Outdoor Sessions
Click on the event row to read a brief description. Grades listed below are the grades the camper is ENTERING in the fall for the '12-'13 school year.
Outdoor Sessions
Love the outdoors? Like worshiping our Mighty God by the campfire? Enjoy facing different challenges? Then look no farther than our extremely popular Safari Camps! A short walk away from BSCC main camp are three elevated tree huts that campers call home for week while they experience God's wilderness and His Spirit. Campers will have the opportunity to grow closer to God and their fellow campers as they test themselves on Butler Springs' challenge courses; prepare meals together; daily devotions and lessons; canoeing down the Little Miami River; hiking to Fort Hill State Memorial; and swimming in the pool. Come get away from the typical base camp and experience church camp at a whole new level of fun and excitement!
Safari, being a primitive camp, does not have electricity or running water (except for cooking purposes). Safari campers spend about half their day at main camp where they will have the opportunity to shower.
If you're into adventure and are in 5-7 grade, then this is the week of camp for you! Not only are we going to having a blast doing stuff like canoeing, rock climbing, giant swinging, hiking, swimming, and zip lining, BUT we're going to do it with the help of a Compass. That's right, a Compass. In a world where the "map" no longer represents the landscape, we need to learn to navigate by the only instrument that always points us to "true north." You guessed it - that Compass is Jesus! So come, and be ready to learn how to navigate the treacherous terrain that we call "life." I'm looking forward to making the journey with you!
Safari, being a primitive camp, does not have electricity or running water (except for cooking purposes). Safari campers spend about half their day at main camp where they will have the opportunity to shower.
Have you already participated in a Safari Camp and now looking for the next step? Then Wilderness Quest is your destination. Very similar to Safari, Wilderness Quest is a primitive camp site where campers sleep in bunk beds inside of canvas tents where they can experience God's wilderness and His Spirit in the outdoors. Campers will have the opportunity to grow closer to God and their fellow campers as they test themselves on Butler Springs' challenge courses; prepare meals together; daily devotions and lessons; canoeing down the Little Miami River; go rock climbing at Paint Creek State Park; hiking to Fort Hill State Memorial; and swimming in the pool. Experience church camp Wilderness Quest style with a whole new level of fun and excitement!
Wilderness Quest, being a primitive camp, does not have electricity or running water (except for cooking purposes). Wilderness Quest campers spend about half their day at main camp where they will have the opportunity to shower.
Love the outdoors? Like worshiping our Mighty God by the campfire? Enjoy facing different challenges? Then look no farther than our extremely popular Safari Camps! A short walk away from BSCC main camp are three elevated tree huts that campers call home for week while they experience God's wilderness and His Spirit. Campers will have the opportunity to grow closer to God and their fellow campers as they test themselves on Butler Springs' challenge courses; prepare meals together; daily devotions and lessons; canoeing down the Little Miami River; hiking to Fort Hill State Memorial; and swimming in the pool. Come get away from the typical base camp and experience church camp at a whole new level of fun and excitement!
Safari, being a primitive camp, does not have electricity or running water (except for cooking purposes). Safari campers spend about half their day at main camp where they will have the opportunity to shower.
Have you already participated in a Safari Camp and now looking for the next step? Then Wilderness Quest is your destination. Very similar to Safari, Wilderness Quest is a primitive camp site where campers sleep in bunk beds inside of canvas tents where they can experience God's wilderness and His Spirit in the outdoors. Campers will have the opportunity to grow closer to God and their fellow campers as they test themselves on Butler Springs' challenge courses; prepare meals together; daily devotions and lessons; canoeing down the Little Miami River; go rock climbing at Paint Creek State Park; hiking to Fort Hill State Memorial; and swimming in the pool. Experience church camp Wilderness Quest style with a whole new level of fun and excitement!
Wilderness Quest, being a primitive camp, does not have electricity or running water (except for cooking purposes). Wilderness Quest campers spend about half their day at main camp where they will have the opportunity to shower.
Love the outdoors? Like worshiping our Mighty God by the campfire? Enjoy facing different challenges? Then look no farther than our extremely popular Safari Camps! A short walk away from BSCC main camp are three elevated tree huts that campers call home for week while they experience God's wilderness and His Spirit. Campers will have the opportunity to grow closer to God and their fellow campers as they test themselves on Butler Springs' challenge courses; prepare meals together; daily devotions and lessons; canoeing down the Little Miami River; hiking to Fort Hill State Memorial; and swimming in the pool. Come get away from the typical base camp and experience church camp at a whole new level of fun and excitement!
Safari, being a primitive camp, does not have electricity or running water (except for cooking purposes). Safari campers spend about half their day at main camp where they will have the opportunity to shower.
