SUMMER CAMP FAQs
It's common for new campers and parents to have a lot of questions about camp. The beauty of the camp experience exists in part because it takes campers (and parents) out of their comfort zones. We love that about camp, but we also want to ease the anxiety as much as we can. These are the most common questions we get, but feel free to give us a call (931.729.9723) or email our Summer Camp Director at summercamp@nacome.org if you have a question that isn’t here. Talking about camp is second only to living it for us. We'd be happy to answer any questions you have!
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NaCoMe is accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA). This is the highest level of accreditation for summer camps nationwide. NaCoMe undergoes an annual accreditation review process for our standards and submits them to ACA. These policies and standards include everything from camper to counselor ratios, emergency action plans, lost camper procedures, to our kitchen cooking procedures and maintenance plans for camp. In addition to being accredited by ACA, NaCoMe follows industry standards for all of our high ropes courses, water activities, and state standards.
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Emergency action plans
NaCoMe updates our emergency action plans annually and submits them to both ACA as well as our insurance provider for review. We carry site specific plans for general emergencies, each activity, inclement weather, armed intruder, lost camper, and other emergencies. Our staff are trained on each plan during staff training.
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Staff must complete an application that includes at least two references. We have a three-stage interview process for all applicants, as well as a reference check. Once a potential staff member has been selected, we undergo a criminal and sex offender registry background check, as well as having the individual go through a drug screening.
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NaCoMe staff undergo an 8-week onboarding process to equip them for summer camp. They have weekly meetings with leadership to discuss NaCoMe policies, culture, and how camp works. Before arriving at NaCoMe, all staff undergo an online training course through Expert Online Training. The course materials include topics such as bullying, sexual harassment, identifying social issues, and best safety practices.
When staff arrive on-site at NaCoMe, they go through two weeks of training. The first week focuses on hard skills and certifications. All staff must complete training and skills verification to be certified to operate any activity. Our ropes course training is overseen by our Adventure Director, who holds a Level II certification through the Association for Challenge Course Technology. Our lifeguard training is overseen by our Executive Director, who is an American Red Cross Lifeguard and CPR & First Aid Instructor. All staff are required to complete CPR & AED training. The last week of training focuses on how to interact with campers, safety drills, and having counselors go through a week of camp.
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Staff: All staff are required to be First Aid, CPR & AED certified regardless of their position. In addition to this, all waterfront staff are certified as Red Cross Waterfront Lifeguards. Our staff uniform includes a first-aid hip bag that includes a rescue mask and a basic first aid kit that staff are required to keep on them.
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Fulltime staff: Our fulltime staff have the following certifications and reside onsite: Wilderness First Responder (1 staff), Lifeguard (4 staff), CPR & AED First Aid (all staff), Emergency Medical Responder (1 staff), LPN (1 staff), American Red Cross Lifeguard and CPR & First Aid Instructor (1 staff).
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Professional Medical Staff: NaCoMe keeps a nurse on-site during summer camp; all nurses must provide certifications prior to arrival and stay, and must hold an active RN license or higher certification. The nurse administers all medications to campers and keeps a medical log for any treatment provided. The nurse is required to keep an AED and a medical trauma go-bag with them at all times.
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Facilities: All of our activity areas and meeting areas are equipped with a larger first-aid kit for emergencies. Camp has two AEDs that are maintained by Hickman EMS. One is kept in the office, and the other stays with the on-site nurse at all times. The dining hall has emergency oxygen tanks as well. NaCoMe keeps a nurses' station stocked with supplies that are cross-checked by our nurses both before and after every session.
Hospitals and Emergency Access: The nearest emergency room is 14 miles from camp in Centerville. There are also urgent care centers located in the same vicinity and larger hospitals in Dickson and Columbia that are 40 miles away.
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When you drop your child off, you will verify who is allowed to pick up your child on the form that is filled out during registration. From the beginning of the summer camp season to the end, we do not allow anyone on campus without checking them in. All visitors to camp are required to check in at the main office and we take a copy of their license before they enter our camp, regardless of their reason for coming to camp. If anyone aside from staff stays onsite longer than 24 hours, they are required to undergo a background check as well.
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Before entering the camp for pickup, all people are required to present a license that matches the listed name for approved pickup persons on the child’s form. If the name does not match one of the listed names, that person will not be allowed to enter the camp until we can confirm with a legal guardian that the person is allowed to pick up the child.
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All staff are provided with a walkie talkie per family group. Staff given a walkie talkie are required to keep them with them at all times. All rec staff and full-time staff keep their walkies on at all times. This allows for constant communication throughout the camp for each family group and for staff to respond to any needs or emergencies. Our full-time staff keep walkies on them at all times and reside onsite. Full-time staff also keep cell phones on them and have access to the internet at all of our meeting areas and dining facilities.
