http://www.plumlakegolf.com/ is directly across the lake - rental clubs are available); frisbee; baseball mitt; a great book and a carefree attitude!

See more:

To see a far more complete gallery of photographs from Friends and Family, visit the Friends and Family page on the Highlands Archives website! Here you will find a more complete history of 'Post Camp' and hundreds of photographs, including a nice batch of pictures from the summer of 2009!

Alumnus Bill Esbeck waxes poetic on the Friends and Family experience on the Archives Magazine. His insight can help you get a better feel for just how special a vacation at Highlands in mid-August can be!

Sign up:

Signing up is easy. Email Mike and Sharon the following information: Name(s), address, phone number(s), age/names of children (if you have any - singles and couples are more than welcome), Lodge or Boy's Camp Cabin (Lodge cabins fill up quickly, it is never too soon to reserve one), best email address, date/meal of arrival and departure. Your reservation is not locked in until we receive your check for $100, made out to Camp Highlands. Thank you!

Questions?

Camp Directors Mike and Sharon Bachmann are in Western Springs, Illinois during the off season: 4146 Lawn Avenue, Western Springs, Illinois, 60558. Starting May 25th, mail should go to Camp: 8450 Camp Highlands Road, Sayner, Wisconsin, 54560.

Sharon and Mike Mid-August - May 25: (708) 246-1238
Early June - Mid August: (715) 542-2950
Mike's Email: chmike@aol.com
Please CC Sharon: sharonnbachmann@aol.com

Alumni Ambassador: Tim Bachmann will be in attendance with his Son Lukas Snow and wife Carol. If you would like to talk with Tim about Friends and Family, organizing a reunion of your Highlands 'Class', or anything at all, don't hesitate to reach out. Tim would love to hear from you! Other alumni in attendance this summer will be: Scott Jensen, Brett Williams, Scott Shorney, Brien Nienhaus, Brian Boos, Bill Esbeck, and Marty Beeman. And of course we all know Kent Overbey - a perennial member of the Friends and Family staff!

Tim's Cell: 303-910-2923
Tim's Email: plumlakekid@gmail.com