Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

  • It is an awesome place where campers are at the center of attention. It is a fast-paced Christian camp with lots of activities such as swimming, canoeing, archery, riflery, low ropes course and more. Missionaries serve as program guests and have a lot of interaction time with campers.

    Camp La Vida has been in operation for over 40 years. It is owned and operated by Woman's Missionary Union Auxiliary to South Carolina Baptist Convention. WMU is comprised of age-level organizations, four of which are invited to attend Camp La Vida, but are not limited to: Girls in Action, Acteens, Children in Action, and Youth on Mission. These organizations focus on mission education and discipleship, and if you would like the learn more about how to involve your church in WMU, please visit their website.

  • Camp La Vida seeks to provide missions discipleship education in an outdoor setting where a camper has the opportunity to hear the gospel, respond to the gospel, deepen their understanding of the Biblical imperative of missions, and hear from and relate to Southern Baptist missionaries.

  • For current dates, visit our Dates & Rates page.

  • Campers must have COMPLETED the following grades in the Spring of the camp year:

    Grades 1-3: Mother/Daughter Overnight

    Grades 2-12: Girls Minicamps

    Grades 3-12: Girls Week Camps

  • Pick a Date: Select a camp session to attend based on your schedule and the grade completed of the camper attending.

    Find Some Friends: Check with your church or others you know to see if their camper would like to attend as well. Campers can attend on their own, and will be housed with others similar in age.

    Register: Register as an individual or a group by submitting a registration with deposit or full payment through the mail or online. Full payment is required before May 1st to complete registration and hold the camper’s spot, no exceptions. On May 1st, any balance due is automatically charged.

    Camper Packets Emailed to You: Once you have registered online, you will receive a confirmation. Camper packet(s) will be emailed to the contact person’s email provided at registration once payment in full has been received and processed.

    Background Checks: All adults and campers 18 years and older, including volunteers, are expected to complete a background check prior coming to camp. For campers, information will be emailed to you in your camper packet on how to complete the background check.

    Registration/First Day of Camp: Arrive to camp at the scheduled day and time provided in your camper packet(s).

    Parent Liaison: Parent/Guardian will need to speak with the Parent Liaison during registration if they desire to be updated about their child during their camp session.

    Keeping in Touch: Campers will enjoy a wonderful time at camp, where you can communicate with them through mail (either mailed in or brought to registration) and/or Bunk1 emails (more information in your camper packet(s)).

    Pick up/Last Day of Camp: After a fun filled week, campers will need to be picked up on the scheduled time listed in your camper packet(s).

    DO IT AGAIN: Register again for next year!

  • While most of our campers attend with a church/group, not all do. Many campers come on their own and have a great time! We place campers with others who are close in age/grade - no more than 2 grade levels apart and also try to place them with other campers who have come on their own to camp. Campers have a great time making friends and new memories!

Registration

  • Registration begins October 1st. Because space is limited, it is best to register as early as you can to ensure a space for your child. You must make a deposit to hold your spot at camp! Your registration is complete once we have received you final payment.

  • You can register online here.

  • For current rates, visit our Dates & Rates page.

  • Yes, deposits must be made between October 1 and April 30 online.

    Deposit amounts can be found on our Dates & Rates page. Regular refund policy applies to full payments only.

    Please contact Michelle Schultz by email to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.

  • We have a limited amount for scholarships. Fortunately, our pricing is still lower than many camps that offer a comparable program. If you would like to be considered for a scholarship, please contact Jess Archer at 803-227-6047.

  • Mothers/guardians attending a Mother/Daughter camp session and all campers & volunteers 18 years and older are required to complete a background check at least 2 weeks prior to their camp date. Instructions on how to complete the background check will be emailed in your camper packet. Mothers, campers, volunteers and staff, 18 years and older, cannot attend camp without a background check. We must have one every year.

