Interview with Scarlett Dowdy – Laurel Ridge Camp, Conference & Retreat Center

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Laurel-Ridge-Program-Manager

Scarlett Dowdy

Program Manager of Laurel Ridge Camp, Conference & Retreat Center

Interview With

Scarlett Dowdy

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1960
Owned by Moravian Church in America, Southern Province
• We have a 48 room lodge
• 32 bed dorm style lodge
• summer camp has 16 cabins that house as many as 175 campers, sets of four cabins surround a lodge that includes bathrooms, showers and a meeting space with a fireplace.
• Summer camp also has an assembly hall, Dining Hall, Infirmary, Activity Center(gym), Nature Center, Deans cabin(leaders) and Picnic Shelter

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Laurel Springs, NC in the Blue Ridge Mountains on A little under 700 acres of property. We are 25 minutes from West Jefferson and 30 minutes from Boone, NC

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“Laurel Ridge is a mountain place set apart for forming disciples of Jesus Christ who live and learn in community to serve in the world.”

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Our lake offers:
• Swimming
• Canoeing
• Kayaking
• Fishing.

In addition
• Archery,
• Group interaction course(low ropes)
• Hiking
• Nature Center
• Basketball
• Soccer
• Indoor gym
• Volleyball (sand and grass)
• Pottery Studio
• Arts and crafts
• Music (instrumental and vocal)

[/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”What does your Camp specialize in ?” tab_id=”1521883083778-edc5b24f-7743″]

We are a church camp, so all our Moravian camps have a theme and curriculum that is age appropriate. There is assembly every morning followed by small group time.

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• Most of our staff grew up attending camp at laurel Ridge.
• We hire 14 college age staff to help run the camp (activities and upkeep of camp)
• We also hire 3 or 4 staff for our 48 room lodge.
• We have part-time kitchen and housekeeping staff.
• Including myself, we have 5 full time year round management staff. I am the Program Manager, Tres Fordham – Executive Director, Terry Rausch is the Assistant Director, Michael Sawtelle is the Facilities Manager and Teresa Cude is the Office Manager.

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• Laurel Ridge is a great place to come and be part of a community without the distractions of everyday busy life.
• It brings kids closer to the natural beauty that God has created for us and gives them a new appreciation of it.
• It is a safe place for children and youth to be themselves and be accepted by all. It is a place where they can grow in their faith surrounded by love and friendship.
• Every day ends with a campfire and singing.

[/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”What are the typical session lengths and approximate pricing for your camp?” tab_id=”1488805694385-c9eb90d8-8e19″]

Most camps are week long (cost $475.00)
• 2 junior camps (3,4,5 grades) in Summer camp
• 1 Middle High camp (6,7,8 grades) in summer camp
• 1 Senior High Camp (9,10,11,12) in summer camp

Specialty camps.
• 1 junior Creative Arts camp (3,4,5 grades) in our 48 room lodge (includes music, visual arts, studio features of various artist, ending with a Gala for the parents on Saturday morning
• 4 mission camps (6-12 grades) in our 48 room lodge. These camps spend most of the day out in the community working on homes (building handicap ramps, and other needs) They end each day with programming that includes Bible Study and a campfire.

We offer 2 weekend camps for first or second graders (cost $250.00)

Outside the scope of the summer camp season (registration is online)
• We offer 2 family camps (spring and Fall) in the summer camp
• Christmas Weekend for families at our 48 room lodge
• Wintercamp for MH and SH campers at our 48 room lodge.

We also have other groups that rent our camps on weeks we do not have our own camps. They include Baptist, Presbyterian and Lutherans camps.

Our staff provides the camp activities for these groups.

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Enrollment started Jan 1 and will end at the beginning of our last camp of the season.
August 4 for the summer camp season. Registration stays open for our family camps and other weekend events.

[/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”When is the best time for parents to reach you to register for camp?” tab_id=”1553250609296-c12e3c98-7d72″]

Registration is online at WWW.LAURELRIDGE.ORG, under CAMPS, then SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION AND LOGIN.

There is also a description of each camp under the camps tab.

If there are questions they can call me anytime at 336-601-3034.

[/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section title=”Is there anything else that would be helpful for parents to know about your camp?” tab_id=”1489724423386-190d536c-3613″]

We are members of the American Camping Association, PCCCA (Presbyterian Church Camp and Conference Association), and Part of The Redwoods Group and Insitute) These organization, give us the tools to take care of the campers and counselors during their time at camp.

Our counseling staff is all volunteer and must be background checked and drug screened before they can counsel. They are also required to take online courses through the Redwoods Institute, including Child Sexual Abuse prevention, Aquatics in Nature Bodies of water, Resident Camp Safety and Bullying prevention.

Our paid staff is required to be First aid/CPR certified each year.

We have certified lifeguards at the lake front.

There is a camp nurse on staff in our infirmary and at our 48 room lodge.

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