Laurelin August Sleepaway Camp

On Hold until 2022

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EVENT DESCRIPTION:

In the life of a hero, challenges and difficulties are an everyday occurrence. Monsters and villains, chaos and politics, and leadership and isolation are all part of the hero’s journey. At any moment, a hero must be ready to fight these battles to ensure their own survival. But sometimes, the most difficult of battles are fought within. Just as they must train for the battlefields of Etheraz with sword and sorcery, they too must train for these inner battles. Doubt and fear can be more dangerous than necromancers or demons. Thus began the annual tradition of the heroes – to delve within the inner sanctum and face whatever it is that dwells deep within themselves.

This is a marshals end of year graduation event. It is open to marshals and invited guests only. All participants at this event receive personalized storylines to specifically advance their character’s development and empower them to pursue the heroic arc they are searching for. This events entails a fully off-the-grid camping experience. First-time campers should contact L.A.P. ahead of time to get important information on necessary supplies and practices. All participants will act as both PC and NPC throughout the week.

SITE INFO:

A premiere nature-focused retreat destination for over thirty years, Laurelin Farms with 50 acres nestled in foothills of the beautiful Green Mountains. Small shrines and sacred spaces dot the fields and forest while a whispering brook flows over rocks and around trees.

This is a tent only site with no public running water, no public electricity, and porta potty services on-site. Hot shower packages are available at additional cost but are limited.

ARRIVAL / DEPARTURE:

Event check-in will be on Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Late arrivals may have to wait to be check-in by staff members and are not encouraged.

Event check-out will be on Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Late departures may be charged late fees at the discretion of the check-out staff.

FORMS NEEDED:

All participants must fill out an Event Registration Form – it will launch after adding this product to your cart.
If not already a member, please pay the annual Membership Fee here and fill out the appropriate Membership Form.

In addition, those who wish to be eligible for participation in the firewalk activity must fill out an additional form here. Youth who do not wish to directly participate will still have a fulfilling role. Youth who do have a signed form may change their minds at anytime about direct participation.

LOCATION:

Laurelin Farms
307 Christian Hill Road
Bethel, VT 05032

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What is happening?

At the Laurelin retreat, each player gets to experience an in-game module specifically tailored to them- an event within an event. The player can choose to participate in this module alone, or invite one or two friends to play alongside them. During this module, the rest of the players will act as Non-Player Characters, or NPCs. They will play the creatures, the friends, and the enemies of the player. These modules are incredibly transformative and rewarding experiences, for both the player and the NPCs.

Before the Laurelin retreat, each player is asked to fill out a packet concerning their module. This packet asks them what they want to occur within their module, what journey they want their character to take, and the intensity that they are comfortable with. This allows us to personalize each module to the player, respect their boundaries, and give them an incredible, unique experience.

The average day at Laurelin has a combination of in-game and out-of-game time. Our staff will run some private modules during the day, as well as in-game modules run by the staff for the entire PC party. They also have the options of exploring the beautiful forest, wading in the crystal clear Water Shrine, or enjoying the wood-fired steam bath (under adult supervision).

Most private modules take place after dinner. During the time before the module, the player will have time to center themselves and prepare for their personal legend. The rest of the youth will report to Monster Camp, where the staff is camping, in order to NPC for private modules. We run several private modules per night, and each youth gets a personalized experience crafted by our staff. The youth also get the opportunity to create an amazing experience for their peers. It can be just as rewarding to create a story for someone else as it is to experience the story oneself.

Friday night is slightly different. The entire PC party will come together for one final adventure before the camp ends, usually ending with closing ceremonies around a communal fire. Players will spend Saturday morning packing up their personal belongings and cleaning the site, leaving no trace that they were ever there. Check-out is on Saturday from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

What forms do I need?

All participants will need to fill out an Event Form, which can be found HERE. They will also need an updated LAP Membership, which can be found HERE. Participants who require medication will fill out a medication form on-site. All participants need to provide proof of immunizations and their most recent physical to prove that they can safely participate in our camp.Who will be there?

Who will be there?

You can find out more about our core staff members HERE (link). We also have a number of Non-Player Characters, also known as NPCs, to help set up, clean up, and play the friendly creatures and nefarious villains that your youth will interact with within the game.

Are adults CORI checked?

All adults who walk on site are CORI/SORI checked before they can begin their
employment/volunteering. In addition, we renew these checks every year to make sure we are kept up to date. All staff members are personally interviewed by the Director and Office Manager and usually come from past community involvement (graduate students, parents/guardians, siblings, etc).

Have there ever been any instances of hazings or abuse?

We hold to a strict set of community principles. These are a key part of the school year and summer curriculums. In the ten years that we have been doing youth programming individually, and the more recent years that we have offered youth programming as an organization, we have never had a case of internal hazing or abuse. We attribute this to 1) the commitment of all our community members to the principles that we teach, and 2) our preparedness to respond to such situations. In order to uphold those principles, we have daily camp meetings with all youth and we have adult supervision at all times, including in the cabins themselves.

What is the ratio of youth to leadership position?

We hold to a strict 1:10 counselor to youth ratio on-site. In fact, in past years our ratios have been closer to 1:5, thanks to an excellent staff and great community support.

Is there a set bedtime?

Bedtimes can be set by parents prior to the event or at check-in, or they can be left up to youth. Our night activities can end any time from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. We are happy to encourage early bedtimes, but we find that youth are often very self-regulating and reasonable with their bedtimes. Due to the exciting and involved activities happening all day long, most youth are exhausted and fully prepared to sleep at 10 or 11 at night.

Is there a local hospital or ER?

There is a hospital within a fifteen minute drive of Laurelin Farms. We also have First Aid, CPR, and CERT Safe trained staff present at all of our events. In years we have been running weekend events, we have never had to call an emergency ambulance.

What are the sleeping arrangements? How are they supervised there?

There are no on-site buildings on Laurelin Farms- youth will be tenting. Whether they have their own tent or share with a friend, we recommend that they bring whatever they require to be comfortable, including sleeping bags, cots or bedrolls, and plenty of rope! The event will run rain or shine, so we encourage players to bring two tarps- one to lay underneath their tent, and one to hang above their tent, in order to stay dry. We will send out a comprehensive packing list via email prior to the event. First-time campers should contact L.A.P. ahead of time to get important information on necessary supplies and practices.

Youth will be camping in a designated player area. The adults camp a short distance away, and while they will not be camping with the youth, they are easily reached. They will check in with the players in the morning at breakfast, and before going to bed. The players do (not?) camp in separate areas according to gender at this event.

Are there bathrooms on site?

This site has no running water. We provide port-a-potties for your youth to use. Gallons of drinking water are provided by our catering service. There is a propane-heated outdoor shower available on site. There is also a wood-fired steam bath. Using the steam bath requires that the youth haul water to fill the tank, and under qualified supervision, maintain a fire in a wood stove.

All payments are non-refundable, you are purchasing a ticket to an event. This event will run rain or shine.