forms and other information for LARP camp

Our Amazing Staff

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Our Amazing Staff

At Wayfinder we hold our staff to a standard of excellence that has allowed Wayfinder to be one of the Hudson Valley’s most celebrated summer camps since the early 2000’s. Our staff undergoes training in the fields of improvisational theater, story writing, and cooperative stage combat in order to prepare for the realities of running an immersive, empowering live action roleplay experience.

One of the advantages of hiring primarily staff who come up as Wayfinder campers is an increased level of understanding and investment in the community. Our staff are committed to building a safe and welcoming space where participants can build friendships that will last them a lifetime.

OTC Form

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Over the Counter Form

 

Use this form if you intend to send your camper with any over the counter medications.

Over The Counter Form

Covid Protocols

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Covid Protocols

Wayfinder is continuing to operate in 2023 in full compliance with NY State Department of Health regulations and policies regarding COVID-19.  We will go above and beyond Health Department requirements where we believe it is warranted.  Our Staff is 100% vaccinated against Covid and will take a home antigen test prior to working.  For all day camps, participants will be required to complete a Covid related health questionnaire. At both day and overnight camps, masking will be required inside; masking outside may be added if the science suggests it. For all public events, we require negative Covid tests from all participants; home test kits authorized for emergency use by the FDA are currently acceptable.  Feel free to give us a call at (845) 481-0776 or shoot us an email at info@wayfinderexperience.com if you have questions.

Apprentices

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Wayfinder Apprentice Program

The Wayfinder Apprentice program is a way for the younger members of our community to learn the core skills that not only allow people to work at the Wayfinder Experience, but have allowed so many of our alumni to go on to successful careers in positions from Website Developer to published Graphic Novelist. Apprentices must apply using the application below in order to be considered for a position. Deadlines will be posted specific to the event. We look for Apprentices who not only show potential and interest in the skills that we are able to develop, but also people who will be a good influence on the community, are ready to be role models for younger participants, and bring a positive attitude to the work environment. If you think that you might be a good fit, send us an application today!

  • Eligibility for Apprenticeships begins at age 15 for day camps and 16 for overnight camps.
  • An applicant should have attended at least two official Wayfinder Experience events, preferably week-long summer camps. 
  • Prospective Apprentices may apply in any or all of the following Departments for an event: Costuming, Sets & Props, Game System, Story, Theater, Play. Wayfinder Experience will place the applicant in a department based on availability and event needs.
  • Overnight Apprentices must register for the events which they are working. Day Camp Apprentices do not have to register.
  • Apprentices are legally considered campers and must follow all camper procedures and requirements.
  • Apprentices will coordinate directly with the head of their department to receive assignments and ask any questions they may have. The Department Head will be responsible for leading the Apprentice through a training program.
  • Any difficulties felt by either the Apprentice or the Department Head in terms of their working relationship should be directed to the Event Director, Programming Director or the Committee for Community Concerns to be dealt with accordingly.
  • Apprentices will be evaluated at the end of the event by their immediate supervisor.
  • We want to push Apprentices to learn a variety of skills. As such you will be expected to work in multiple departments during your time as an Apprentice.
  • An Apprentice should expect to be in the position of Apprentice for a minimum of two years before becoming eligible to be a paid staff member. If an Apprentice shows exemplary mastery and potential in all aspects of camp, they may become eligible for a staff position sooner.
  • Anyone is eligible to become a staff member at 18 years of age.
  • WFE is under no obligation to hire any Apprentice into a paid staff position or to renew an Apprenticeship.
  • WFE reserves the right to make any staffing changes necessary for the betterment of The Wayfinder Experience.

Community Leader

A Community Leader (CL) is a member of the Wayfinder Experience community who is not yet old enough to work at camp but is invested in building a fun, safe camp environment. CLs must fill out an application and return it to the WFE office by the stated deadline to be considered. The WFE will consider applicants based on contribution to the community, financial situation and event need. CLs must contribute positively to the community by fully and willingly participating in workshops, following camp guidelines and providing a good example for other campers.

