frequently asked questions

Transportation - If your camper needs round-trip van shuttle service from Albany International Airport or the Pottersville Bus Station, please call 518-494-1494 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or e-mail elaingredlein@wol.org and give notice at least 72 hours in advance. A Word of Life staff member will pick up your camper. Campers can turn in their return tickets to the camp office for safe keeping until departure time. The suggested donations for roundtrip shuttle service are as follows: Saturdays, $40; Any other day, $50.

Arrival Day - Registration/Check-in for Ranch and Island is held in the parking lot of the Jack Wyrtzen Center, located on the Bible Institute property. Arrive on Saturday no earlier than 2 p.m. and no later than 5 p.m. Any late arrivals for the Ranch will be at the Jack Wyrtzen Center.

• Please leave your luggage in your vehicle. You will proceed to the Ranch proerty for camper drop-off after check-in.
• Please carry any medications with you through the check-in process to check them into our health center staff.
• Please bring your receipt and a copy of your Health and Activity Record and Medication form.
• Ranch Campers can turn in their spending money to the Ranch Bank during the check-in process.

If it is necessary to change your plans, please notify the Registrar immediately by calling 1-800-965-7177. The advance registration fee is non-refundable after 31 days prior to your arrival. If you have paid in full, only the balance will be refunded if the reservation is cancelled prior to camp. If a cancellation is made BEFORE the 31 day advance notice, only a $10 per person processing fee will be forfeited. IF YOU FAIL TO NOTIFY US OF YOUR CANCELLATION PRIOR TO YOUR ARRIVAL DATE, ALL CAMP FEES WILL BE FORFEITED.

Cabin Facilities -  Campers at the Ranch and R.C. sleep in clean, comfortable, dormitory-style cabins with bunk beds, indoor bathrooms, electricity and other amenities. The number of campers in each cabin varies according to the size of the cabin but the camper/counselor ratio is approximately 6 to 1.

Linens - Each camper should bring a sleeping bag and pillow

Laundry Facilities - At the Ranch and R.C., coin-operated laundry facilities are provided.  For campers staying longer than one week, the camp will provide laundry services.  All the campers have to do is drop it off and pick it up.

Food -  The food served is of the finest quality and is prepared under strict supervision. A well balanced diet is planned for each day, and there are always, multiple hot and cold options at each meal.  Our chefs can accommodate special diets upon request (vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.).  Candy and snacks are available at the Snack Shack.

Camper Bank - Upon arrival, campers should put their money in the Camper Bank for safekeeping. The amount of spending money you bring is up to you. Campers may withdraw money at scheduled times each day. Word of Life is not responsible for any money or items not deposited in the Bank. Counselors will assist those campers not accustomed to handling their own money.

Snack Shack - Each of the Word of Life Camps have Snack Shacks and Bookstores. Selections in the Snack Shack include bottled water, soft drinks, juices, ice cream, chips, snacks, and candy.

Camp Store -  At our Trading Post, campers can purchase a wide variety of items including souvenirs, toys, postcards, gift items,  books, stamps, stationery, T-shirts, cowboy hats, and much more.

Lost and Found - Our goal is not to have any! Help us by clearly labeling everything your child brings and make sure you have all their belongings before you leave the property. Word of Life is not responsible for lost, stolen or broken items. Items will be held for two weeks pending calls to identify and claim them. Claimed items are returned C.O.D. Items not claimed after the two-week period are donated to charity.

Departure/Camper Pick-up - Return the following Saturday morning between 8AM-9AM to pick up your child from the individual camps. If you will be late please be sure to call and make arrangements.

Health Form - You will need to download a health form once you have registered. The health form must be completed and signed by parents. You will be expected to mail this form prior to arrival to help speed your registration process. If you do not have a health form, you will be given a blank one and you will be asked to complete it while in line. This is very time consuming, so please be sure to this in at least 2 weeks prior to arrival or bring one already completed. A physical is NOT required. Immunization records ARE required. ALL medications must be turned in to the Nurse upon arrival.