Love the outdoors? Like worshiping our Mighty God by the campfire? Enjoy facing different challenges? Then look no farther than our extremely popular Safari Camps! A short walk away from BSCC main camp are three elevated tree huts that campers call home for week while they experience God's wilderness and His Spirit. Campers will have the opportunity to grow closer to God and their fellow campers as they test themselves on Butler Springs' challenge courses; prepare meals together; daily devotions and lessons; canoeing down the Little Miami River; hiking to Fort Hill State Memorial; and swimming in the pool. Come get away from the typical base camp and experience church camp at a whole new level of fun and excitement!
Safari, being a primitive camp, does not have electricity or running water (except for cooking purposes). Safari campers spend about half their day at main camp where they will have the opportunity to shower.
Modeled after the hit TV series Man vs. Wild, at this camp session you stay in the Safari huts and you will learn basic survival skills, how to trap animals, how to build a shelter, create a survival kit, practice your marksmanship with air riffles and archery, fishing, canoe down the Little Miami River, just to name a few. Don’t worry though, you won’t have to track and hunt your own food because Bulter Springs will provide meals for you to prepare as a group. Learn group building experiences through BSCC’s challenge course.
Love the outdoors? Like worshiping our Mighty God by the campfire? Enjoy facing different challenges? Then look no farther than our extremely popular Safari Camps! A short walk away from BSCC main camp are three elevated tree huts that campers call home for week while they experience God's wilderness and His Spirit. Campers will have the opportunity to grow closer to God and their fellow campers as they test themselves on Butler Springs' challenge courses; prepare meals together; daily devotions and lessons; canoeing down the Little Miami River; hiking to Fort Hill State Memorial; and swimming in the pool. Come get away from the typical base camp and experience church camp at a whole new level of fun and excitement!
Safari, being a primitive camp, does not have electricity or running water (except for cooking purposes). Safari campers spend about half their day at main camp where they will have the opportunity to shower.
Have you already participated in a Safari Camp and now looking for the next step? Then Wilderness Quest is your destination. Very similar to Safari, Wilderness Quest is a primitive camp site where campers sleep in bunk beds inside of canvas tents where they can experience God's wilderness and His Spirit in the outdoors. Campers will have the opportunity to grow closer to God and their fellow campers as they test themselves on Butler Springs' challenge courses; prepare meals together; daily devotions and lessons; canoeing down the Little Miami River; go rock climbing at Paint Creek State Park; hiking to Fort Hill State Memorial; and swimming in the pool. Experience church camp Wilderness Quest style with a whole new level of fun and excitement!
Wilderness Quest, being a primitive camp, does not have electricity or running water (except for cooking purposes). Wilderness Quest campers spend about half their day at main camp where they will have the opportunity to shower.
Love the outdoors? Like worshiping our Mighty God by the campfire? Enjoy facing different challenges? Then look no farther than our extremely popular Safari Camps! A short walk away from BSCC main camp are three elevated tree huts that campers call home for week while they experience God's wilderness and His Spirit. Campers will have the opportunity to grow closer to God and their fellow campers as they test themselves on Butler Springs' challenge courses; prepare meals together; daily devotions and lessons; canoeing down the Little Miami River; hiking to Fort Hill State Memorial; and swimming in the pool. Come get away from the typical base camp and experience church camp at a whole new level of fun and excitement!
Safari, being a primitive camp, does not have electricity or running water (except for cooking purposes). Safari campers spend about half their day at main camp where they will have the opportunity to shower.
Have you already participated in a Safari Camp and now looking for the next step? Then Wilderness Quest is your destination. Very similar to Safari, Wilderness Quest is a primitive camp site where campers sleep in bunk beds inside of canvas tents where they can experience God's wilderness and His Spirit in the outdoors. Campers will have the opportunity to grow closer to God and their fellow campers as they test themselves on Butler Springs' challenge courses; prepare meals together; daily devotions and lessons; canoeing down the Little Miami River; go rock climbing at Paint Creek State Park; hiking to Fort Hill State Memorial; and swimming in the pool. Experience church camp Wilderness Quest style with a whole new level of fun and excitement!
Wilderness Quest, being a primitive camp, does not have electricity or running water (except for cooking purposes). Wilderness Quest campers spend about half their day at main camp where they will have the opportunity to shower.
Love the outdoors? Like worshiping our Mighty God by the campfire? Enjoy facing different challenges? Then look no farther than our extremely popular Safari Camps! A short walk away from BSCC main camp are three elevated tree huts that campers call home for week while they experience God's wilderness and His Spirit. Campers will have the opportunity to grow closer to God and their fellow campers as they test themselves on Butler Springs' challenge courses; prepare meals together; daily devotions and lessons; canoeing down the Little Miami River; hiking to Fort Hill State Memorial; and swimming in the pool. Come get away from the typical base camp and experience church camp at a whole new level of fun and excitement!