No. Staff are instructed to always maintain our policy of never being alone with a camper. If a camper has to go somewhere apart from the main family group, the counselor will take a third person with them, whether that be an additional staff member, or another camper. We also encourage our staff to maintain the rule of three even within themselves for best practices.
What makes NaCoMe a safe place? FAQs
FAQs: BEFORE CAMP
NaCoMe is a Presbyterian camp (PCUSA).
That's not a problem at all! NaCoMe is certainly a PCUSA camp, but most of our camp curriculum focuses on core truths of the Christian faith, not specifics of Presbyterian doctrine. We explore concepts of God's unfailing love, His grace, the life of Jesus Christ, and how we should live as a result of these truths, among other things. As Jesus would, we welcome all!
Of course! NaCoMe guarantees one co-requested cabin mate. So make sure you both request each other!
Visiting camp can calm a fair amount of anxiety for first-time campers, and we would love to schedule a visit for you and your camper(s). Call our office at (931) 729-9723 or email summercamp@nacome.org to coordinate your visit with our Summer Camp Director.
No camper should be turned away because of an inability to pay. NaCoMe is blessed to have multiple people and organizations that support this goal. If you can’t afford camp, all you have to do is call or email our Summer Camp Director and they can discuss the various ways to make sure your camper doesn’t miss out.
Each camper is responsible for the full payment of his/her camper fees. In order to guarantee your camper’s spot, we need a deposit, which will be paid upon registration. The remainder of the payment is due May 1st. You can choose from several different options while registering. If you have additional questions concerning setting up this payment, please email our Summer Camp Director at summercamp@nacome.org.
In case a camper must withdraw and cancel their registration, everything but a $50 processing fee will be refunded until May 1, 2026. After this date, no refunds will be issued.All campers must be covered by family medical insurance. NaCoMe does not provide medical insurance for campers, nor does it assume financial responsibility for medical emergencies. Please provide complete medical information on the Health History Form, which can be found on the registration website.
FAQs: BEFORE CAMP
NaCoMe is a Presbyterian camp (PCUSA).
That's not a problem at all! NaCoMe is certainly a PCUSA camp, but most of our camp curriculum focuses on core truths of the Christian faith, not specifics of Presbyterian doctrine. We explore concepts of God's unfailing love, His grace, the life of Jesus Christ, and how we should live as a result of these truths, among other things. As Jesus would, we welcome all!
Of course! NaCoMe guarantees one co-requested cabin mate. So make sure you both request each other!
Visiting camp can calm a fair amount of anxiety for first-time campers, and we would love to schedule a visit for you and your camper(s). Call our office at (931) 729-9723 or email summercamp@nacome.org to coordinate your visit with our Summer Camp Director.
No camper should be turned away because of an inability to pay. NaCoMe is blessed to have multiple people and organizations that support this goal. If you can’t afford camp, all you have to do is call or email our Summer Camp Director and they can discuss the various ways to make sure your camper doesn’t miss out.
Each camper is responsible for the full payment of his/her camper fees. In order to guarantee your camper’s spot, we need a deposit, which will be paid upon registration. The remainder of the payment is due May 1st. You can choose from several different options while registering. If you have additional questions concerning setting up this payment, please email our Summer Camp Director at summercamp@nacome.org.
In case a camper must withdraw and cancel their registration, everything but a $50 processing fee will be refunded until May 1, 2026. After this date, no refunds will be issued.All campers must be covered by family medical insurance. NaCoMe does not provide medical insurance for campers, nor does it assume financial responsibility for medical emergencies. Please provide complete medical information on the Health History Form, which can be found on the registration website.
CAMP LIFE FAQs
We recruit students from colleges across the US. We also have a number of previous campers who apply to work here at NaCoMe. Each summer staff goes through an intensive screening process, two personal interviews, a background and reference checks.
Counselors are in charge of a single group of up to 7 campers each week. Counselors will be paired with a co-counselor and 7 more campers. This entire group is called a Family Group and will do all the camp activities together through the week.
Please use your best judgment when packing for camp. Clothes, bathing suits, and shoes should be athletic and functional as we are very active at camp and your clothes need to keep up with you. You may be playing on a water mat, ziplining, or playing field games while here, so pack accordingly. Camp can also be dirty and messy, so we do not recommend bringing new clothing.
See the additional resource section for a Packing List.
