Camp Luther Family Camp Reservation and Use Policies
Eligibility
The head of a household and spouse or individual age 21 or older may reserve a cottage.
The person(s) reserving the cottage must be a member of a Lutheran Church at the time of the initial reservation.
Advance Reservation
Person(s) may reserve the same cottage during the same period the following summer, provided that the deposit is submitted prior to departure from Camp Luther.
Waiting List
Camp Luther will maintain a waiting list for households who wish to reserve a cottage during the ten weeks of programmed Family Camp (other week-long summer reservations may also have a waiting list).
Households are placed on the waiting list based on the date Camp Luther receives the submission form. Current Family Camp families seeking an additional week will be placed at a lower priority than all others on the waiting list. Current Family Camp families seeking to switch cottages or weeks are treated as reserving a new cottage, contingent upon cancellation of the current reservation.
Making changes to criteria that expand opportunities (i.e. changing from requesting week 5 to weeks 4-6) will result in the submission date resetting to the date the changes were made. However, there will be an opportunity provided once every 4 years to update any criteria on the waitlist record.
You must be age 18 or older to place your name on the waiting list. You must be 21 to actually reserve the cottage. Households on the Family Camp Waiting List are responsible for notifying the camp office of contact information changes. Camp Luther will not be responsible for reservation opportunities lost due to incorrect contact information.
If two records exist and those holding these records become married, all selected criteria will be combined into whichever record was first submitted. A household already on the waiting list cannot add another entry until their current record comes off the list.
If a household declines three different cottage offers consecutively, the waitlist record submission date will reset to the date of the third decline.
*If a cottage offer is declined (and not the third consecutive offer) the household can choose to pass on all cottage offers for that summer and not receive any cottage offers until the following summer without it counting against them.
Reservation Confirmation
All advance reservations will be confirmed by the camp office. Please retain written confirmation and present it at registration.
Minimum Stay
A cottage must be occupied for a minimum of three nights by the head of household or spouse listed on the reservation. Nights do not need to be consecutive. Family Camp reservations are Saturday to Saturday only.
EXCEPTIONS
Unusual circumstances may allow for exceptions to the minimum stay policy. Required military obligations, professional short term missionary work, or family emergencies that make it impossible to fulfill the three-night requirement are examples of this. Should one of these circumstances occur within 60 days of the registration, the full deposit is non-refundable, but the balance of the payment for that year is not owed by the original reserving party unless filled by family or friends. Households will be given a timeline to fill the cottage with family or friends, in which case the reservation would remain with the original reserving party and all conduct of those occupying the cottage would be the responsibility of said party. Once this time frame has ended, Camp Luther will notify the reservation holders in that Family Camp week and fill the cottage using a random drawing method. Once a new guest is selected, the original reservation holder is no longer responsible for the persons occupying the cottage. Please note that only one summer can be missed. If unable to fulfill the minimum stay requirement the year after the absence for any reason, the cottage will immediately be offered to the next eligible household on the waiting list.
Deposit/Agreement
A deposit of $350 (amount subject to change) is required (cash, check or charge) at the time of registration.
Households re-booking for the following year will be required to pay this deposit before leaving camp (one year in advance). Additional payments can be made at any time. Along with the deposit, the reserved party will be required to sign an agreement of terms and conditions of the Family Camp program. Only with a signature and deposit will the household be considered “registered” for Family Camp the following summer.
Cancellation
If a cancellation is made more than 60 days in advance, the deposit less a $25 fee is refunded if the cottage is reserved for another party. The full deposit is retained if the cottage is not booked or if the reservation is cancelled within 60 days of the arrival date.
Normal Capacity
The normal capacity of a three bedroom cottage is eight, and a two bedroom cottage is six.
Right To Refuse Registration
The Camp Luther staff is empowered with the authority to refuse or terminate cottage reservations to any person(s) or group at their discretion.
Pets
No pets allowed.
Sublease
Cottages may not be sublet during Family Camp weeks. (see minimum stay requirements)
Rates
All rates and fees are established as necessary and subject to change. A current rate and fee listing is available upon request.
Campers and Tents
The use of campers and tents by family campers or their guests as sleeping quarters is not allowed.
Transfer Of Reservation
In cases of death or physical/mental incapacity of those listed on the reservation to occupy the cottage on the reserved date, the immediate family retains the right to stay in the cottage during the week(s) reserved for that year only as long as one member of the family is 21 or older. At the conclusion of that stay, the cottage is made available to those households on the waiting list.
There are no transfers of reservation.
Family Camp Program
Families and individuals are invited to participate in a program of activities and events scheduled throughout the week. The program includes planned recreation, learning, arts & crafts, potluck, campfire devotions, daily Bible studies for both children and adults, and various other activities. Participation in activities and events is encouraged, but optional.
Family Camp and Retreat Season Schedule
The Family Camp Program runs for 10 weeks, from early June through late August, with the 10th week ending 2 full weeks before the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend. All dates outside of these 10 weeks fall under the Retreat Season Policies.
The full weeks of summer are numbered 1 – 12 for reservation and waiting list purposes. Family Camp is held in weeks 2 – 11. A schedule of weeks several years in advance is available from the office.
Policy Change
Family Camp reservation policies may be changed without notice.
DEFINITIONS
“Household” – Person and spouse (if applicable) and all those immediate family members under the age of 21.