    Should an emergency arise that prevents you from accompanying your camper or group, the substitute camper/adult is required to complete a background screening. Contact Michelle Schultz by email if you have a last minute substitute who needs a background check and it will need to be done immediately to have a better chance of getting the results back before the first day of your scheduled camp.

  • Camp La Vida gives refunds to those who provide a doctor’s excuse. Refunds requested after a background check has been processed will be less the background check fee which is currently $6.50 and transaction/processing fees. Substitutions are allowed up until 14 calendar days before a camp session’s start date. As space allows, campers may transfer to another session within the same calendar year.

Drop-Off and Pick-Up

  • Please refer to your leader/parent's letter included in your camper packet for more specific dates and times. For any questions, contact Michelle Schultz by email.

  • The 1 Mother/Daughter camp and the 2 all ages camps are our only camps that require a guardian to attend with each camper (1-5 campers per guardian). All camps are fully staffed with college age and above counselors to help lead your camper through an amazing time of self and spiritual growth! Time away from home, school, and distractions allows campers to focus on God, pushing themselves to try new things, and make new friends.

Staying in Touch with Your Camper

  • Being homesick is a very natural feeling to experience when first coming to camp. Because we do not want a camper’s experience to be overshadowed by this feeling, we try to limit any contact between a camper and their parents/guardians while at camp. Our staff is thoroughly trained in dealing with homesickness and helping a camper overcome it. In extreme cases, parents/guardians will be contacted by Camp La Vida staff.

  • We try to limit direct interaction between a camper and their parent/guardian while at camp. This is to help the camper to adapt to camp life and eliminate any possible homesickness. You can write to your camper by addressing it as follows: Camper’s name, date attending camp, 218 La Vida Road, Winnsboro, SC 29180-9605. Bunk1.com also provides a way for you to email your campers for a small fee. Bunk1.com information will be included in your camper packet.

  • Camp La Vida is a place to grow a camper's relationship with God and other Christians. Cell phones (and electronic devices too!) change that focus. Camp intentionally narrows a camper's focus from the world, the internet, and even their family, to God's world and what God is doing there. For a few days, we try to show the world from a new perspective, with less distractions, and more time to see what life often misses. No cell phones helps us do just that! This is also for the safety of all campers. Thanks for your understanding.

What to Bring to Camp

  • No, a camper cannot bring any of these items. We have a strict policy against cell phones and other electronic devices that can result in a camper being sent home if found. Allowing campers to have these devices causes a distraction that can keep them from getting the most out of their time at camp. This is also for the safety of all campers. A guardian will be contacted promptly if there is ever an emergency with their camper. See question above for further details.

  • We ask that campers not bring snacks with them to camp unless there is a special dietary need (nurse/staff should have been notified two weeks prior to camp; please call 803.635.6608-Flory Coates). Food is not allowed in the cabins because it will attract critters that we do not want! Campers will be given the opportunity to purchase snacks from the canteen twice a day.

  • Here are some of our suggested items: Bible, pencil and paper, sleeping bag, twin sheets or extra long twin sheets and a blanket, pillow and pillowcase, toiletries, swimsuit (covers midriff), shorts (around mid-thigh), shirts (no spaghetti strap tops, halters, tube tops, stomach baring tops), shoes with toes and heels (no Crocs), socks, sunscreen, bug spray, towels and washcloths, raincoat, flashlight and a sweater or jacket. Please make sure to put their name on all of their belongings.

  • Contact Michelle Schultz by email and give the name of the camper, their week of attendance, and a description of the item(s) as soon as possible. Once we find the item(s) we will be happy to mail it to you (not big items), but you will need to pay shipping and packaging fees. Occasionally we can find people willing to bring the item(s) back to your area.

