As of December 1, 2022 campers are no longer required to be vaccinated to attend Camp Glenburn, though it is highly recommended. Camp Glenburn has implemented an infectious disease policy which may be applied should circumstances change. This policy can be found as part of our operational plan which can be found by clicking HERE.

Camp rules adhere to the core values of the Southwestern New Brunswick YMCA: Honesty, Caring, Respect, Inclusiveness, and Responsibility. We expect all participants to follow these values during their stay at Camp Glenburn:

• Respect each other;
• Respect oneself;
• Respect the natural world; and
• Respect Camp Glenburn and staff.

Campers will be sent home immediately for the following behaviours:

• Violence, abuse, or harassment of any kind toward others;
• Discrimination on the basis of gender identity or expression, race, ethnicity, or religious beliefs;
• Intentional endangerment of themselves or others; and
• Possession of alcohol, drugs, or tobacco (including vaporizers).

By sending your camper to Glenburn, you agree to pick up your child immediately if any of the above rules are broken. There is a no-refund policy if campers are sent home due to behavioural or disciplinary issues.

Our counsellors are a remarkable and diverse group of young people who share their love of the outdoors with everyone who comes to Glenburn. We maintain a low camper/counsellor ratio of 3-to-5:1, ensuring that all staff are able to provide individual care, comfort, and leadership. They are trained in Emergency First Aid, waterfront staff are certified by the Lifesaving Society and Paddle Canada. All staff have received criminal background and social development checks.

In some situations, counsellors of all genders could share living quarters with our campers. See ‘Gender Inclusive Camping’ below for more information.

We strive to provide programs that are gender-inclusive for all participants, including transgender, non-binary, gender-non-conforming, etc. We encourage all campers and counsellors to express themselves in a manner that feels authentic and truthful.

Although we typically design our rosters based on traditional identifiers (boys and girls), your child may be placed in a cabin with a camper who identifies in a way that is unfamiliar to you or your child. This is an increasingly common experience. While we do our best to match campers who are alike, gender-inclusive cabins help empower young people, give a sense of belonging, and benefit our whole community.

For Parents/Guardians of Gender-Diverse Campers

Gender is a protected and supported area of diversity at Camp Glenburn. We want parents/guardians of gender-diverse campers to feel confident in their child’s safe participation in our programming. Camper privacy is important to us. We invite families to share only as much or as little as they decide for their stay.
Our counsellors are trained to welcome gender-diverse campers with compassion and respect: they practice affirmation, use preferred pronouns, and best reflect themselves and their own experiences. We are happy to develop a plan that works to accommodate the needs of our campers.

If you have questions about your camper’s participation and inclusion at Camp Glenburn, reach out to us via phone or email.

Not sure what to pack for your camper? Refer to the links below for the recommended packing lists for each of our programs.

Little Voyager (2 nights)
Adventurer (2 nights)
Discoverer (5 nights)
Explorer (12 nights)
Junior Leadership (12 nights)
Leadership Hike (12 nights)
Leadership Canoe (12 nights)
Leader-In-Training (19 nights)

You will receive an e-mail from the camp director seven (7) days prior to your arrival with information about the drop-off and pick-up process.

Drop-off takes place between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM on the Sunday of each session.
Pick-up takes place between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM on the Friday of each session.

The first day of camp! This is an exciting time for both parents and campers alike. Upon arrival, you will be greeted and guided by counsellors.
Below is the opening day check-in process, detailed step-by-step.

• Cabin Assignment | Your camper will be pre-assigned to a cabin of eight (8) campers who are similar in age and experience. Make sure to indicate any cabin-mate requests via the registration form.
• Meet your Senior Counsellor | Your Senior Counsellor will guide you through the check-in process. This is a great time to ask questions or to share any necessary camper info.
• Lice Check | All campers must undergo a lice check. Any camper who is found with bugs or nits will be sent home for treatment and will not be able to return until the next available session.
• Medical Information | All parents/guardians of campers with packed medication and health concerns will meet with the Health and Wellness Director.
• Get Comfortable | Meet your camper’s cabin mates and Junior Counsellor(s), unpack belongings, make their bunk, and tour the cabin
• Meet the Manager or Director | You will find the Manager of Camping or Director on-site and they will be available to field any questions or concerns.

Here’s a snippet of what campers can expect in daily life at Camp Glenburn this summer.