  • Eligibility for CLs begins at age 15.
  • CLs receive a discount of $50 off the price of the event where serving as a CL.
  • CLs are legally considered campers and must follow all camper procedures and requirements.
  • CLs must support the community through participating in workshops, clean up and participant bonding.
  • WFE is under no obligation to hire any CL into a paid position or to renew a term of CLdom.

Participant Agreement

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Participant Agreement

In order to foster the close and safe community at The Wayfinder Experience, we ask all participants and their parent/guardian to read, understand and agree to the following guidelines. The WFE reserves the right to ask any participant to leave at any time.

Respect others and their feelings. We support a close and open community. As part of this community, we must respect what belongs to us, what belongs to others and what is shared by the group. We also must respect personal boundaries and feelings, respecting the requests, differences and backgrounds of others.

Smoking. Participants of the WFE may not use or possess tobacco products at camp
unless they are over the age of 18 or have a signed note from their parent/guardian.

Alcohol and Drugs. Participants of the WFE may not use, distribute or possess any alcohol, controlled substance or paraphernalia at camp.

Sexual behavior. Romantic relationships are not prohibited at any WFE event, yet we do not condone romantic relationships between minors (under the age of 18) and adults (18 and older). Participants may not participate in any sexual activities at camp.

Violence and Weapons. The WFE does not tolerate physical violence, whether actual or implied, at any WFE event. The WFE does not permit any weapon of any kind at a WFE event. A weapon is any object that can cause bodily harm to another. Examples of weapons include knives, guns, spikes, smoke bombs, etc. Any item that may be classified as a weapon must be brought to the attention of the Event Director or Administrative Director during check-in to be cleared.

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Media Release

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Wayfinder Media Release

    • I authorize The Wayfinder Experience, Inc. to use photos, videos, screenshots and/or other likenesses, of myself and/or my child or the child for whom I have legal guardianship for any promotional materials regarding The Wayfinder Experience programs, facilities or services. Such likenesses will not be sold to other parties. Promotional materials bearing these likenesses may be distributed for free to the public and posted on the Wayfinder Experience website and social networking sites. The Wayfinder Experience reserves the right to use any photo or likeness for the time period beginning when this form is signed and ending upon written request of participant, parent or legal guardian.
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  • (If participant under18 years of age)

What to Bring

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What to Bring to Camp

Overnight Summer Camps

Necessities:

  • Water Bottle – If a camper does not have a water bottle, or if they lose the one they bring, one will be provided at the cost of $10, billed to parent/guardian
  • Masks – Please send at least 2 per day! We may or may not require indoor masking, depending on the circumstances in place for a particular event
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Flash light and extra batteries
  • Medications – Please keep these in something easily accessible at drop-off as they must be turned over to Wellness then.
  • Toiletries: toothbrush, shampoo, soap, deodorant, any contact care products in a small caddy or toiletry bag
  • Back-up prescription glasses, if you have them
  • Sunscreen and bug spray
  • Bedding: Sheets, pillow, blankets. Or sleeping bag.
  • Flip flops and 2 towels for showering
  • Plenty of clean socks and underwear!
  • Rain jacket or poncho
  • Sunglasses
  • Enough clothes for duration of stay
  • A laundry bag
  • Plain black/brown clothes for the Adventure, and neutral closed-toe shoes
  • A sweater, sweat shirt or light jacket for cold nights.
  • Closed-toe shoes (tennis shoes are fine)

*Be sure to check the welcome email for any additional camp-specific items*

Things to bring just for fun:

  • A camera
  • Fun games (Like Magic or Set cards, frisbees, soccer balls)
  • Musical instruments
  • Any personal costuming or foam weapons
  • An engaging book
  • Notebook or sketchpad, envelopes and a few stamps

What to Bring to Overnight Weekend Events

Necessities:

  • Flash light and extra batteries
  • Medications
  • All forms
  • Toiletries: toothbrush, shampoo, soap, deodorant, any contact care products in a small
  •  Shower caddy or toiletry bag
  • Back-up prescription glasses, if you have them
  • A towel
  • Plenty of clean socks and underwear. Pack extras; changing wet socks is a must!
  • Enough clothes for duration of stay, plus lots of warm layers
  • Plain black/brown clothes for the Adventure, and neutral closed-toe shoes (ideally insulated and water resistant)
  • Bedding: Sheets, pillow, blankets. Or sleeping bag.
  • Gloves, a hat or two, scarf, and a durable winter coat (Winter Game!)

