Professionalism Matters
We are Intentional
Our year round staff has decades of experience and has trained specifically to be camp professionals. Every program is developed with intention and built with the whole camper in mind.
We are Secure
Safety of Gretna Glen summer campers and guests is taken very seriously. In order to meet rigid safety guidelines, we carefully select staff members and volunteers through an application and interview process. Prior to hiring, each employee must complete all clearances required by state and federal Child Protective Services Laws. Staff and volunteers are provided extensive training using the Ministry Safe on-line training course and in-person workshops including health and safety guidelines.
We are Accredited
Gretna Glen is accredited by the American Camp Association. To earn accreditation, Gretna Glen complies with more than 300 health, safety and program quality standards. This accreditation is vital to the safety of our campers and guests while holding us to a high standard of excellence.
We are Members
We are members of the United Methodist Camp and Retreat Ministries Association.
Camp Activities
Gretna Glen offers a wide array of age appropriate activities for all of our campers. All activities are supervised by trained staff and volunteers who make camper safety the first priority. Each program has a unique schedule that includes specialty program activities to enhance the camper experience. All overnight campers have an afternoon “choice time” where they are able to choose between archery (for 3-12th grade programs), boating, crafts, fishing, games, or swimming. Other scheduled activities may include nature study, hiking, bouldering, sports, teambuilding, climbing tower, personal challenge course, high challenge course, campfire, worship, drama, creek stomping, outdoor cooking and more! All campers will also enjoy daily Bible Discovery time.
Trips
Gretna Glen uses off- site opportunities to enhance the programming we offer at camp. Program descriptions listed with a van icon will include off site trips. All offsite trips are day trips. Activity, transportation, and meal expenses are included in the camp fee. A few of our trip locations will have an option for additional trip money from home to be sent along with the camper for souvenir type purchases. Any special trip money will be collected on Sunday at registration.
Please note that all activities and experiences on Gretna Glen offsite trips are experienced at a level that welcomes beginners and encourages growth in each activity. This includes all horseback riding, canoeing, water sports, and biking. All risks have been assessed and all emergency procedures have been developed for each offsite trip.
Activities
Housing
Overnight housing is either in the Raab lodge, our main-site cabins, or our Wilderness Ridge Outpost site (cabins and tents or similar). You will see housing listed on the program description page for each program.
The Raab Lodge is ideal for our younger campers as it sleeps up to 36 campers with bathrooms right inside the building and feels a bit more like home.
The Cabins each sleep up to 12 campers and utilize our Mainsite Showerhouse which was just built in 2018. This experience is the classic camp fun.
The Wilderness Ridge Outpost experience is rustic camping, where you may be sleeping in cabins or a tent-like structure. These campers come into mainsite for many activities and at least one meal a day, but get to have a true wilderness experience.
Meals
Meals will be served family style in the dining hall. This means campers will work together to serve one another (go up for refills, set tables, etc.) in Christian community. On occasion we will serve campers on a buffet line. Campers will eat with their camp program. We may have a special occasion that they would eat a meal over a campfire or have a bagged lunch on a hike as part of a specific program experience.
Please contact our office to discuss how we can partner with you if you have a camper with food allergies.
Tiered Pricing
At Gretna Glen we believe summer camp is extremely valuable to the mental, physical and spiritual growth of children and youth. At camp, Christian community is experienced, relationships are built, faith commitments are made, and tomorrow’s leaders are developed every day. We are proud to say that all of our camp programs are priced significantly under the industry average price of $768.00 per week.
Tiered Pricing is intended to represent the true costs related to the camp experience and allow families to select the level of payment most appropriate for their financial circumstances. Each family may freely choose to participate at the Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 level; and every child will receive the same camp experience regardless of the tier chosen.
HOW IT WORKS
Tier 1: Partially Subsidized Cost
Every effort is made to keep the cost of camp as affordable as possible. At this level, every camper’s fee is partially subsidized by generous donations and “connectional ministry support from our conference”. If scholarship help is requested through our Gretna Glen scholarship program, Tier 2 will automatically be selected. If partial payment is coming through your church or an agency, Tier 1 should be selected, unless that party agrees to a different tier.
