Parent Info

Every child deserves an overnight summer camp experience. Just one summer at camp can positively influence a child’s life forever. As a non-profit dedicated to youth development, YMCA Camp Benson wants the overnight summer camp experience to be available to everyone. Below are some ways that can help make camp fit any budget. 

CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS

 We understand that some families may still need additional assistance to help their children attend summer camp. If your need is greater please do not hesitate to apply to our Camp Scholarship program, which provides scholarships towards both Member and Non Member prices. This confidential Camp Scholarship allows numerous children, who would otherwise not be able to attend, to experience all that YMCA Camp Benson has to offer. Application for Camp Scholarships are available now.

Please Click Here to begin the scholarship application. 

Please feel free to contact Marissa Larson if you have any questions at mlarson@srfymca.org.

ANNUAL CANDY BAR FUNDRAISER

YMCA Camp Benson has partnered with the Great American Candy Company to help children attend summer camp. This is not a mandatory fundraiser. Here are some important things to know about our Candy Bar Fundraiser. 

Boxes of candy bars are available for pick up at the front desk of the Sterling-Rock Falls Family YMCA and Camp Benson once summer camp registration opens. Your camper or campers must be registered with the $50 deposit paid in order to check out a box of candy bars. Register online by clicking on the button in the top right corner of the website.

Families are not allowed to have more than 4 boxes of cany bars checked out at a time. Once a box is completely paid off you will be able to check another one out. Candy bars are to be sold for $1.00 a piece. This is a fundraiser, so $0.50 from each sale goes to the Great American Candy Company to pay for the candy bars and the other $0.50 goes towards camper fees. 

When you check out a box of candy bars, a charge of $30/box will be applied to your camper account. This represents the actual cost of a box of candy bars and will be paid off when  you bring back the money raised from selling the box of candy bars. This helps us keep track of h ow many boxes of candy bars a family has in their possession. The other $30 will go towards the cost of camp.   

THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOUR CAMPER ARRIVES

Please review this list before your arrival to make sure everything is completed before  your campers stay. All items can be completed by logging into your Camp-In-Touch Account. Getting ready for a session of overnight summer camp takes some time and preparation. 

Complete the Camper Profile and Health History Form two weeks before your camper’s session. 

Camp balances must be paid two full weeks before the start of your camper’s overnight summer camp session. 

PACKING FOR SUCCESS

To help you decide what to pack for your camper, we have provided a basic packing list below. Remember to pack light. It will also be a big help to label all of your child’s clothing and equipment with their first initial and last name. 

Click Here to view our 2026 Packing List

CHECK-IN

*When: Sundays from 3-4PM for Adventure & Mega Campers.
Where: The Merrill Benson Pavilion (Located right next to the parking lot)

Notes: Please bring all campers medications with you to the Pavilion. They will be checked in with the Camp Nurse then. 

CHECK-OUT

*When: Saturdays at 9AM for Adventure & Mega Campers
Where: The Merrill Benson Pavilion (located right next to the parking lot)
Notes: Do not forget to pick up your campers medication from the Camp Nurse.

*Campers attending Mini Week A will check-in Sunday 3-4PM and check-out Wednesday 9-10AM
*Campers attending Mini Week B will check-in Wednesday 3-4PM and check-out Saturday 9-10AM

STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR CAMPER

We want all of our parents and guardians to feel connected with their camper while they are at YMCA Camp Benson. The Communications Dashboard in your Camp-In-Touch account allows you to do just that. Through the Communications Dashboard you are able to send one way emails to your camper. The one-way emails are printed daily and delivered to the cabins every afternoon. 

*Packages and letters can now be dropped off at check-in, for easy delivery to your child during the week. 

If you wish to mail anything to your camper, please use the address below:
YMCA Camp Benson
16355 Scenic Palisades Rd.
Mount Carroll, IL 61053

VISITORS POLICY

We understand that you may wish to visit your camper during their time at camp (especially if it is their first time), but we have a strict no visitor policy during the week. Visits can be disruptive to not only your camper’s schedule, but also to the schedule of other campers at camp. Check-in and check-out days are specifically designed to give you the opportunity to tour camp, meet your camper’s counselor and the rest of the staff. There are no other visiting days during the week. If there are extenuating circumstances regarding this issue, please notify the Camp Manager. They can be reached at 815-244-8722

LOST & FOUND

We highly recommend that you label all of your camper’s items that they bring to camp. On check-out day check the lost and found tables under the pavilion if you find your camper is missing items. If you do leave something at camp please contact us immediately and we will do our best to locate it and get it back to you. Note that YMCA Camp Benson is not responsible for any lost or stolen items. 

YMCA CAMP BENSON DINING INFORMATION

At YMCA Camp Benson it is our goal to serve healthy, balanced and kid-friendly meals. Each meal is served family style, where we focus on a sense of community and fellowship. Campers are responsible for helping set the tables and cleaning up after themselves. 