Things to bring just for fun:

  • A camera
  • Fun games (Like Magic or Set cards, frisbees, soccer balls)
  • Musical instruments
  • Any personal costuming or foam weapons
  • Notebook or sketchpad


WFE is not responsible for lost or broken items; bring at your own risk. Please label personal items with your child’s name.

NO WEAPONS, INCLUDING UTILITY KNIVES, FIREWORKS OR REAL SWORDS ARE PERMITTED AT SUMMER CAMP.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is LARPing?

LARPing, short for Live Action Role-Playing, is one of the most basic forms of play– where participants take on characters and act out those roles together.  At Wayfinder summer camps, we view LARPing as a tool useful for giving participants opportunities to try on new personas and learn more about aspects of themselves not readily apparent in their day-to-day lives.

What is Improv?

Improv, short for Improvisational Theater, is a form of performance art in which there is no script– the actors are instead given the responsibility of quickly creating scenes and stories off the tops of their heads by working together with their scene partners.  At Wayfinder, we teach Improv as a skill, helping participants learn to imagine cooperatively while thinking on their feet, and to trust their instincts and their fellow players.  These skills help us to create a better LARP Adventure Game experience for everyone.

What is an Adventure Game?

An Adventure Game is a live action role playing session in which players take on various characters and interact with one another while enacting a larger overarching story, one which depends on their contributions and input.  An easy way to think about it is as a play, but one where every member of the audience is also an actor, and instead of lines to memorize there are choices to make– choices which can change the entire tone or plot of the game for everyone involved.  It is up to the players to resolve the conflicts of the story, whether by cleverness, courage or cooperation.

At Wayfinder, the Adventure Game is the big culminating event of our summer camps, as well as many of our workshops and classes, and we take it very seriously.  Because we see role-play as a potent tool for effectuating personal growth, we want to encourage our players to become heroes, villains, beggars, gods, kings or monsters– and to take something valuable away from Game, to use in their real lives.  To that end, our Adventure Games most often take place in the genre of epic fantasy, where the players are teams of heroes, and the plot involves overcoming great obstacles and nefarious villains to protect the world.

All of our live action role playing Adventure Games are written by our staff (or, sometimes, our campers!) and are original works.  We very rarely re-run Adventure Games, making each Game a unique experience.  Though our “intro” Games tend to be fantasy we play with every genre: historical, science fiction, western, modern day, comedy, thrillers, etc.  You can find out more about the specific Adventure Game being played at one of our summer camps by checking the event description.

Isn’t sword fighting violent?

The Wayfinder Experience teaches a close-knit integration of competitive and cooperative play– something we’ve never seen anywhere else.  When we act out theatrical violence, it is with the understanding that all parties involved are actually partners in creating a scene in the overarching game or story.  In this way, we can all have some athletic fun running and sword-fighting as hard as we can, while also remembering that we’re playing a game together and respecting other players’ real-life safety and feelings.  Working against each other, but playing with each other.

We have a zero tolerance policy for actual violence or bullying at our summer camps and classes– what we do isn’t possible if participants don’t respect and care for one another.

Furthermore, we do not take the subject of violence lightly.  We avoid glamorizing violence, and often focus on the (heartbreaking) consequences of violent conflict in our Adventure Games.  Further, live action role-playing is a proven psychological tool for teaching and increasing empathy.  As a result, we try to show our participants a more mature perspective on the gravity of violence, and present alternative tools for solving problems.

How did this all start?

Take a look at our history page!

What is your age range?

Our day camps are generally open to kids from ages 8-15, and our overnights are generally open to ages 11 to 18 (though please check ages for each summer camp before registering, as sometimes our partners feel differently). We also run a program called Young Adventurers, which is a camp for children 6-8, and Adult Retreats, which are for anyone 18 years old or older.

What are the facilities and where are you located?

