Programs for Youth Entering Grades 3-11

Campers will be assigned to a cabin based on these groupings and will have counselors assigned to oversee each gender group. The grade that the camper will be going into during the fall will be the determining factor of the camper group (ex. a boy going into 6th grade will be in the Intermediate Boys cabin group).

Camper Groups for the Week 1 – 5 Programs:

Camper Acceptance Information

Camp registration is limited to a maximum of 80 campers per week and no more than 20 within any particular camper group. Weeks and groups are closed once these maximum numbers are reached. There will be no exceptions made to add on additional campers once a week or group is closed. The determination of when a particular week or group is closed is at the complete discretion of the Camp Administrator and the Board of Trustees.

Camp Tuition

Camper tuition is $575/wk for the 2023 camp season.

Week 1-5 Program Schedule

The camp week begins on Sunday, with the arrival of the campers, and ends the following Saturday. Campers have the option to stay for one or two weeks. Campers are split into one of six different groups, according to ages, and assigned with those groups to a cabin.

The Sunday program generally begins after 3:00 p.m., by which time the new campers have arrived and had time to get settled in their cabins. Campers go through an orientation session and are introduced to the entire staff. Following the orientation, campers get their bathing suits on and head to the beach for the “Raft Test”, a swimming check to make sure the Waterfront Director is aware of everyone’s swimming ability. After the swimming session, campers sit down for dinner and then participate in an all-camp activity on the playing field. Before retiring for the evening, campers come together to sing the traditional evening worship.

Monday through Friday encompasses the standard program week, which follows the schedule below:

MORNING SCHEDULE:
8:00am: Rise and Shine (wake-up)
8:15am: Hopper Bell
8:30am: Morning Prayers and Flag Raising
8:45am: Breakfast and Morning Show
9:25am: Kapers
9:50am: Cabin Clean-up/Staff Meeting
10:15am: Morning Activity #1:
Seniors: Orthodox Life
Intermediates: Swimming Lessons
Juniors: Arts & Crafts
11:00am: Transition
11:15am: Morning Activity #2:
Seniors: Arts & Crafts
Intermediates: Orthodox Life
Juniors: Swimming Lessons

AFTERNOON SCHEDULE:
Noon: Transition
12:15pm: Afternoon Activity #1:
Seniors: Swimming Lessons
Intermediates: Arts & Crafts
Juniors: Orthodox Life
1:00pm: Transition
1:15pm: Hopper Bell
1:30pm: Lunch
2:15pm: Siesta
3:15pm: Snacks/Free Time
3:30pm: Afternoon Activity #2
4:30pm: Transition
4:45pm: Afternoon Activity #3
5:45pm: Transition
6:00pm: Hopper Bell
6:15pm: Flag Lowering / Evening Prayers
6:30pm: Dinner
7:15pm: Free Time
7:30pm: Evening Program
9:00pm: Snacks and Free time in the Lodge
9:15pm: Daily Wrap-up and Evening Worship
9:30pm: Juniors to bed
9:45pm: Intermediates to bed
10:00pm: Seniors to bed

Afternoon activities vary, but one session almost always includes a “Free Swim” period where campers can enjoy open swimming, beach activities and boating. Other afternoon activities are geared to the interest of each camper group, and include basketball, dodge-ball, volleyball, kickball, whiffleball, scavenger hunts, hikes and many other activities. Seniors generally go offsite once each week for a short canoe trip on the Au Sable River, The Intermediates and Juniors usually take an excursion to Loon Lake. Both activities are supervised by adult counselors and waterfront staff. In the morning activities, campers rotate through three different sessions designed to focus on their physical, spiritual and creative enrichment. Swimming & Boating Lessons are conducted by certified Life Guards and Water Safety Instructors who gauge camper’s swimming abilities and adapt their instruction to meet each level of swimming (beginner to advanced). Orthodox Life is conducted by our clergy, Metropolis Youth Director and/or seminarians, focusing on instruction in our faith and discussing current issues and the church’s teaching on those topics. Often times, these sessions take place in our beautiful outdoor chapel on the other side of the lake from the camp. Arts & Crafts provide the campers with opportunities to work on and complete various creative projects. Greek Culture is also interspersed in the program and includes Greek Dancing instruction and other topics related to Hellenism.

Our Orthodox faith is part of the daily program, with orthros in the morning and evening, prayers before and after each meal, the evening worship and daily scripture reading. Fasting is also observed throughout the camp weeks in preparation for the weekly liturgy. Throughout the week prior to the liturgy, campers are given the opportunity to go to confession with our clergy. At the end of the week, the clergy perform the Divine Liturgy, and campers join together in singing the responses and receiving Holy Communion.

The program week also includes Skit Nights, Dances, and special all-camp activities such as “Color Wars” and “Capture the Flag” games. Although the schedule may seem hectic, there are also free time periods throughout the day where campers can relax in and around the lodge, go out to the basketball court and shoot baskets, or just sit and talk on the cabin steps.

Overall, the program provides numerous activities from the time the campers arrive until they leave to go home. During this time, campers learn more about their faith and get an opportunity to make close friendships with the other young people they spend the week with at the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit Summer Camp.

Refund Policy

If a family needs to cancel a registration for their camper, they may do so up to a week prior to the week registered.  The camp will provide a full refund, minus a $25 administrative fee per camper.