Summer Camp & Special Events

Ready for camp!? We provide overnight and day camps for children ages 7-15. There will be age appropriate Bible lessons, fun activities, outdoor adventure, and a community of staff and campers coming together for an amazing experience. Check out the weeks available below & consider registering today or getting on one of our wait lists.

Camp Activities

Camp Map

Camps/Events

Staff Training Week

Teen Camp (ages 12-15)

5-Day Camp (ages 9-12)

Discovery Camp (ages 5-8)

Family Day Camps

Quest Camp (ages 7-10)

Wilderness Girls (ages 10-13)**

Pre-Teen Camp (ages 9-12)

5-Day Camp (ages 7-10)

Club Camp (ages 7-13)*

Wilderness Boys (ages 10-13)**

*Club Camp is reserved for those in Good New Clubs

Dates (2024)

June 5-14

June 16-21

June 24-28

July 1-3

July 4th & 5th

July 7-12

July 7-12**

July 14-19

July 22-26

July 28-Aug 2*

July 28-Aug 2

Select the Tabs to see more about each camp

Download Camp Flyer with Summer Dates & Descriptions

Overnight Camps

Quest Camp ages 7-10 July 7-12

Pre-Teen Camp ages 9-12 July 14-19

Teen Camp ages 12-15 June 16-21

These overnight camps operate from Sunday afternoon to Friday morning. Each camp is designed for their age group and offers an immersed time of community building, fun activities, and teaching times. The schedule differs a little as well (i.e. the older campers stay up a bit later).

Also offering overnight for our 5-Day Camps (see tab):

5-Day Camp (9-12) June 24-28

5-Day Camp (7-10) July 22-26

Pricing/Tiers

Overnight Camp $350 / $375 / $400

All tiers offer the same services but the higher tier best represents the actual cost of camp. Families may choose lower tiers to better fit with their budget. The lower tiers utilize scholarship money to offset the cost. There are some Full or Partial scholarships available for those in need. Applications available here.

5-Day Camps

5-Day Camp ages 7-10 July 22-26

5-Day Camp ages 9-12 June 24-28

These camps offer an overnight or days only option. The bulk of the programming takes place between 9am-4pm. Those that register to stay the night get some extra programs and will be able to stay the whole week. Those coming for just the day will be dropped off daily between 7:30-9 and picked up between 4:30-5:30. Once on-site they are placed in their family cabin groups (which are a mix of those staying the night and those coming just for the day). Registration will be for either day-only or overnight. Those coming for the days only are still expected to come all 5 days.

Pricing/Tiers

Sleepover Camp $300 / $325 / $350

Day Camp Only $200 / $225 / $250

Discovery Camp

Discovery Camp (ages 6-9) July 1-3

This camp is a short 3-day/2-night camp for young ones that want a taste of overnight camp but maybe cannot handle a full week. The program is packed with fun activities & lessons ready for your child to discover.

Pricing/Tiers

Discovery Camp $125 / $150 / $175

Wilderness Camp

Wilderness Boys Camp 10-13 July 28-August 2 *New Confirmed Date"

Wilderness Boys Camp 10-13 July 7-12*

*Camps are typically lead by additional volunteers who have not determined their schedule yet

8 children (boys and girls separate weeks) will spend the week in the camp woods; sleeping on cots in a primitive cabin & even spend one night tent camping. All the activities are designed to challenge the children to grow in their relationship with their Savior, Jesus Christ! They get to do many of the same activities (like swimming) but also learn wilderness skills such as compass orienteering, learning how to tie knots, rappelling, fire-building, and some special activities like night zipping!!

Pricing/Tiers

Wilderness Camp $300 / $325 / $350

Club Camp

Club Camp* (ages 7-13) July 28-Aug 2*

*open for Good News Club attendees only

This is a camp for children who have been part of Good News Clubs across the state of Illinois. This weeklong overnight camp is like Good News Clubs but so much more! It offers all the same fun activities of camp and Bible lessons told in a variety of ways.

Pricing/Tiers

Club Camp $350*

*pricing may be offset by involvement with local clubs; check with club provider about rates & offers

Family Camp Days

Family Day Camp July 4th

Family Day Camp July 5th

Who says camp is just for children?! The whole family can come enjoy camp on one of the days offered. From 9-5pm families can come experience the activities of camp. Enjoy exploring camp, try the zip-line, take a dip in the pool, have lunch at camp, and get a interactive family program for everyone to enjoy.

