Blog

Make sure you are ready for camp!

June 20, 2013

  • 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!