Safari, being a primitive camp, does not have electricity or running water (except for cooking purposes). Safari campers spend about half their day at main camp where they will have the opportunity to shower.
Have you already participated in a Safari Camp and now looking for the next step? Then Wilderness Quest is your destination. Very similar to Safari, Wilderness Quest is a primitive camp site where campers sleep in bunk beds inside of canvas tents where they can experience God's wilderness and His Spirit in the outdoors. Campers will have the opportunity to grow closer to God and their fellow campers as they test themselves on Butler Springs' challenge courses; prepare meals together; daily devotions and lessons; canoeing down the Little Miami River; go rock climbing at Paint Creek State Park; hiking to Fort Hill State Memorial; and swimming in the pool. Experience church camp Wilderness Quest style with a whole new level of fun and excitement!
Wilderness Quest, being a primitive camp, does not have electricity or running water (except for cooking purposes). Wilderness Quest campers spend about half their day at main camp where they will have the opportunity to shower.
Frequently Asked Questions
TNT Questions
Teens-N-Training is a program for kids 14 and up to volunteer two weeks at camp working with the grounds, housekeeping, or kitchen crew and in return, receive a $180 credit towards a camp of their choice. If you decide you only want to work one week, you will receive a credit of $90. This program is designed for teenagers to get a better understanding of how Butler Springs Christian Camp operates, providing and helping with the daily schedules of camp life. The TNT volunteers will work closely with the summer staff and full time staff. If you are interested in TNT, you MUST read the TNT Information pdf and then fill out and return the TNT Application to the camp no later than May 1st. There are a limited number of spots and they fill up fast.
Financial Questions
Refunds of all monies paid (except for the minimum deposit) will be refunded IF AND ONLY IF done at least two weeks prior to the session start date. Cancelations made within two weeks of the session start date (date range for normal pricing) will result in no money refunded. We will, however, try to place your child in another session to prevent a loss of money. If Butler Springs has to cancel a session because of lack of interest, all money will be refunded, including the minimum deposit.
If you register online and find out that the session you are wanting is at maximum occupancy, you have the option to pay the minimum deposit and then be put on the waiting list. When and if someone cancels, the software will automatically place your child in the session as registered, starting with the first person on the waiting list. Once again, in order to be on the waiting list, you must pay the minimum deposit. If the full session does not have any cancellations and you are still on the waiting list when the session starts, you will receive any and all money you have paid towards the waitlisted session without penalty.
There is a designated space on the Registration Form to legibly write the coupon code. When registering online, you will enter the coupon code on the screen where you are selecting your child’s particular session. The coupon code will be reflected on the total amount owed.
Your child will be fed three great meals each day as well as given two snack items in mid-afternoon activities. Also, everyone will have an evening snack of some sort. If you want to send money with your child to purchase extra snacks during canteen, you are more than welcome. Mission money (like an offering) is collected each week, so plan on sending some money for missions (not mandatory). If you would prefer to write a check for missions and give it to one of the Full Time Staff upon arrival to keep from your child loosing money, that would be fine. We do advise that you do not send excessive amounts of money with your child. The potential of getting lost or being stolen increases.
If you look at the very top of each page of the Butler Springs website, you will see a heart shaped icon with the word "Donate" next to it. Click on this icon and it will direct you to our online donation site. Create an account where you will have the availability to log in whenever you desire to make a donation with a credit card.
Or if you prefer to write a check, please make checks payable to BSCC, send it to
Butler Springs Christian Camp
3701 State Route 41
Hillsboro OH, 45133.
All donations are tax deductible and each donor will receive an acknowledgement letter for your tax records.
General Camp Questions
Prior to any swimming sessions, we mandate that everyone passes the swim test. This will be the assessment that determines whether or not your child will be permitted to access the deep end of the pool and will be up to the Lifeguard for a final decision. Every swim session will have at least one American Red Cross trained Lifeguard supervising. Typically, to be extra alert and safe, we have multiple Lifeguards on duty during the younger aged kids’ swim times. Personal Floatation Devices are allowed in the pool but swimmers will not be allowed in the deep end if they fully rely on PFD’s.
Safari Camp is our more primitive but yet very popular camp sessions. They sleep in tree houses where there is no electricity and no running water (except for cooking purposes). Safari camp sleeps a maximum of 24 campers and is geared for outdoorsy kids. Campers go canoeing one day on the Little Miami River as well as have the opportunity to do the challenge course activities at main camp. Safari campers will prepare breakfast and dinner meals and they will eat lunch at main camp with the rest of the camp.
If you have to pick your child up earlier than the normal check out time, we ask that you fill out the “Early Dismissal Form” (can be found on our website) so that we know when and who will be picking your child up. We strongly discourage dropping your child off early at camp. Please don’t get upset with us if we start on time instead of opening up early!!!
