Welcome to Summer 2024 at Plunge. We can't wait to have you!
We are grateful for the time and energy you have invested in getting to know kids and we look forward to hosting you this summer. As you prepare for your trip, please use the links below to access necessary summer trip documents.
Our hope is that everyone who comes to Plunge - camper, leader and volunteer - leave knowing the love of God better.
If you have any further questions, please give us a call at 260-402-7011 or send an email. We look forward to hosting you this summer!
Summer 2024 Health and Consent Form Process
To identify who still needs to fill out a Health and Consent Form:
- In YLConnect Camp, on your arrival form, you can view the HC Form Status as of June 14, when the outage began.
- If a registrant has an HC Form Status of “completed online,” a PDF version of the completed form has been recovered and sent to camp.
- If a registrant has a status of “Awaiting Physician signature,” they either need to bring a paper copy of the signature to camp or use the Summer 2024 Health and Consent form to upload a copy of the physician’s signature.
- If a registrant's HC Form Status is anything other than “completed online,” “completed paper,” or “Awaiting Physician Signature,” parents/ guardians must fill out the Summer 2024 Health and Consent form hosted in Cognito.
To communicate with parents and guardians who still need to utilize the Summer 2024 Health and Consent form:
- From the arrival form in YLConnect Camp, go to Send Individualized Email and select the HC Form Invite, which has now been updated to include the Summer 2024 Health and Consent Form, as well as the necessary area information needed to complete the form.
- You will then be able to select which registrants should receive the email.
- Click send!
Tracking Submissions and Preparing for Travel:
- As parents/guardians complete the form, you will receive emails from Cognito with PDFs of the completed forms. (Parents and camps will also have access to copies.)
- Please track and ensure all forms are completed. In YLConnect Camp, as forms are submitted, you should change a registrant's HC Status to “Completed in Cognito.” Please note that there is no automation between YLConnect Camp and the Cognito form. You must manually update the status to “Completed in Cognito.”
- Print the PDF forms for use during travel to and from camp.
- If a camper arrives without a completed health and consent form, the trip leader and camp team will work together to have parents/guardians complete a form as soon as possible.
Plunge at a Glance
❮
Every adventure camping trip in Young Life is designed to facilitate belief, growth and maturity in Jesus Christ in a small group setting. We want you and your campers to come to a better understanding of yourselves, each other, and the love of our Lord Jesus. There are so many ties to the Gospel in the wilderness and on your trip to Plunge we will point to Christ through creation, community and solitude. The goal of the talk progression that we will walk through in a camp trip is to help everyone claim their belovedness in Christ.
Activities
❮
From arrival, the goal is to form a solid community among all the areas on the trip. All campers meet the guides, transfer their luggage to backpacks provided by Pioneer Plunge and start the 4 mile hike to Plunge, where you will live for the week. We operate on a 6-day camping schedule, we think that the schedule has been set up to provide a quality discipleship camping experience.
Ministry Content
❮
Our desire is for campers to grow closer to Jesus and each other, and be equipped to return home with a renewed passion for the Gospel and a new understanding of what it means to live in an authentic Christian community. Throughout the week, kids experience a blend of community, solitude, and work. They spend time sharing life stories and having conversations as they work together to pull the week off. Each evening, the talk progression in the group gatherings follows the book Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen, through the lens of the Gospel of John; it goes as follows:
- Being the beloved
- Becoming the beloved: chosen & blessed
- Becoming the beloved: broken & given
- Living as the beloved
Travel & Logistics
❮
Arrive to Windy Gap at 12:00 PM EST on the first day of your camp week. Everyone should arrive dressed to hike. Please be in communication with camp about your specific arrival time so that the guide team can be ready to welcome you as you pull into the parking lot - you can expect a text from us first thing on Sunday morning.
Lunch is not provided by camp on Day 1. Please arrive having already eaten lunch or bring your lunch with you to eat in the parking lot.
- Pre-order Pub Subs from the Weaverville Publix and pick up on your way in
- Pick up Hot-N-Ready pizzas from Little Caesars on Weaver Blvd.
- Pick up food from any fast food restaurant on Weaver Blvd.
