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Established in 1968,
Facilities are available for weekend retreats and conferences during the school year. Program schedules can be tailored to the needs of each individual retreat group, and
University of Texas All-American football players, Chris Gilbert and Corby Robertson, Jr., established Camp Olympia in 1968. Their dream was to build the best camp in the world. Their commitment to excellence in all that they do reflects directly on the growth and development of what has become a premier camping facility and program that is second to none. Camp Olympia has grown to become a global camp with children from all over the world joining Texas kids for an exciting and positive camping experience. There are no other summer camping facilities or programs that can match the diversity and excellence found at Camp Olympia. Both Chris and Corby are pleased with the history of camp. They both continue to look to the future and are committed to seeing that Camp Olympia remains a place where children can grow in body, mind and spirit. Tommy and Kathy Ferguson joined the Camp Olympia team in the early 1970's and became the camp's Directors in 1974. That's right... over 35 years of experience as Directors at Camp Olympia. They have dedicated their lives to Camp Olympia and providing thousands of children with an outstanding camp experience. The Ferguson's are recognized by their peers as leaders in the camping industry. Tommy has been the President of the Texas Section of the American Camping Association and Camping Association for Mutual Progress. He currently is serving as the President of the Board for the Association of Independent Camps for the Southern Region. Olympia is blessed to have such an established leader in the camping industry as its Director. Camp Olympia has a year round staff of over 20 dedicated individuals that plan and prepare for your child's camp experience. Our food service, maintenance and administrative staff go the extra mile to make Olympia the best camp in the world. Many of these people have been with Olympia for over 15 years. Last, but certainly not least, are the thousands of campers and counselors who have attended Camp Olympia since 1968. Olympia campers and counselors have become leaders in our communities and the world. Many are renowned individuals who remember their Camp Olympia experience as one of the highlights of their life. Camp Olympia is proud of its history and looks forward to an even brighter future. Camp Olympia is dedicated to having fun together, In order that you can know us better, we have set out values taken from our mission statement. We believe it is of the utmost importance that you KNOW who we are and for what we stand. Dedicated - We're sold on the value of camping. The real life experience camping provides cannot be matched. Preservation of this opportunity for future generations is a must. As we offer a program promoting adventure, challenge, fun and growth to people of all ages, we will continue to affirm the value of camping and its many benefits. Mind - We provide a safe haven for working through real life situations and resolving conflict with the help of peers and counselors. Tommy & Kathy Ferguson have been the Directors of Camp Olympia for over 35 years. They have dedicated their lives to camping and truly believe in its benefits for children. Olympia takes great pride in its personnel, from the camp counselors to our support staff. It is our common goal to see young people grow mentally, physically and spiritually in a safe, fun-filled environment. Olympia is blessed with an outstanding year-round staff of over 20 people who plan and prepare for your child's camp experience. At the heart of every successful camp is its staff, and at Olympia, we strive to hire only the best role models for our campers. Olympia has a very thorough hiring process of its college-age counselors, which includes interviewing, contacting references, and conducting criminal background checks of all candidates. Additionally, each counselor agrees not to drink while employed at Camp Olympia. Our counselors are recruited from over 20 colleges and universities throughout the United States. From over 400 applicants, approximately 50 are invited to join our returning staff each summer. These young people bond together for a one-week, rigorous training clinic prior to the start of camp. From this, our counselors emerge with a firm understanding of the Olympia program along with a high level of safety consciousness. At a ratio of four campers to each counselor, every camper is assured of individual attention. If you are interested in a counselor position at Camp Olympia, click here. Top 10 Reasons Summer camp is an oasis for children-a place for them to escape the ever growing pressures of the school year, have fun, and learn invaluable lessons. Parents want the very best for their children and we know that Camp Olympia is the BEST camp in the world. It is true - there are a lot of good summer camp programs out there, but please review the many reasons that separate us and make us the BEST! 1. Safety Record Camp Olympia is proud to be the recipient of the 2007, 2008 & 2009 Safety 1st award from Markel Insurance. The Director of Safety Education at Markel explained that Olympia was selected for this esteemed safety award "based on your proven safety record, which demonstrates your superior commitment to safety. We're proud of the work you've done to keep the children in your care safe." Camp Olympia was one of the first camps to break away from Hill Country camping and go to East Texas. We are located on the shores of Lake Livingston, one of the largest lakes in Texas. With a long, private shoreline, our waterfront/aquatics program is second to none. Our location is convenient to many major cities in Texas and Louisiana and is just a 1 hour and fifteen minute drive northeast from Houston's Bush Intercontinental Airport. 