Wilderness Camp is another one of our more primitive but very popular camps. Wilderness Quest campers sleep in a large canvas tent with bunk beds; have no electricity or running water (except for cooking purposes); fix their own breakfast and dinner meals while eating lunch at main camp; and usually go canoeing one day, rock climbing and have the opportunity to do the challenge course activities at main camp. Wilderness Quest was introduced to relieve some interest from Safari but we have found now that kids love both of our primitive camps!
You are more than welcome to send care packages as well as letters and cards to your child and loved ones, we just ask that you label it properly.
Example of how incoming mail should be labeled:
Butler Springs Christian Camp
John Doe <-------Make sure you put the camper's name
Safari 6 <-------Make sure you put the session your camper is attending
3701 State Route 41
Hillsboro, OH 45133
*Plan on at least 1 extra day for mail to arrive at Butler Springs Christian Camp.
**Butler Springs Christian Camp is not responsible for lost or misplaced mail items.
Security Questions
Yes, but for security reasons, we ask that you list all possible people who can pick up your child on the registration form. If you forget to include any potential people to pick up your child, you are more than welcome to contact the office and inform the staff who will be picking up your child.
All of the Butler Springs summer staff have been personally selected, interviewed, and approved by the Camp Director and Executive Board Members. All summer staff and volunteers are usually suggested from Elders/Deacons/Preachers from our supporting churches and before being hired or approved volunteer status, EVERYONE 18 YEARS OLD AND UP MUST have two personal references as well as a background check ran against him/her. If there are any questionable alerts, that person will NOT be able to work/volunteer. This ensures that you child is safe and the environment in which he/she is in can be trusted.
Butler Springs will ALWAYS have a First Aid Person on staff everyday of camp. If your child needs medicine administered; care for minor cuts, scratches; headaches; stomach aches; etc…, our qualified First Aid Person will take care of the situation at hand. If the situation is serious or something that the First Aid Person does not have the qualifications for, parents will be the first to be notified.
Every child is retained in one holding spot while parents pick their child up. Only people listed on the registration are able to pick up a child. If someone is not listed on the registration, we will call the parents to see if this person is allowed to pick up your child. Please don’t get offended if we question and investigate who you actually are!!! Your child’s safety is our number 1 priority and we will honor you trusting us with your precious loved ones.
Housing Questions
We do not take bunk mate requests. However, 99% of the time, if you arrive and go through the check in process with the friend you are wanting to bunk with, you typically will have get a bunk together. We do not allow saving bunks for friends so please be courteous of others.
Yes, all of main camp sleeping areas have air conditioned rooms. Safari and Wilderness Quests camps does not have air conditioned sleeping areas.
Registration Questions
Online registration is a breeze! You can go to butlersprings.com and click on the “Register Now” button to begin your online registration process. If you registered last year online, you will use the SAME login and password to access your account. If you have forgotten your login and password, please call the office and we can retrieve that information for you. By registering online, you must at least pay the minimum deposit to reserve your child’s spot in a particular session. If you do not pay your minimum deposit, your child’s spot is not secure. You will have the option to pay any amount you wish (above the minimum deposit) by simply changing the amount wished to be paid. You will also have the option to pay the minimum deposit on one day and then you may log back in to make payments or the remaining balance as you wish (preferably before you arrive at camp).
If you prefer not to utilize our easy-to-use online registration, you can go to butlersprings.com and print the “2012 Registration Form”, fill it out, and mail it to the office. Make sure to include the minimum deposit or your spot will not be reserved. For mail in registrations, the date the envelope is postmarked will be the date used for the appropriate discounts. Please be sure to include a valid email address so that we can keep constant communication with the parents.
If you register online and find out that the session you are wanting is at maximum occupancy, you have the option to pay the minimum deposit and then be put on the waiting list. When and if someone cancels, the software will automatically place your child in the session as registered, starting with the first person on the waiting list. Once again, in order to be on the waiting list, you must pay the minimum deposit. If the full session does not have any cancellations and you are still on the waiting list when the session starts, you will receive any and all money you have paid towards the waitlisted session without penalty.
Food Questions
This is becoming more and more of a regular occurrence and the Butler Springs kitchen staff are more than willing to accommodate for specific allergies or dietary needs (nut, wheat, gluten, red dye, etc…). The kitchen staff have been properly trained to prepare foods in such a manner that will prevent cross contamination. If you are still concerned, you are more than welcome to pack meals for your child and store them in the main kitchen’s refrigerator and/or freezer to be prepared by the kitchen staff. Please notify us in advance if you choose to pre-pack meals for your child.
We serve kid friendly foods at camp but if your child is a picky eater, there will always be cereal for breakfast and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch and dinner. Everyone will receive two afternoon snacks (candy bar, pop, ice cream, etc…) as well as an evening snack (typically more than just candy). If there is any concern, please contact the office.