Camp Life

  • 7:00 Rise and Shine & Cabin Capers

    8:00 Breakfast

    9:00 Track Groups

    10:00 Canteen

    10:30 Free Time (choice of activities)

    11:30 Missionary Time

    12:15 Lunch & Rest Time

    2:00 Afternoon Activities

    - Bible Study

    - Canteen & Camp Store

    - Missionary Cabin Visits

    - Nature

    - Swimming

    - and more

    6:00 Supper

    7:00 Worship

    8:15 Night Activity

    - Staff Talent Show

    - Swim Night

    - and more

    9:15 Showers & Devotions

    10:00 Lights Out

  • We have a variety of camptivities, some of which are: Archery, Boomwhackers/Percussion, Camping Out, Canoeing, Climbing Rock Wall, Flying Squirrel (Giant swing), Creative Writing, Fishing, Games, Guitars, Hiking, Interpretive Movement, Pottery, Puppets/Drama, Riflery, Talking with a Missionary and more! Once you arrive at camp you will have the ability to share your preference of which camptivities you’d like to try.

  • Our kitchen staff does an amazing job making sure each meal is healthy and balanced. Special dietary needs are met if noted on their health forms and staff is made aware of the need at least 2 weeks prior to coming to camp (please call 803.635.6608-Flory Coates). Campers will tell you that one of the highlights of camp is the food; “maybe even better than my mom’s food!”

Cabin Arrangements

  • Your camper will be housed in one of our 16 air-conditioned cabins. Each cabin houses 12-13 campers that are around their age/grade, but no more than 2 grade levels apart. Campers will sleep on extra-long twin-sized bunk beds. Bathrooms are housed within each cabin.

  • Yes, we do allow campers to choose their cabinmate, but it is limited. We try our best to honor all requests, but Camp La Vida reserves the right, because of circumstances beyond our control, to rearrange cabinmate assignments as necessary. Please keep in mind that we organize our cabins by grades and it is best to have campers choose cabinmates close to their own grade (no more than two grades apart, such as a 2nd and a 4th grader). Mother/Daughter camps keep mother/guardian and camper(s) together, and also allow them to choose other mother/daughter group(s) with whom to room. Camp La Vida does reserve the right to rearrange cabins as needed.

  • Cabins are assigned by grade and we do our best to honor cabinmate requests. Cabinmates are not determined by camptivity preferences, therefore cabinmates can choose different camptivities and still be cabinmates.

  • Campers come to camp all the time on their own, and even have more fun making new friends!

Health & Safety

  • There is always a nurse who stays on-site during all camps.

  • Any medication and instructions will be taken up during registration when you arrive at camp. All medication will be distributed accordingly by the nurse.

  • Camp La Vida has a nurse on staff 24 hours a day, except during Mother/Daughter camps. You will be notified if your child is sick or needs any kind of medical attention.

  • Our kitchen staff is happy to accommodate any special dietary needs or allergies. Please make a note on your camper’s health forms and make sure our staff is aware of their needs two weeks prior to arriving. Call 803.635.6608 - Flory Coates and let her know of any needs.

Location

  • Camp La Vida is located in the White Oak community of Winnsboro, SC. Please refer to your camper packets which include directions to camp. Our physical address is 218 Lavida Road, Winnsboro, SC 29180-9605.

  • Aiken 1.5 hrs

    Charleston 2.5 hrs

    Columbia 1 hr

    Chester 30 mins

    Florence 2 hrs

    Greenville 2.5 hrs

    Myrtle Beach 3 hrs

    Spartanburg 2 hrs.

Staff

  • Our camp staff is comprised of college-aged students. They are Christians, who have a love for children, youth, and missions. Each staff member is put through a selective application, interview process and background check. Before camp begins, each of our staff has been thoroughly trained and certified in First Aid, CPR, and any special training their position may require. Many of them are returning staff and are experienced at what they do.

  • Camp La Vida offers a Junior Staff position which is open to female campers who have completed 10th-12th grades. This position requires one week to be paid for and spent as a camper and up to 3 weeks as a volunteer Junior Staff member. In return, during their volunteer weeks of service they will receive free room and board, a camp t-shirt, a $10 canteen credit, and an invaluable experience that will enable growth and develop leadership skills. Our other positions, like Cabin Leaders-in-Training, are open to graduating 12th graders and up.