Pre-Arrival info for middle school retreat 2026

We are SO looking forward to hosting all of the middle schoolers at Camp Swamp this weekend! Theme is Brand New Day from Lamentations 3:22-23 . We ask that you join us in prayer for our retreat! Pray for safety, refreshment, treasured memories, and for us all to hear God’s voice speaking to us in our time together. See you all soon!!!

-Steve & Rachele Gibson (Camp Swamp Directors)

Before You Arrive: The Essentials

HEALTH AND MEDICATION INFORMATION

Please do not come to camp if you or your child has had a fever or vomiting within 72 hours prior to check-in.

Medical personnel will be on site Saturday and Sunday.

Medications will be turned in to and administered by our volunteer medical staff on Friday.

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

Camp Swamp
1400 Maxeys Road
Union Point, Georgia

That’s the address to give Google Maps or Siri.

WHEN IS CHECK-IN?

Friday, September 18 | Beginning at 7:00 PM

When you arrive, please come to the Dining Hall first for check-in and further instructions.

You do not need to bring all of your belongings inside the Dining Hall when you check in.

WHAT ABOUT FRIDAY DINNER?

Dinner will NOT be served Friday evening.

Please plan to eat before you arrive. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase Friday evening at the Snack Shack.

If you’re looking for food near camp, there are several options just off I-20 at Exit 130/Lake Oconee Parkway, including Chick-fil-A, Zaxby’s, McDonald’s, Burger King, Waffle House, Dairy Queen, Subway, Jersey Mike’s, Taco Bell, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Holcomb’s BBQ.

ARRIVING LATE?

If you will arrive after 10:00 PM on Friday, please call:

Steve Gibson: 706-351-3092

The gate will close at 10:00 PM, so please let us know if you will be arriving later.

WHEN DOES THE RETREAT END?

The retreat ends at 2:00 PM on Sunday, September 20.

Lunch will be the final meal served at camp.

Friday Night: A Soft Landing

Our address for Professor Google and Siri is

1400 Maxeys Road,

Union Point, Georgia.


We have check-in starting at 7 pm Friday evening.
Come first to the Dining Hall when you arrive, and we will give you instructions from there. You do not need to bring all your things inside the dining hall when you check in. We will not be sharing a meal together that night, so plan to eat before you arrive. We will have snacks and drinks available for purchase Friday evening so bring some cash. As Steve Gibson (Camp Director) always says, this is a soft landing on Friday night. We know the chaos that comes with leaving on a Friday for weekend plans, and we want you to view Friday evening as a time to come and exhale and relax. If you are arriving after 10 pm on Friday, please let us know so that we can keep the gate open.

packing for the weekend

The cabins are air-conditioned, but you may want to bring a box fan for the white noise some of us need
when sleeping in a space with other people.

Be sure to pack:

Here’s our SUMMER PACKING LIST which you can use as a guide. You’ll just need to make modifications since this list is for a weeklong stay versus a 3 day weekend retreat.

There are NO bathrooms in the cabins, so your middle schooler will be taking a short walk to the bathhouses.

For those of you who are new to Camp Swamp, this is the place for your Middle Schooler to feel safe, no
fuss and be who they are. They will be walking around camp, playing, and dancing, so wear comfortable shoes and clothes that you can move around in. And please check weather conditions prior to arrival as it will help your middle schooler be better prepared for the weekend by packing with the weather in mind.


Remember water bottles as we will have access to water and nugget ice to keep us cool and hydrated.

Do NOT bring:

-Any valuable items that your Middle Schooler is unwilling to lose.
-DO NOT bring knives, fireworks, vaping devices or any type of tobacco products. We will ask for you to come pick up your Teen/Middle Schooler immediately if they are found with any of these items.
-And please, do not bring chewing gum; let’s keep camp clean for years to come!

 Phones: Choosing Presence

We have such an incredible opportunity this weekend to connect with others, connect with God
and connect with our own souls — that being said we are having a PHONE-FREE weekend! If your
Middle Schooler has a phone, we encourage it to be left at home with you, but if they need it for
communication purposes before/after the retreat, we’ll have counselors collect phones Friday night
before bed and keep them safe until the end of the retreat. There will be a Camp Swamp photographer
that will take photos throughout the weekend.

Playing at Camp Swamp

There will be plenty of opportunities for your middle schooler to play throughout the weekend.

In addition to our scheduled pool times and creative activities, we’ll have:

And, of course, we’ll have Just Dance—one of our favorite Camp Swamp traditions!

Eating at Camp

Our head chef, Scott Freiberger, has been working on our menu for this weekend. It will include some of the usual camp favorites and most importantly, be Middle Schooler friendly! We will have our “Snack Shack” canteen open at various times, Friday night and Saturday, for drinks and snacks. Plan on bringing cash for the Snack Shack goodies.

Quick Reference

Retreat: Middle School Retreat
Dates: September 18-20, 2026
Check-in: Friday beginning at 7:00 PM
Location: Camp Swamp, 1400 Maxeys Road, Union Point, GA
Friday dinner: Not provided
Late arrival after 10 PM: Call 706-351-3092
Retreat ends: Sunday at 2:00 PM
Final meal: Sunday lunch
Phones: Phone-free weekend; Phones will be collected by counselors and returned after the retreat Sunday.
Health: No fever or vomiting within 72 hours of check-in
Emergency/day-of contact: Steve Gibson — 706-351-3092

View Complete Packing List or go to: https://campswamp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/WhatToBringCampSwampChecklist.pdf

We can’t wait to welcome your middle schooler to Camp Swamp!

Come ready to be present. Come ready to play. Come ready to connect. Come ready to wonder.

See you at the Swamp! 💛

Steve Gibson, Rachele Gibson & the Camp Swamp Staff

Partnering with God to create a safe, spiritual space for belonging and learning through play, connection, community and wonder.