Price Tier

Family Day Camp $20 / $30 / $40 (price for entire family) + $5/person for meal

Scholarship Application

Dietary Need Form

FAQ

Packing List

Camp Schedule

Camp Information

Registration & Departure

Overnight Weeklong Camp Registration is 3pm-3:45pm on Sunday and Pickup is at 11am on Friday.

5-Day Camp Registration will be at 7 am-9 am on Monday and last until Friday at 4:30 pm. Those choosing to come only days will have drop off from 7:30-8:50 am each day. Pick up will be from 4:30-5:40 pm each day.

No deduction is allowed for late arrival or early departure. Parents, please do not bring pets to Camp at any time. The Camp circle is One-Way only. Please enter at Camp sign and park in available parking spaces. Exit will be down by the pool.

Code of Conduct

All campers are expected to follow our Camp Rules. The Camp Director reserves the right to dismiss any camper whose conduct is detrimental to the overall good for the camp. In cases of misconduct, parents/guardians will be required to pick up the camper immediately and no refund will be made.

Dress Code

All clothing should honor God. If you think it might be a little too low-cut, high-cut, see-through, cling-to, or questionable, don’t bring it.

Spaghetti straps, bare stomachs, words across your bottom, ripped sleeves/sides that show your chest/stomach, low pants that show your bottom/underwear, and questionable advertisements are inappropriate.

Shorts and skirts should be approaching the knee in length.

Males swimming trunks must be the shorts type (no speedos)

Female swimming suits must be one-piece or tankinis that touch in the middle (no bikinis)

Keeping in Touch

Campers love to receive letters and packages. Any packages/letters must be mailed correctly to camp. Any packages/letters left in our mailbox, without proper postage, will be disposed of. As well, Camp will not store and pass out letters left by parents. All mail must go through the postal system.

If you send any food items in the mail, please see the Food Policies below.

Campers are able to buy envelopes and stamps in the Camp Store for 75¢.

Campers are not permitted to use the phone or email.

If you must get a message to your camper, please contact the camp office and your message will be relayed to his/her counselor at meal times

Food Policies

Meals

All campers are expected to eat the main course at meal times (sides, veggies, etc, are not required). If you have a picky camper, please talk through this policy with your child. Sun butter and Jelly will be offered as a option at every meal. The camper will be expected to eat either the main course or the SB&J Sandwich. If the camper refuses both, we will make a phone call home. If you are unable to convince the camper to eat, you will be required to pick up the camper immediately and no refund will be given.

Snacks/Packages

Campers are not allowed to bring snacks to camp because we have no space to store them.

Any food items sent in mail/packages will be expected to be eaten during that meal time. Anything that is unfinished will be disposed of in the dining hall. So don’t send a ton of food, or entire cake, etc as it will go to waste.

Any gum will be thrown away. Gum is not permitted at Camp.

Instead of mailing a ton of food for your camper, please consider buying a Cabin Snack (treats for the entire cabin passed out at a meal time) or send trinkets/toys (like frisbees, bouncy balls, etc) instead.

Canteen/Camp Store

Campers are only allowed to buy 3 food items (not including honey sticks) from the Canteen/Camp Store per day. We do our best to control this, but sometimes campers will return to buy more and our staff do not recognize that.

Homesickness

Our counselors, nurse, and staff are all prepared to help your camper through homesickness issues. Here at Camp Good News, we have a 3-Step Plan for Homesickness:

Step 1 - When the camper informs someone they are homesick, we will do what we can to help that camper out.

Step 2 - If the camper continues to complain of homesickness, we will make a phone call home so that you may attempt to help your child feel better. Phone calls will be limited to under 10 min (we have learned that Campers stall as long as they can)

Step 3 - If the camper continues to complain of homesickness after the phone call, they will be sent home. Parents will be required to pick up the camper immediately and no refund will be given.

Remember that campers take their cue from you as the parents. Please prepare them ahead of time by encouraging them to make new friends, talk to counselors, etc. Try not to be nervous yourself, especially as you register your camper and leave him/her with their counselor.

Check out other great tips below

Lost Items

Camp Good News is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Please mark or tag all items. This includes towels (we find more towels than any other item each week that go unclaimed)

Lost & Found items must be claimed within a week of camp departure and arrangements must be made to pick up items. After that, they will be donated to charity.

