Cell Phone Policy for Frontier Ranch
Summer 2014
We realize that cell phones are a culturally complicated issue as we look at a week of camp at a Young Life property. Young Life camping philosophy is based on taking kids out of their element for a week. A cell phone, much like any electronics, ties them to their world back homeand can work against kids being open to hear the Gospel in a unique environment. We all know this as a fact. Yet we also know the reality that kids and parents alike are used to instant communication.
The cell phone policy set forth below is how the Frontier Ranch Committee has chosen to address this issue for the summer of 2012. We ask that you make sure you have communicated this policy to parents and campers before their arrival at camp. The committee has tried to look at this issue from all directions including the possibility of allowing campers to keep their cell phones. That option opens other issues of theft and cell phones ringing or kids text messaging during club, cabin times and other activities at camp.
- At Frontier Ranch, all campers and leaders cell phones will be collected on the first day of camp upon arrival.
- The Trip Leader for the group may keep his/her cell phone so that they can deal with any necessary business. We ask that the trip leader use their cell phoneonly when necessary and only in the following places: head leaders meeting room in lower Kiva, Kiva leaders meeting room.
- There will be a phone available in the Head Leader’s Office in lower Kiva that can be used in emergency situations.
- Frontier Ranch has 5 phones located throughout camp that can be used with calling cards. Campers will need to bring calling cards so that they can communicate with parents or they can purchase them in the store.
- The phone number for Frontier Ranch is 719-395-4111. Phones are answered from 8 AM to 8 PM daily. If emergency calls are placed during the night an emergency number will be provided on the phone message. A Head Leader will be carrying a cell phone each night and emergency calls will be responded to immediately.
- On the last day of camp cell phones (and other electronic equipment)will be passed back to trip leaders after the last club meeting. Please make sure your transportation home is equipped with an outlet to charge this equipment on the bus ride home and bring a power strip to accommodate multiple phones at one time.