• 7:00 AM | Wake-up
• 7:30 AM | Flag Raising
• 7:45 AM | Breakfast
• 8:30 AM | Cabin Clean-up
• 9:00 AM | Block 1 (IG/CA/Program)
• 10:45 AM | Snack #1
• 11:15 AM | Free swim/paddle
• 12:30 PM | Lunch
• 1:15 PM | Rest Hour
• 2:00 PM | Block 2 (IG/CA/Program)
• 3:45 PM | Snack #2
• 4:15 PM | Free swim/paddle
• 5:30 PM | Dinner
• 6:15 PM | Rest Hour
• 6:45 PM | Block 2 (IG/CA/Program)
• 8:00 PM | Snack #3
• 8:15 PM | Flag Lowering
• 8:30 PM | Washrooms
• 9:30 PM | Lights Out

Meals are served three times per day in Fisher Hall: breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

We strive to provide nutritious meals and ensure that campers get what they need to take on the activities of each day. We are able to accommodate allergies, vegetarian, vegan, halal, and kosher needs.

Snacks are served three times per day. These include a combination of treats, homemade baked goods, and fresh fruit.

Campers may bring pre-packaged snacks but they must be nut-free. This includes products that “May contain Nuts”. Counselors will check the ingredients on any snacks brought, and will store them for the week to be returned at pick-up if they contain nuts.

Outtripping is an integral part of the Camp Glenburn experience. It offers a chance to learn new skills, travel off-site, and enjoy the natural world.

We match our campers with trips that are suitable regarding age and skill level. Each site is a remote location near the camp and has specific emergency procedure plans in place to ensure the safety of all participants.

Discoverer programs (5 nights) take part in a one-night trip while Explorer programs (12 nights) take an extended two-night trip.

A Place to Disconnect

Our program minimizes non-emergency communication with home. During their time away, campers are given the opportunity to disconnect, foster independence, and instill a sense of self-reliance. We recognize that limited communication can be a difficult adjustment for many parents/guardians. Our best piece of advice: no news is good news!

The Glenburn office will contact you immediately should there be any updates regarding:

Persistent or severe homesickness;
Medical issues or emergencies; and
Behavioural and disciplinary concerns.
Letters to Campers

Campers are busy while at Glenburn, so “snail mail” from camp will be infrequent or non-existent. Consider sending stamped, self-addressed envelopes with your camper to make it easier for them to stay in touch. You also have the option to leave pre-written letters with counsellors to deliver throughout the week or mail them to 311 Route 850, Kingston, NB E5N 1W6.

Campers can receive, but not send, e-mails from their families. E-mails are printed and delivered once daily and we cannot print photos. Send your messages (subject line “Letter for CAMPER NAME”) to letterstocampers@saintjohny.ca.

We take our campers’ health and safety very seriously. Our Health Hut is staffed 24 hours per day to manage medications and treat minor injuries and illnesses.

If your camper is taking medication, please be sure to indicate all medications and dosage on the registration form. If required, you will meet with the Camp Nursing Student to hand off any medication or discuss health concerns. All medications must be in their original packaging.

The Glenburn Office will contact you in case of a medical emergency or concerns.

When a child is away from home, it is reasonable to assume that they will need time to adjust to the change in routine and may experience homesickness. This is a common experience amongst youth leaving home for the first time. Our staff have been trained to detect homesickness and to deal with it compassionately.

We encourage parents/guardians to be proactive in managing potential homesickness issues before arrival. By overcoming homesickness, campers attain a degree of independence, self-reliance, and maturity.

It may be hard for a camper to overcome this natural reaction if a promise of an early pick-up is made by the parent/guardian.

There is a no refund policy in place for campers who are sent home early due to homesickness.

The Glenburn office will contact you if homesickness is persistent or severe.

This is a great time to chat with your camper’s counsellors about their activities and the fun week (or two) that just happened. You’ll want to make sure you take care of the following before departure.

• Go through the Camper Report with your camper’s senior counsellor.
• Collect medication from the Health and Wellness Director.
• Check out the lost & found area for any misplaced belongings.
  We hope to see you next summer!

Important: Please come prepared to present a government-issued ID during check-out.

Counsellors encourage tidiness and that campers take responsibility for their personal belongings.

All lost & found items are marked, dated, and kept “as is.” We store them for the duration of two weeks, then donate them to charitable organizations.

We do our best to help recover and return all lost items but, given the size of our site and the number of belongings that go through, some things inevitably fall through the cracks.

Below are some helpful tips to help manage lost and found items.

• Label everything | This makes it much easier for items to be returned to their rightful owner.
• Send old clothes | Things will get dirty, used, and lost.
• Bring a laundry bag | Laundry services are not available at camp, except during emergencies. These are helpful in keeping dirty and clean clothes separate.
  Please contact the camp office if your camper returns with missing belongings, or belongings of another camper that have been mistakenly brought home.