Tier 2: Direct Cost of Camp
Electing to pay the Tier 2 price helps cover the direct cost of a week of summer camp including program costs, food, summer staff and camp administration.
Tier 3: True Cost of Camp
For families who are financially able to pay Tier 3 pricing, this level constitutes the true cost of camp including all aspects of maintaining facilities in good condition, utilities, etc.
Discount & Financial Information
Early Bird Gift Register on or before April 30th and receive a limited edition Gretna Glen surprise!
Refer A Friend Discount If you attended a 2023 Gretna Glen Summer Camp event you may receive a discount off your 2024 registration fee for each NEW camper you refer who attends a 2024 Gretna Glen Summer Camp program.
- Refer 1 new camper = $25 off
- Refer 2 new campers = $50 off
- Refer 3 new campers = $100 off
- Refer 4 or more new campers = One FREE Gretna Glen Summer Camping event
You must list the friend(s) name on your registration and the new friend must list you as the returning camper on their registration.
Multi-Child Discount If a household sends a second child to Gretna Glen in the summer of 2024, they will receive a $20.00 reduction in the fee for the 2nd child’s event. A third child will receive a $30.00 reduction in the fee for their summer event.
Early Bird Our early bird gift this year is a $10 store credit. This credit is applied in our office, and you do not need to do anything but register before midnight on Thursday, February 28th.
Deposit Policy Day Camp Deposit is $50 Overnight Camp Deposit is $100
All balances must be paid by noon on the Friday prior to the camp week unless other arrangements have been made with us. This is to help with housing assignments and the check in process. Payments can be made online through our registration software or by mail.
Volunteer Discounts Adults who volunteer as a day camp counselor may receive $50.00 off of one of their child’s registration fees. Adults volunteering as a counselor for an overnight camp may receive $100.00 off of one of their child’s registration fees. (All volunteers must complete Gretna Glen’s application, clearance and training process).
Cancellation Policy-If cancelling MORE than 30 days prior to your scheduled program.
Notice of cancellation must be made in writing and sent to
or by mail.
Refund will be the amount paid minus the deposit. (deposits are non-refundable)
If cancelling LESS than 30 days prior to your schedule program.
There will be no refund for cancellations within 30 days of the camp session.
*Medical Exception: Full refund will only be given if, prior to the camp program, the camp office receives a signed doctor’s note.
Financial Support The camping program of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference provides limited funding for children and youth whose families have need of financial assistance. Camper families who cannot afford the full fee should first contact their local United Methodist Church about scholarship support. If the camper’s family and local church cannot assist with the event cost, the family should check the box on the registration form to request a scholarship application. Scholarship Funds have been made available through the Nancy A. Raab Memorial Fund and donations made by friends of Gretna Glen. Scholarships will be awarded based on needs as funds are available.
Do I need to pay a deposit to submit my camper’s registration? What if I am requesting financial assistance through Gretna Glen?
Our first choice is for each family to pay the camper deposit at the time of registration, even if you are applying for financial assistance. If this is an issue for your family, please call our office and we can set up a special payment plan for the deposit.
I am applying for financial assistance for my camper through Gretna Glen. When will I know if my camper has been awarded any funds?
We typically contact the family within 2-3 weeks of receiving a scholarship request form.
How much assistance should I expect to receive?
Scholarship funds are awarded based on financial need with the intention of assisting with one week of camp per child. The average that is awarded for an overnight camper is $100 and for a day camper is $50. We will always do our best to partner with you in getting your child(ren) to camp.
My church/agency is paying a portion of my camper’s registration. Why is that payment not reflected on the amount due at the time of registration?
If your church/agency is financially supporting your camper, please include that amount on the Camper Information Form that you complete during registration. Once we have received your registration, our registrar will manually apply that payment to your account. Please keep in mind that you are responsible for contacting your church/agency to request financial assistance and to confirm the amount that will be provided prior to your registration.
Can I use the Referral Discount for a camper’s younger sibling(s)?
No, the Referral Discount is designed to be used when a returning camper refers a new camper that is not in the same household. For siblings, please only apply our Multi-Child Discount.
When will a referral discount be applied?
Referral Discounts are manually applied once we have processed the registration(s) of the referred camper(s).
