special qualities

Philosophy

Camp Jeanne d’Arc, founded in 1922 by Ruth McIntyre, offers a unique summer camp experience where girls from all over the world come together to form friendships, enjoy group living in a small camp community a little closer to nature than in every day life and challenge themselves in a host of activities. Jeanne d’Arc’s motto, Bringe Loving Hertes,  (Bring Loving Hearts) is written in Old English above Woodsheart’s front porch, and continues to guide campers in their daily life. For 90 summers girls have been inspired to follow the example of our namesake, Joan of Arc, with the values she modeled: faith, endurance, courage and confidence. Our focus is on camp spirit and the talents that each camper, counselor and staff member brings to our camp community.

To learn more about the initial inspiration for Camp Jeanne d'Arc and how those values are still incorporated today, please go to the history page on this web site.

With over two hundred acres in the Adirondack Mountains on Lake Chateaugay, our setting invites both rigorous activity and time for peaceful reflection.  We welcome any healthy girl who is enthusiastic about participating in our program, regardless of her religious affiliation, color or ethnic background.

Staff

Jeanne d’Arc’s staff and counselors are carefully selected and well trained. Many are “old” Jeanne d’Arcers. All must possess a desire to work constructively with young girls, be good role models and have a skill they can teach. The overall staff/camper ratio is 1:3.

Health, Safety and Accreditation

The staff includes two camp nurses, usually RN’s, but sometimes doctors, paramedics or student nurses. Each camper must be examined by her family physician and dentist prior to her arrival at camp. In addition, New York State requires each camper be inoculated for rubella, rubeola, mumps, polio, diphtheria and tetanus. Health forms are mailed upon enrollment. Parents will be notified in the event of serious illness, injury or abuse.

Camp Jeanne d’Arc is licensed by the New York State Department of Health as required by law and is inspected twice yearly. These standards are among the highest in the nation. Camp Jeanne d’Arc has always met or exceeded these requirements which include screening staff, providing supervision and maintaining safe and sanitary camp facilities. These records, as well as the camp safety plans, are available for inspection at Camp and at the Department of Health in Plattsburgh, New York. The Clinton County Department of Health may be reached at 518-565-4870. 

Camp Jeanne d’Arc is also accredited by the American Camp Association.

Homesickness

It is normal for campers to miss their home and family when they first arrive, even for veteran campers! It is a healthy, common response. We have had considerable experience dealing with homesick campers and our counselors are ready to help, listen, and engage your daughter in the excitement of camp life and making new friends. In dealing with homesickness, what was a crisis one day, may be easily forgotten the next. Please remember that overcoming homesickness is an important part of growing up and is a big part of what we do best at camp. It is not uncommon to receive a letter (or several) during the first few days of camp telling you of homesickness. In this event, we need help from you:  keep in frequent contact with your daughter by mail and keep your letters positive. Tell her how proud you are that she is taking on this challenge and that you can’t wait to hear what kinds of new skills she is learning and about the friends she is making. Urge her to stick with it! Although you probably miss her as much as she misses you, she is at camp to have fun, learn and grow, and receiving upbeat letters from you and other family and friends will help her have the summer you want her to have—the best summer of her life! Sometimes, homesickness is precipitated by family problems such as a relative's sickness, or a recent death, separation or divorce.  If any of these events occur just prior to or during your daughter's stay at camp, please let us know.  We can give your daughter additional support if we are informed.

Staying Connected

Mail: The postal address is: Camp Jeanne d'Arc, 154 Gadway Road, Merrill, NY  12955.  Please mark letters and packages to your daughter with her full name and her cabin name once you know it. Campers write home every Sunday and Wednesday unless they are out of camp on a hike or a canoe trip.  Let us know if you do not receive two letters per week.  Very young campers should be supplied with stamped envelopes addressed to their parents.  Frequent short notes or postcards from parents, relatives, and friends, rather than long, occasional letters, are preferred by campers.  Suggestion: mail a note to your camper before she leaves so that it will be waiting for her at camp when she arrives!

Telephone and Fax - Campers are not permitted to make or receive telephone calls while at camp. Cell phones do not work at camp and are not permitted at camp. Although some parents have a hard time with this, please know that this policy has proven to help our campers succeed in the process of becoming strong, independent girls who involve themselves with energy and enthusiasm in daily camp life. This is part of what Jeanne d’Arc is all about! The camp director and senior staff are always available to speak with you. We are happy to pass important messages along for you, and encourage you to write often.  Although you may call camp at anytime, the best hours to reach the director and members of the senior staff who can help you with questions, concerns and information is between 9:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. The camp phone number is 518-425-3311.  

Email - We regret that we cannot receive or deliver e-mail to campers.  We have partnered with Bunk1.com to provide a secure and easy-to-use service for parents, family friends, campers, and alumnae to see the latest photos of Camp. Bunk1 provides a group email service called “Bunk Notes.” Bunk notes are delivered to the campers daily with the regular mail.  You may include "Bunk Reply" stationary with your bunk notes for your camper to reply to you. Details regarding Bunk 1 usage are included with the Parent Guide. Please return to our home page to link to Bunk1 for photos and bunk notes.

You may fax your child a letter if you wish. Our fax number is 518-425-6673. International campers may also fax letters. If you send your fax before noon, your camper will receive it the same day with the regular mail.

Emergencies

If you have an emergency or any concerns whatsoever, please phone us immediately.  If there is a problem at camp, we will contact you.