Get Fired Up, New Camper! We're FUAGNEM!
Remember, every seasoned camper started exactly where you are now. Soon you will be calling T Bar M your home away from home too!
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Ready for the best summer ever?
Welcome future camper! You're on the brink of a fun-filled adventure and we're with you every step of the way!
First times can be jittery, right? No sweat, we're here to help! Think of preparation as packing a suitcase of courage. It transforms goodbyes into an exciting leap forward.
Don't just take our word for it!
Get the inside scoop!
Alphas and Omegas
Ready for the ultimate summer showdown?
Ever since the dawn of time, or at least since 1981, camp at T Bar M has been a battlefield for the epic Alpha-Omega rivalry!
Alphas, are you ready to paint the town RED? Omegas, can you make the skies BLUE with your spirit?
It's more than just colors, it's a week-long competition ending in a champion team basking in glory!
So pack your team color and get set to dive headfirst into our cherished tradition of games and races. This summer, it's not just about winning, it's about being part of the story. So get ready!
Summer Staff
At T Bar M, we have a special name for our counselors - we call them Coaches. The word "coach" indicates someone who provides guidance, deepens relationships, and speaks encouragement. That is exactly what our coaches do.
Your camper will have 2-3 coaches in their cabin, and by the end of the week, campers often come home raving about their new friends who they look up to.
Our coaches are the experts on camp fun, and throughout the week they facilitate various activities from ropes to crafts to jumping off the blob. We take great care in selecting these exceptional college students all year round because your camper deserves nothing but the best.
Cabin and Cabinmates
Cabins become home base throughout the week, where campers will share laughs, stories, and lessons from the day.
Do all campers come with a friend? Absolutely not. This is actually super common!
We are confident your camper will make friends quickly! Our cabin assignments and friend requests are strategically managed to ensure no one feels left out. Our Coaches are trained to help campers make friends and ensure sure everyone is included, without forming cliques. Afterall, this is camp! For this week, your camper gets to take a break away from hard friendship dynamics and embrace the joy of creating new memories.
Here's a little behind the scenes on the naming of our cabins:
- Base Camp cabins are named after cities in Texas.
- Camp Travis cabins are named after bodies of water in Texas.
At Base Camp, the cabins are air conditioned and have bathrooms with single, private stalls and showers, located inside of the cabin.
Camp Travis cabins, while not air-conditioned, are equipped with two large fans. Campers can also bring battery powered fans to use.
Summer Themes
Each summer is marked by a theme, which corresponds with a passage in scripture. As the years go on, you’ll remember the people who impacted you, the lessons that transformed you, and a few random stories that made you laugh.
You’ll also remember each of your summer’s themes, because they are so unique and so embedded into everything we do!
In addition, each year there is a song written and a dance choregraphed to match the summer’s theme. Your kid will surely be singing it on the car ride home…watch out…you too may be singing it not long after.
Make sure to pick-up this year’s theme shirt from the camp store and start your collection.
Check out last year’s summer theme, Glory Days:
Campisms!
At Base Camp, we call the oldest campers, LOCs. As the oldest campers, there is opportunity to lead the younger campers around camp.
Similar to LOCs, Camp Travis calls the oldest campers “SECs.” Much like at Base Camp, SECs have a unique opportunity to model to other campers what it looks like to live out your faith and serve humbly. SEC’s have the chance to step in with our coaches and leadership, to help set-up the Monday night theme night. In addition, SECs have set aside time to meet together and discuss our worldview as a follower of Christ.
We don’t like to waste fun around camp. Camp schedules are packed full and planned down to the minute. We love to implement fun in any way we can, from the games we play, meals we eat, and activities we participate in.
Everyone knows rock, paper, scissors…we made up our own version, called Farkling. To add to the fun, there is often an outcome at the other end, such as jumping in the pool with your clothes on or getting an extra dessert to make things a little interesting.
"Fired Up And Goings Nuts Every Minute"
After finishing an activity period, coaches will ask campers to think about how the activity they’ve just completed relates back to their walk with Christ or a passage in scripture. Often campers say they find themselves subconsciously "thinking twice" about things, long after they have gone back home.
Often someone will call out “God is good”, and a common response from the crowd will be “all the time.” And then the reverse is called out, “all the time, God is good.”
MACs and WOGs
MAC: Men After Christ
WOG: Women of God
Another popular Campism you'll hear often at Camp, is MAC and WOG. Whether it's a song we sing, game we play, or activity we partake in, it's our mission to glorify God in all we do. Each week, we set aside time for campers to meet, just as guys and as gals; as MACs and WOGs.
Theme Nights
Get your creative brain going. Each year we have different Theme Nights and we love seeing how campers come dressed up. There are some Theme Nights that routinely stay the same and some that switch up year after year.
An all-time favorite at Base Camp is Mission Impossible: a chance to work as a cabin to complete your mission and gather the most points. This night also ends in the most epic Mission Impossible dance party.
Each year at Camp Travis, Thursday nights have traditionally been the Boot Scoot: a night under the lights, two-stepping, line dancing and, of course, eating watermelon. Make sure to pack your boots and your finest Texas attire.
Be sure to check your camper's packing list for tips on how pack best for their Theme Nights.
Celebrate Your Birthday at Camp!
We love celebrating birthdays at camp!!! Our kitchen crew become professional cake decorators by the end of the summer, adding together chocolate sauce, candy, and sprinkles to ice cream to create what we call a “ruckus cake.” And of course…we sing…no ordinary song, but the T Bar M Birthday Song
A Glimpse into Teaching Time
Every week our summer staff shares a presentation of the Gospel, working together to share the story of salvation to campers of all ages. After the presentation, coaches take time to sit, talk, and pray with campers, walking alongside them as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Throughout the week, coaches also lead campers through a bible study each morning.
Take a peek at last summer’s Base Camp K-3rd grade bible study!
Tips for First Timers
Packing in a Trunk
Many campers pack in a trunk. This makes packing and transport easy. As the years go on, a fun tradition is for campers to fill their trunks with stickers of past cabins and pictures from previous summers. Some campers prefer to pack in a suitcase, which works great too!
Writing Letters
Many parents will write letters for their camper to read throughout the week. All you need to do is write your camper’s name and the day you want them to open it on the front. Bring the letters with you on opening day, and we'll ensure they are labeled accordingly and received by your camper.
Camp Store Shopping
Each week, campers visit the camp store during one of their activity periods. Each year there are new shirts, sweatshirts, hats, memorabilia, snacks etc. to purchase. Before going to camp, you can add store money online to your campers account.
Bringing Water Bottles
We encourage all campers to bring their own reusable water bottle that they continue to fill throughout the week. There are many places to fill up and we want your camper to stay hydrated as we play during the hot summer months.