3. Leadership Camp Olympia has one of the largest permanent year-round management and support staffs in the United States. Camp Olympia is able to maintain one of the largest and most professional staffs in camping due to the off-season demands from groups like the YMCA Adventure Guides programs and Outdoor Educational Programs from public schools. Leading Camp Olympia for over 35 years are Kathy and Tommy Ferguson. They have dedicated themselves to enriching the lives of children, and they lead an experienced staff whose combined experience is tops in the camping industry. We feel that it is a real asset that all of the full-time directors were once Olympia campers and/or counselors. 4. Air Conditioning While Olympia is located on the breezy shores of Lake Livingston, it does get warm in Texas during the summer. Unlike most of the other camps in Texas, all of the cabins, our dining hall, and many of the enclosed areas are air conditioned and have ceiling fans. 5. Parents can experience camp too Camp Olympia offers parents an opportunity to experience camp right along with their camper via the Internet. The camp director, Tommy Ferguson, writes a daily update to keep you informed, and we put over 100 pictures online each day during camp in a password protected area so you can see your camper's smiling face. 6. Facilities Camp Olympia has outstanding facilities, including a swimming pool as well as fields and courts for many activities. While most of the activities take place on a 100-acre location, camp has access to over 1,000 acres of private land. We improve the facility each year with additions and enhancements so campers are always in for a treat when they return. Our golf program utilizes Whispering Pines Golf Club, which was ranked the #1 golf course in Texas by the Dallas Morning News four years straight from 2006 - 2009 and 2010 Golfweek's Best Top 100 Modern list! 7. Choosing Activities Camp Olympia is one of the few camps that offers individualized scheduling. We recognize that not everyone has the same interests so we allow campers to choose the activities in which they have interest. This is easy to do with over 40 different activities offered, ranging from wakeboarding to horseback riding. Each camper will have an opportunity to participate in 10 different activities in addition to our fun nightly programs. 8. Ownership Camp Olympia was founded in 1968 by Corby Robertson, Jr. and Chris Gilbert and is a labor of love for both individuals. They are committed to their founding goal to make Camp Olympia the best camp in the world, and it has been their policy to reinvest the profits derived from the operation of Olympia back into camp's facilities, programs, and staff. Neither man receives a salary or dividend from the operations of camp. Both are successful entrepreneurs who are active in the business community. Both men have distinguished themselves in various ways. Robertson is a recipient of the highest award given by the University of Texas to an alumnus, the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Gilbert has served the University of Texas as the President of the Longhorn Hall of Honor and is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. 9. Counselors We strive to maintain a superb ratio of 1 counselor to every 4 campers in the cabin, and the average age of an Olympia counselor is 20. Their maturity is important because we also require all of our counselors to refrain from consuming alcohol during their employment at Olympia. Recruiting the best counselors possible is a year-round effort and a main priority for the full-time staff. We recruit from over 20 universities. We require completion of an extensive application, conduct personal interviews, require and follow up on a minimum of 3 references, and complete a background check for each staff member. Once again, the care of your child is our primary focus. 10. Waterfront Our waterfront really separates us from other camp programs. Camp Olympia has a long, private shoreline on Lake Livingston, which is one of the largest lakes in Texas. With our fleet of 8 inboard ski boats which we use to teach kids how to waterski, wakeboard, and slalom, we have one of the largest aquatic programs in Texas. Canoeing, kayaking, sailing, blobbing, water sliding and rocketing are some of the other activities that take place down on our waterfront.
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