Life at PCP!
On this page you will find information about our community, a tour of camp, healthy and safety, sleeping arrangements, communication, PCP traditions, the PCP Kitchen and allergy and dietary requirements, our cell phone policy, expenses, laundry, travel arrangements to and from camp, and how to prepare to attend a sleep-away camp!
At PCP, we truly balance a serious chamber music program with a traditional summer camp experience. This is integral to who we are at PCP. PCP is truly a community atmosphere and we believe in creating a place where everyone feels accepted.
Health/Safety: The health and safety of our campers is our number one priority. All of our counselors are First Aid and CPR trained and we have at least one certified lifeguard on duty during all swimming activities. Swim skills for each camper are assessed the first day of camp. Campers are not allowed off campus without camp staff. We ask that every camper provides us with the required camp forms (also found on the ‘For Accepted Campers’ page, and medical history so that we can best care for the camper.
Laundry, Merch, and Expenses: Campers do not need to bring any money with them. They could incur expenses throughout the session by sending out laundry or purchasing merch. Campers can send out their laundry once during a session; no laundry is done at camp. Each camper’s laundry is handled individually and billed at $1.60 per pound.
On the final day of each session, parents will be asked to write a check for any expenses incurred by their camper during their time at camp.
Travel Arrangements: If you are arranging airport travel to and from PCP, the closest airport is Burlington (BTV) 1.25 hours north of campus. Arrivals should be Sundays before 5pm, if possible, and departures should be Saturdays after 6pm. Our final concert is on Saturday at 1pm and they usually last 3-4 hours. Please coordinate this travel with JennyB. PCP can arrange airport shuttles for $100 each way.
Sleeping Arrangements: Campers sleep in rustic cabins of 4-8 bunk beds that have been lovingly covered with graffiti by former campers. All cabins have electricity, hot showers, and bathrooms located either in the cabin or in the case of the Roost – very close.
Communications: At PCP in order to be more attuned with nature and to create an authentic camp experience, we try to keep campers as unplugged as possible.
- Cell Phone Policy: Campers are not permitted to bring their cell phones to camp. Without cell phones, campers will have the opportunity to be fully in tune with nature and enjoy their time at PCP without distraction. Many cell phones now have E-Sim cards which make it impossible for us to control internet usage. Therefore we are no longer allowing any cell phones at PCP. We have plenty of metronomes and tuners for campers to utilize while at camp, and photos are uploaded to Smugmug regularly. We encourage campers to bring disposable cameras if they wish to take personal photos.
- We encourage you to write letters and mail them to your camper at: 1361 Hooker Rd., Leicester VT 05733! Your children love to hear their names called at mail time! Expect that you will receive a short note from your camper’s counselor once during the session. Music Faculty write a note directly to the camper’s Music Teacher at the end of the session.
- Camp Telephone: In the rare case of an emergency your camper can be reached via the camp telephone, 802- 247-8467. In an extreme emergency call our Executive Director, Jenny Beck’s cell phone: 267-886-5359.
- Camper Updates: Semi-weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays we will update our SmugMug with photos and information about current camp activities. Camp email is checked daily, and that email address is: pointcp@gmail.com.
Attending Sleep-Away Camp: A few campers may experience a degree of homesickness, particularly if this is the first time on their own. Overcoming homesickness and achieving independence are important lessons for campers. Research and experience proves that campers who are involved in activities and who make friends with other campers and/or staff, adjust to their new environment with ease. We will contact you if homesickness persists and work together with you to ease the problem.
PCP Kitchen, Allergies, and Dietary Information:
PCP is known for its delicious and nutritious, and sometimes unusual meals!
We are a nut-free facility. We offer fresh and healthy meals, with vegetarian and dairy free options, daily. A high priority is placed on providing well-balanced meals. Please let us know of any food allergies prior to arriving at PCP via the Camper Health and Contact Form. In order to maintain rodent and vermin-free living areas, we do not allow food in the cabins. Campers should not bring food into camp or receive it from visitors or in the mail; it will be confiscated. For specific questions/concerns regarding food please do not hesitate to contact our Executive Director Jenny Beck.
*Oh and by the way, we serve local Vermont milk and the best chocolate milk in the world. Yes. Really.
You will find our wonderful Chef Steve and Melissa in the kitchen everyday making sure everyone at camp is well fed and happy! You can learn a little bit more about them below:
Melissa, a native Vermonter, has been with Point CounterPoint for 15 years! She loves dolphins and preparing new and delicious meals. Melissa cooks breakfast and lunch six days a week, and especially loves our PCP classic Baked Oatmeal!
Chef Steve, a native Vermonter, is a legend at Point Counterpoint! He claims he could survive in the woods as long as he has his rifle, bow and arrow, fishing rod and a knife. Chef Steve hunts, fishes, forages, and with his kitchen staff provides three delectable meals daily. We use many locally sourced food products and we make everything but the bread from scratch.
PCP Traditions
We have COUNTLESS unforgettable camp traditions and look forward to sharing them with every camper who comes to PCP.
You can learn about some of the special traditions we have in this video!
Commitment to Nature
We believe in protecting our environment through water conservation as well as locally sourcing as many food items as possible. Keeping with the theme of respecting nature, at PCP we try to live “unplugged” and limit our use of technology in order to better foster campers’ relationship with nature and each other. Surrounded by nature on the shores of Lake Dunmore and at the foot of the Green Mountains, Point CounterPoint is the perfect setting to explore nature and to nurture a greater appreciation for the natural world that surrounds our camp. Hiking the falls around the lake, picking fresh blueberries and baking pies to share for dessert, canoeing on the lake with the loons brings the wonders of the natural world close. Campers start to understand their responsibilities for our physical world. Nature at our doorstep enhances the musicality of the camp.