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The ten most important reasons why parents send their children to Friends Camp: 

• Quaker Values and Spirituality
• Friendships with other campers
• Recommendations from campers and parents
• A happy and excited returning campers
• Affordable camp fee
• Tolerance of the differences among campers
• A non-competitive camp
• Campers love Friends Camp
• Interesting programs
• Community

Director and Staff
Nat Shed, the director of Friends Camp is a staff member of the New England Yearly Meeting of Friends. Nat has sixteen years of experience directing summer camps. He is a board member of the Maine Youth Camping Association, and is a professional member of the America Camping Association. Each spring, he carefully selects well-qualified and skilled counselors. Our counselors and staff are carefully screened by in-depth interviews, references, background checks, and ongoing supervision during the summer. Many of our counselors come with special qualifications in lifeguarding, sailing, arts and crafts, photography, drama, new games, nature, and sports. Campers receive ample attention during all program activities with our counselor to camper ratio of one to six.

Letter from the Director

Admissions Values
Friends Camp is a co-ed camp that welcomes youth from all races, religious affiliations, national origins, genders, and sexual orientations. Our ability to accommodate youth with physical or mental health issues is limited, but each session we welcome a few young people with many talents and strengths who sometimes find it hard to be accepted and/or supported in other youth programs or in academic settings. We are a tolerant community that looks for the light of goodness in each person, and we are very proud of our campers’ ability to love and care for each other. Please call our director if you have any questions about how your child would fit into life at Friends Camp.

Facilities
Friends Camp has sixty beautiful acres of woodland, three playing fields, and a basketball court. Our waterfront is on China Lake, which is a short walk across the road and down a wooded path. We have twelve rustic cabins that house 7 to 10 campers, and two bathhouses. We also have access to a small island in the middle of China Lake for day trips and overnight adventures. Most of our indoor activities take place in Aviary Hall, Big Bird Dining Hall, and the two hundred year old Pond Meeting House that serves as our arts and crafts area. Our Outdoor Experience Camp has set up a rustic base camp in a remote area of our property. Our drama camps are housed in Cardinal Hall, our newest building.

Food
Friends Camp has an excellent reputation for healthy, home-style meals. We provide a full salad bar with lunch and dinner, and we offer a buffet of wonderful vegetarian and non-vegetarian options at each meal. Friends Camp is licensed by the State of Maine, and we follow all of the current health and safety requirements.

A DAY IN A LIFE AT FRIENDS CAMP
Each morning after breakfast and chores, we hold a short meeting for worship, which is a youth-oriented time for silent reflection and sharing. Next, a daily community meeting allows campers and staff to participate in discussions about how to shape our camp to best meet their needs. Following our daily community meeting, we have a morning activity period that lasts for two hours. During this time, campers choose from one of ten different four-day programs. Each youth camp session has many unique activities and age-appropriate programming. Each afternoon, campers have an opportunity to swim, canoe, sail, and relax at the camp’s waterfront on China Lake. After a snack, campers have an elective activities period with more fun and interesting optional activities. Each evening, our campers enjoy non-competitive group games. Then, towards nightfall, we gather to watch the sun set from our Vespers field over China Lake. Prior to bedtime, campers participate in an evening program that varies nightly. Each camp session also includes a special day with a whimsical or topical theme. One of the many things that makes Friends Camp interesting and fun is that the program activities change from session to session, and are different each summer.

Fees
Youth camp (Jones, Dyer, Fox, Fell and the three Drama camps) tuition is $760 for two-weeks and $395 for the one-week Jones Camp session. Please enclose a non-refundable and non-transferable deposit of $200 for each camper and each session. Please make your check payable to Friends Camp.

A late fee of $20 per camper, per session, will be added to any outstanding fees after June 6th. If you cancel your camp reservation at least four weeks prior to the start of a session, you may request a refund of $400 for all two-week sessions, and a refund of $200 for the one-week sessions.

Click HERE for a copy of the Campership Application in PDF