After arrival the guide team will lead your campers in moving their luggage over to packs to be carried; their suitcases from home will not be taken up to Plunge with 1 clean outfit left down the mountain for the return trip home. Packs are provided by Plunge but if you or your campers own a pack, feel free to bring your own. The hike to Plunge is about 4 miles and will be led by the guide team.
Departure
❮
All participants will leave a clean set of clothes in their luggage that doesn't go up to Plunge so that they can shower and put on their clean outfit before getting in the car to go home (you're welcome).
You can plan to be on the road by 2:00 PM EST on the last day of your camp trip. Lunch will be provided on your departure day.
As in previous summers, guests will have the opportunity to shower at Windy Gap and visit camp's Country Store prior to their drive home.
Paperwork
❮
**The following forms are required to participate in a Pioneer Plunge Camp Trip.
For health forms, please follow this link to use to correct health form (6007) for this summer. Here is a link to helpful tips and tricks regarding for Areas managing online health forms.
Due to the programmatic nature of Plunge and the way that we work together as a community during the camp trip, we need all participants to fill out a Volunteer Agreement Form. Please have all leaders and campers complete this prior to arrival, then turn in upon arrival.
- Volunteer Agreement Form (Paper Copy) - Print and bring copies with you.
- Volunteer Agreement Form (Electronic Copy)
YL Connect Camp is required for summer 2024. The YLCC Arrival Form replaces the registration packet/A form excel document. Please be sure all campers AND leaders are registered through your camp registration page. No housing assignments need to be completed.
Packing List
❮
Follow this link for the most updated packing list.
Camp Trip Promos
❮
Here are links to some camp promo videos, feel free to share accordingly:
Transportation
❮
As you are planning transportation for campers & leaders from your area, refer to Young Life's current transportation policy. Please plan to arrive at Windy Gap at 12:00 PM EST on Day 1 of camp. Please arrive having already eaten lunch and dress prepared to hike. For departure, you can plan to leave around 2:00 PM EST on your final day of camp. Lunch will be served prior to hiking down to Windy Gap.
Other Information
❮
Leader Orientation : Please have your leaders complete the Summer Camp Leader Orientation via Young Life Access.
Electronics: Please collect all personal electronics (cellphones, cellular enabled watches, iPads, laptops, DVD players, etc.) prior to your arrival; place in in dividual Ziploc bags and label with the camper's name and area number. These will be collected upon arrival and stored until your departure.
Medications: Please collect ALL prescription medication prior to your arrival; place in individual Ziploc bags and label with the camper's name and area number. All medications must be in their original prescription container with the label. These will be collected upon arrival and stored in the Infirmary to be dispensed by our medical team. We will collect ALL medications except epi-pens, and inhalers. Please leave over-the-counter medication at home.
Early Departures: If a camper needs to leave separate from the rest of your area, a completed Permission to Leave Camp Early form (YL-1853) must be turned in to the office before the camper is able to leave camp.
Campers Driving/Riding in Personal Vehicle: If a camper needs to drive their personal vehicle to/from camp OR a camper is riding to/from camp with another minor in their personal vehicle, a completed Permission to Drive To and From Camp (YL-1854) must be completed online before the camp trip.
Other Areas Your Week: Want to see which other areas will be at Lake Champion your week? On your camp trip arrival form in YLCC, click the dropdown arrow in the top right and select "Camp Trips by Week". This will show you every trip at the camp you are attending organized by week.
Camp Resources
Due Date Timeline
Week 1: May 5-10
04/25/2024
05/03/2024
05/05/2024
Week 2: May 12-17
05/02/2024
05/10/2024
05/12/2024
Week 3: June 9-14
05/30/2024
06/07/2024
06/09/2024
Week 4: June 16-21
06/06/2024
06/14/2024
06/16/2024
Week 5: June 23-28
06/13/2024
06/21/2024
06/23/2024
Week 6: June 30-July 5
06/20/2024
06/28/2024
06/30/2024
Week 7: July 7-12
06/27/2024
07/05/2024
07/07/2024
Week 8: June 14-19
07/04/2024
07/12/2024
07/14/2024
Week 9: July 21-26
07/11/2024
07/19/2024
07/21/2024