Our office and warehouse are located at 61 O’Neil St, Kingson, NY.  Our summer camps, workshops, and classes are at a number of different facilities in the Hudson Valley and New York City.  For the location of each event please refer to the page for the event, or to the confirmation email you should receive after registering.  Additional informational emails normally go out a week before a summer camp or event, though you can always call or email us to confirm the location.

How are your staff with kids and young adults?

Our staff is primarily comprised of former participants who have grown up in our community.  Most of us feel that our process gifted us with confidence, creativity, and previously untapped talents that we use in our daily lives.  Because of this, we are passionate about paying those gifts forward and making sure that every participant benefits from our live action role playing and community based programming as strongly as we did, helping to foster self esteem, responsibility and individual growth.  We aim to help participants push their limits, while being mindful of their boundaries.  It is very important to us that participants feel safe, happy, and free to control their own identities while they are with us.  We work primarily with kids and young adults and are very experienced at connecting with them and meeting their needs.

How do I request financial aid?

Financial aid and scholarships for our summer camps and programming are offered through the Hero Fund. The Hero Fund is provided by generous donations.

What discounts do you have?

We offer many discounts to our summer camps– siblings discounts, a referral program, and reduced tuition for our Apprentices, among others. A full list of possible discounts will  be listed on the registration page when you go to sign up.

Is there a cancellation policy for your events?

Our cancellation policy for summer camps is located here. Special events, weekend retreats, and classes are dealt with in a case by case basis.

What does my child need to bring?

Depending on the different program they are in they will need to bring different items to make the experience as smooth as possible. Summer camp packing lists can be found here.

What summer camp is best for my child?

This depends on age as well as comfortably sleeping away from home. For day camps, if you have an 8-year-old child who is on the fence about regular day camp or our Young Adventurers, we suggest Young Adventurers for those with more active imaginations who are focused on the make-believe aspect of what we do.  An 8 year old who wants to refine their adventuring and experience some more athletic games throughout the week should go to our more mature day camps.

As for our overnight summer camps, please check the individual event registration pages for the different weeks to learn more about the Adventure Games that will be played to see which your child is most excited for!

Please, call our office (845-481-0776) if you would like help deciding which camp is best for your child!  We are more than happy to help you weigh your options.

How can I, as a parent, be involved with this?

Good Question!  There are a number of ways to stay connected and to participate. For those parents interested in helping out we ask that you spread the word to other parents about our programs- word of mouth has always been how our community has grown and evolved.  Liking and following us on Facebook is a big help, and will also keep you updated on upcoming events.  We have a family event once a year, and an adult retreat, as well – so you can come play, too!  And finally, there are always some tasks that we need help with, and we give campers discounts for certain skilled jobs such as sewing and making marketing materials. Email us to find ways you can help out at: info@wayfinderexperience.com.

Registration & Cancellation Policies

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Registration & Cancellation Policies

Registration

As much as we can we like to create opportunities for our participants (and their families) to save money on the cost of camp and other events. For the Summer of 2024, we are offering Early Bird and sibling discounts.  Hero Fund scholarships are available this summer though limited as always.  Should you be seeking one, please register for the camp in which you are interested and include in the notes that you would like to apply for Hero Fund money.  Then send us an email with a statement as to why Wayfinder camp is important to your child, how much you are able to pay, and why you need help.  Decisions will be made sometime in May.  We look forward to seeing all of you this summer and for many summers to come!

Cancellation

If we cancel any camp due to a development in the pandemic, we will refund all your money except for $25 plus credit card fees.   If you cancel for any reason and it is at least 1 month ahead of the date camp starts, we will refund all but $25 plus any credit card fees. If it is at least 2 weeks ahead of the date camp starts, we will refund all but $50 plus any credit card fees, if we are able to sell your spot. After that, we will be unable to refund any portion of your payment.  In other words, once we are within 2 weeks of the date camp starts, there will be no refunds.

Please note that no credit or refund is available if you cancel on the arrival day; if you do not show up; or if you leave an event early for any reason. No refund will be available if you attend a program and are dissatisfied with its presentation or content.

Events Calendar

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