YMCA Camp Benson’s Dining Hall is a peanut free facility offering vegetarian and gluten free meals for campers with dietary restrictions. We have fresh fruits and other snacks available throughout the day for our campers and staff. Please remember to complete the necessary camper medical form which will list all dietary restrictions for camp to be aware of prior to your camper’s arrival. 

For further infromation or clarification on the food menus, please contact our Camp Manager, Marissa Larson, mlarson@srfymca.org.

At YMCA Camp Benson we offer a variety of items available for sale at our camp store. Campers have the opportunity to visit the camp store Monday-Friday. Funds can be pre-loaded on your child’s camp account and can be monitored during their stay through your parent portal. Prices range from $0.75 to $30. We highly recommend a bare minimum of $10 per camper with the average being around $30 a camper. We are unable to extend credit to campers that run out of funds, but if your child’s Camp Store account runs low mid-session we will email you. Please do not send money with y our camper to camp. 

If you would like to add funds to their account, click here!

CAMP STORE FAQ

Q: How do campers purchase items?

A: Parents set up a camp store account prior to the start of camp with funds to cover the anticipated purchases of their camper – a good budgeting exercise to go through with campers! 

Q: How do I add money to my campers Camp Store account?

A: You can view the balance and add funds to your camper’s account on your Camp-In-Touch account. 

SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY

• 7:45 AM Rise and Shine
• 8:00 AM Optional Morning Club
• 8:20 AM Flag Raising
• 8:30 AM Breakfast
• 9:15 AM Cabin Clean-Up
• 9:45 AM Morning Reflection
• 10:00 AM Morning Activities
• 12:30 PM Lunch
• 1:30 PM Siesta (aka Rest Hour)
• 2:30 PM Afternoon Activities & Camp Store
• 3:45 PM Pool Time
• 5:30 PM Flag Lowering
• 5:45 PM Dinner
• 6:30 PM QUEST (Cabin Lead Activity)
• 7:45 PM Evening Program
• 9:00 PM Slow Songs and Daily Reflection
• 9:30 PM Showers
• 10:30 PM Lights Out

MORNING REFLECTION

After cabin clean-up all of camp gathers at the Lookout to listen to a story or a poem told by one of our staff members. This story, poem or sometimes even skit, highlights one of our six core values: caring, honesty, respect, responsibility, dedication and inclusiveness. We challenge our campers to really think about that day’s core value and to reflect on how they can model that core value in their lives. This is one of the most serious and meaningful activities at camp. 

QUEST

QUEST is an opportunity for individual cabins to grow closer together as a cabin group. Cabins use this time to focus on Camp Benson’s Core Values and get to know each other better. Examples of QUEST activities include cabin trust hikes, games and story telling or writing a skit for the Staff & Camper Show on Wednesdays and much more. 

*The schedule at Camp Benson varies slightly based on a camper’s age and the program their are registered for. For our youngest campers, the evening schedule is  modified to get them to bed sooner.  

YMCA Camp Benson is proud to offer modern and comfortable overnight summer camp facilities. All of our Camper Cabins were built in 2011 and 2012. These cabins were designed to provide a high-quality overnight summer camp experience while maintaining a rustic camp feel. Each cabin houses between 8-12 campers, 1 Teen Leader (aka SDP) and at least 1 staff member. Mattress sizes in the cabin are standard twin mattresses. Camper cabins are all equipped with air-conditioning. 

PROVIDING A SAFE, FUN AND HEALTHY CAMP EXPERIENCE

The physical and emotional safety of our campers is our number one priority at YMCA Camp Benson Our camper’s safety and well-being is at the forefront of our minds at all times at camp, from hiring staff to designing new programs to planning Staff Training. 

Our summer camp staff are hired based on their strong character and high ideals. Summer camp staff are carefully selected to ensure that we have a diverse group of skilled and responsible staff who care about children. Before campers arrive, all of our summer camp staff are trained in safety, counseling techniques, conflict resolution, child development, bullying prevention and camp policies and procedures. Our staff understand that their job is to not just lead activities, but also to help campers develop life skills while always looking out for their well-being.  

Our summer camp staff undergo extensive background and reference checks before being hired. All staff are Red Cross First Aid and CPR certified. 

One of the first things that we do during a session of camp is gather all of the campers and staff together for an orientation on camp rules and expectations. During this orientation we discuss importance of safety at camp and explain how our camp rules and expectations are in place to keep us all safe. All campers are taught that they should never wander around camp alone and that they must travel in a TRUDDIE (aka a group of three). Here we also talk about how it is each camper’s responsibility to look out for the emotional and physical safety of one another. 

HEALTH & MEDICAL NEEDS

YMCA Camp Benson has a Wellness Center that is staffed by our Camp Health Supervisor 24 hours a day. Our Camp Health Supervisor takes care of all camper medical needs, including medication management. All camper medication must be checked in with our medical staff during Check-in. The camper Health History Form must be completed two weeks prior to the start of your camper’s session.