For 1-week and 2-week sessions, camper check-in is on Sundays from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and check-out is on Fridays from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. For Express Camps (half-week), camper check-in is on Sunday from 2:00 p.m to 4:00 p.m for the first session and on Wednesday from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. for the second session. Camper check-out for Express Camps is on Tuesday from 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on Friday from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Camper families will also be invited to stay for the Closing Ceremony on Friday after check-out. (There is no Closing Ceremony for Tuesday check-outs.) Closing Ceremony will begin at 1:00 p.m. Additional information regarding check-in and check-out will be sent via email prior to your camper's session starting.
During camper check-in, you have the option to drop off any packages in our daily labeled bins.
You can also send snail mail directly to us. Please note that we are rural, and it takes mail a while to get to us. Please send mail prior to your camper’s week in order to ensure it arrives before/while they are here. Mail received after their departure will (unfortunately) not make it’s way back to you. NaCoMe’s mailing address is: NaCoMe Camp & Retreat Center Attn: Camper’s Name 3232 Sulphur Creek Rd. Pleasantville, TN 37033
Yes! All indoor lodging facilities are equipped with AC and heat.
Meatimes are served at 8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m. daily. Our summer camp menu provides kid-friendly meal options. At each meal, there is always a hot & cold food line served cafeteria style.
If you have any specific dietary restrictions or needs, please let us know in advance.
You can add money to your camper's Camp Store account through the online registration system or by calling the Camp Office. Campers go to the Camp Store each day and have the opportunity to buy drinks, snacks, candy, shirts, hats, and other NaCoMe merchandise! We recommend sending $20-30 for each weeklong camper and $10-12 for each half-week camper.
Any unused funds at the end of the session will be donated to our Camper Scholarship Fund; no refunds will be given.
Our summer camp curriculum focuses on the core truths of the Christian faith. During the week, camp has Worship twice a day (morning and evening). Every camper will have the choice to participate in a communion service on Thursday evening.
One of the most significant elements of the camp experience is learning indepence. It's hard to be apart, however, kids adjust to camp life much more easily than we often assume. We usually don't allow phone calls or visits to the camper during the camp week unless of an emergency. If a child requests to talk to their parent, our staff will reach out to parents first to give parents the decision of how they would best like their camper to overcome the situation. The best way to communicate with your camper is by sending snail mail or using the labeled bins during check-in to drop off letters. You may also email the Summer Camp Director at summercamp@nacome.org or call the Camp Office at 931-729-9723. We can always pass along a message to your camper or check in with them for you.
We strive never to dismiss campers from camp, but NaCoMe reserves the right to do so in order to protect the campers and the camp community. Unruly or dangerous behavior or possession of tobacco, alcohol, drugs, firearms, weapons, or fireworks are grounds for immediate dismissal.
FAQs DURING CAMP
We focus a tremendous amount of energy on serving our campers during the week of camp. With that in mind, we do our best to post photos each day by 11:00 am to a photo-sharing website. Parents will be given the information needed for viewing photos at camper registration.
Missing home can happen to even the most seasoned camper, and it's probably the issue that can most affect a camper's experience if it is left unresolved. Our staff are trained to identify homesickness early and our schedule is designed to prevent it early in the week, the most common time for homesickness to occur. In extreme cases, we will consult with the parent to find a resolution, but most of the time that step isn't necessary.
Bumps and bruises are expected at camp. Should anything more serious happen, we have a Registered Nurse on-site at all times, and we're in close contact with other medical professionals in the event of an emergency. In the unlikely event that anything happens to a camper, we'll be in touch with parents or guardians to decide on further steps.
FAQs AFTER CAMP
Camp is a unique experience for participants and each camper can express their experience differently. We think that's a good thing. Many campers will want to talk about camp for weeks, some will want to ruminate on the experience before sharing about it, and others are simply too tired to share all about it in the car. Whenever your child does want to share, we recommend using open-ended questions and finishing the conversation with questions about how they feel they're different after camp or how they want to live differently after camp.
Call us! You can reach our Summer Camp Director via their email summercamp@nacome.org or by calling our office at 931.729.9723. We’re happy to talk about your camper's experience. Whether your feedback is positive, negative, or neither of those, we’d love to hear about your experience. We view the camp experience as a partnership, and communication only strengthens that ability. Additionally, we recommend you fill out our parent survey usually emailed in late July or early August each year.
We're happy to hear it! No marketing on our end will ever replace a good word-of-mouth reputation. If you want to help spread the word about what NaCoMe is doing, we're always looking for people to speak to their church congregation. If that's too daunting, we'll be happy to come to speak to your church. Give us a call and we'll coordinate a visit.