Medications -  We take meticulous care when dispensing your child's medication. Please help us by preparing in the following way.

• Make sure your child's full name is on the medication.
• Place all medication in a zip lock style plastic bag. Put child's name on outside of plastic bag.
• Enclose complete written instructions for dispensing the medication.
• Give medication to the nurse along with the health form when you check in.

Cabin Assignments/Cabinmate Requests - All cabin assignments will be made before arrival. Any special requests must be made ahead of time via your online account. Ranch campers are housed according to age: Deputies (ages 6-7), Sheriffs (ages 8-10), and Rangers (ages 11-12). Due to the different programs, we will not house different age groups together. We seek to, as much as possible, house campers together if requested and group reservations together considering age divisions as well.

Telephone Calls - Please limit calls to campers for emergencies only. Please call the camp office between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and leave a message with the receptionist. The message will be given to your child at the next meal to return your call. The Ranch Office number is 518-494-1300. Campers may purchase a calling card and call home during their free time.

Staff and Counselors - The counseling staff at Word of Life is of the highest caliber. Our counselors are students and graduates of the Word of Life Bible Institute, and have trained at our Summer Institute of Camping. They love each camper and strive to meet every child's physical, social and spiritual needs while at camp. The staff at Word of Life is dedicated to making your camper's experience a rewarding one.

Change of Session - If you need to change your week of attendance, please call the camp registrar at 1-800-965-7177. They will have the latest status of availability. There is no penalty for changing weeks.

Cancellations - If it is necessary to cancel your week of camp, please call the camp registrar at 1-800-965-7177. The advance registration fee ($75) is non-refundable after 31 days prior to your arrival. If you have paid in full, the balance will be refunded if the reservation is cancelled previous to camp. If a camper leaves during camp, the balance will be pro-rated and refunded accordingly. All cancellations before 31 days require a $10 processing fee.

Camper Check-Out Policy - Individual campers leaving camp will be released only into the care of their legal parent or guardian, or those given specific permission via the online registration. This applies to campers leaving on the last day of camp, or at any other time. If it is necessary to have someone other than parent or legal guardian pick up your child, you will need to make note of this in your campers online account.

Camper Mail - Campers love to get mail! It is delivered to and picked up from camp Monday through Friday. Tip: Send mail either Friday or Saturday before your session begins. Address mail in this way:

{Camper Name & Date of attendance}
Word of Life Ranch
PO Box 129
Pottersville, NY 12860

Camper Email - Send your camper an email whenever you would like from the Ranch website www.wolranch.org The emails will be printed and distributed to your camper at each meal.

Visitation - If your child is staying more than one week, you are encouraged to visit them if you wish. We suggest that you may visit them on Friday evening during the Rodeo. The Rodeo is open to the public and begins at 8:00 p.m. each Friday.

What to Bring- (clearly labled with Camper's name)

• Bible, Notepad, Pen or Pencil
• Bedding, Sleeping bag & pillow
• Flashlight
• Toiletries- Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Hairbrush, Shampoo, Deodorant, Soap
• Towels- Beach, Shower
• Casual Clothes, jeans, t-shirts warm pajamas
• Sneakers, Boots with heal (for horsemanship), Flip Flops (for beach/shower)
• Shorts (must be fingertip length)
• FOR GIRLS - One piece Beach Apparel (no French cuts)
• FOR GUYS - Modest Beachwear (no speedo style suits)
• Raincoat, Jacket, Sweatshirts or Sweaters
• Bug Spray
• Spending money
• Camera
• Stationary, envelopes, stamps

What NOT to Bring

• No Tight-fitting clothes
• No Short shorts/mini skirts
• No Two-peice bathing suits (girls)
• No electronic devices- Game systems, MP3 Players, Cell Phones, etc.
• No contraband- knives, weapons, etc.

If you have any other questions Please call the Camp Registrar at 1-800-965-7177