The 2013 Camping Season is drawing near. As we prepare for this year's camping season there will be some changes to the registration process. Now don't get discouraged by the word "change" - my Nanna always said, "A change is as good as a cure!" That being said, we have installed new software to make registration easier for everyone involved. With the use of the new program we wanted to communicate what to be looking for as your congregants go about registering their youth and the part your church plays.

As you visit the youth website, youth.episcopalky.org, each week of camp will have its own link to register. The weeks with CIT's will have a separate link as well, so it will have two separate links to registers one for campers and one for CIT's. We highly recommend everyone register online. Please don't hesitate to call the office for help.

These links will take congregant to our new software, Access ACS, and ask them to sign in. Clergy, this is the same software you're familiar with that we switched to earlier this year. It is the parent's responsibility to register their youth online. If you wish to help parents register online, please note that they need to create their own account using their own email address. This is to keep the financial records and transactions as transparent as possible.

You will notice that the only price available online will be the full cost of camp. This was done to reflect the new policy that event registration will not be fully processed until payment has been received. There will be 3 different payment options congregants can choose from, which include: credit/debit card, electronic check, or by mailing a check to the Diocesan Office. For the first time, parents will be able to pay electronically for their youth! Parishes will also be able to pay for youth's scholarship online for the first time!

After parents complete the online registration, parents will receive an automatic reply (sent by Access ACS) including an acceptance letter, a list of what to pack for camp, a copy of the covenant letter to go over with your children (they will sign the actual letter upon arrival of camp), and instructions on how to obtain scholarships if needed.

Now comes the change that affects how churches participate in this process. Please take note: Camp scholarships can only be obtained by contacting your local priest or senior warden if your congregation does not have a priest. Local church leadership will assess the financial needs of the family and award camp scholarships from the parish. The priest or senior warden will then need to send the scholarship application and payment to the Diocesan Office before camp starts. If the family needs an additional Diocesan scholarship, the priest or senior warden must contact me for the additional scholarship. The funds are on a first come first serve basis. If church would like to send their youth scholarships to the diocese online via electronic check, the church can create their own ACS login and pay that way. To do this, please contact Brian Kinnaman, bkinnaman@episcopalky.org, and he will help you with the setup and payment process in more detail.

Registration is not complete until payment and all scholarships have been processed and received.

1. Parents approach their clergy, or senior warden if no clergy is present at the church, for scholarship aid. That person determines the family's financial need and they fills out the scholarship form together. 
2. The form is mailed to the Diocesan Office by the parish. If the parish wishes to pay by check, then please include payment with the scholarship form. If the parish wishes to pay by electronic check or credit/debit card, contact Brian (502-584-7148 or bkinnaman@episcopalky.org) to set up a parish Access ACS account and pay online.
3. Your done!

Online Registration Instructions
The parent signs in with their information and registers their youth as a guest. The parent does not register for the event. 

Medical Information
Parents should please bring or send their child with a copy of their insurance card and a copy of their child's most recent immunization record. Both of these are necessary should they need to visit the local pediatrician or emergency room.

Community Covenant
Required of all participants, youth, adult, and staff to sign when they arrive at camp. Parents should review these with their child before camp.

Scholarship Form
The diocesan scholarship form for youth events. To be filled out by both parents and local priest or senior warden if your church doesn't have a priest. Please submit to the Diocesan Office before camp.

Kendall's Open Letter About Registration Changes for Parents

Read Kendall's letter detailing the changes in registration policy and how scholarships are processed. This letter is specifically for parents.