Lost or broken Camp Store purchases will not be replaced

Typical Day of Overnight Camp
8:00 - Breakfast
9:00 - Personal quiet time in cabin

9:15 - Cabin Clean Up

9:30 - Morning Meeting

9:45 - Electives/Skills Session:

camper's choice activity

11:00- Large Camp Game

12:00- Lunch

1:00 - Afternoon Rotations: Cabin Time,

Swimming, Free Time, Cabin

Activity Time

5:00 - Dinner

6:00 - Cabin Challenges

6:30 - Evening Free Time

7:45 - Chapel Time: Games, Singing,

Skits, & Message

8:30 - Ready for Bed

9:00 - Cabin Time

Typical Day of Day Camp
7:30 - 8:50 Drop-off Time, open activities

8:00 Breakfast (optional for dailies)
9:00 - Morning Chapel/Meeting

9:45 - Electives/Skills Session:

camper's choice activity

11:00- Large Camp Game

12:00- Lunch

1:00 - Afternoon Rotations:

Swimming, Free Time, Cabin

Activity Time

4:10 - Afternoon Meeting

4:30 - 5:50 Pic- up Time; open activities

*Those staying for overnight will have:

6:00 Dinner,

7:00 Evening Game/Activity

8:00 Campfire/Personal Devotions

9:00 Cabin/Bed-Time

What to Bring to Camp

Bible
Pencil
Notebook
Bedding (Sleeping Bag, Sheets, Blanket, etc)
Pillow
Toiletries (shampoo, Toothpaste, etc)
Clothes (include clothing that can get very muddy)
Jeans/Long Pants for Hiking
Pajamas
2 Pairs of Shoes (include one pair that can get very muddy)
Towel
Swimsuit (Males: Trunk Type, no speedos) (Females: One-piece or Tankini that touches in middle, no bikinis)
Sunscreen
Water Bottle
Insect Repellent
Washcloth
Soap
Jacket
Any Necessary Medication (must be turned into nurse)

DO NOT BRING:

Any Electronic Equipment (ipods, game systems, cell phones, etc)
Any Tobacco, Alcohol, Illegal Drugs, Marijuaua, or Vape Products (Includes Parents/Guardians while on Campus)
Any Fireworks, Weapons, Matches, or Lighter (Includes Parents/Guardians while on Campus)
Pets (Includes Parents/Guardians while on Campus)
Any candy, snacks, or drinks.
Anything of significant value that may become lost or broken.

packing list

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)

How many campers are there?

We have approximately 50 campers at camp at one time. It's a pretty even mix of boys and girls. There are about 8-10 campers per cabin.

What kind of food will I eat?

All are food is kid friendly. We mix it up everyday and have a really good variety. A camp favorite is the pizza night where each cabin gets to even order their own pizzas and pick their favorite toppings.

What are the counselors like?

Camp Good News has some of the best counselors around. Most of our counselors were once campers like you. They were then chosen to become SALTs (Service and Leadership Trainees) and then Junior Counselors. So by the time our counselors become counselors, they know how to make Camp pretty amazing!

Can I bring my iPod, iPad, cell phone, or other electronics?

We encourage you to "unplug" for your camp adventure! If you choose to bring a cell phone or other "internet accessible" device, it will be collected upon arrival and stored in the camp office until you leave. We'd really prefer that these devices were simply left at home.

What is there to do at Camp?

Archery, BBs, Slingshots, Fun Games, Zipline, and so much more! Click on the Activities link or the Map link on the Camper page to see all the fun things there are to do at Camp.

How much money should I bring to Camp?

All money is in your “online bank" so your child doesn't risk losing it. During the week, you can visit The Bee Hive Sugar Shack, The Owl’s Nest Camp Store, and the Craft Room. Most items in The Bee Hive are $1 with some of our bigger items being $2. Items in The Owl’s Nest cost anywhere from $1 to $20. The Craft Room has Free Crafts as well as crafts that cost anywhere from $1 to $5. We recommend you bring about $30 for the week. Any money not spent during the week, your parent has the option to give that money to our Missions offering or leave in your UltraCamp account.

What if I miss my parents?

Missing your parents is natural! Everyone misses home at some point in their life, regardless of how old they are. Our staff is really good at helping you to get over this feeling if it happens to you and helping you have an awesome time at camp!

Where do the campers come from?

Our campers come from all over Illinois and sometime other states too!

Can I request my friends to be in my cabin?

Yes. Please do this on the camper registration form. We do very well at making sure you get your requested Cabin Buddy.

Will I have fun at Camp?

If you are coming to Camp Good News, be prepared for the best week you've ever had! You'll be talking about this Camp for Years. (Seriously, your grandkids will probably ask you to stop!)

Have more questions about camp not listed here? Feel free to give us a call or shoot us an email.

FAQ