CHWC at a Glance

The following is an overview of our Next Level and Elevate camps.

• For International details, please visit heartworkcamp.com/international

Registration is between 12:00 PM and 2:30 PM on opening day. Please do not arrive at the school before noon as the staff are making final preparations for your arrival. Arrive with enough time to settle in, unpack, and become familiar with the campus. The first program of the week begins at 3:00 PM SHARP.

All participants will sleep in classrooms or a gym at the school. No recreational vehicles, buses, or cars may be used for lodging.

Due to contractual agreements, we cannot allow groups to sleep at the school the night before camp begins. Check local hotels for the best rate.

Lunch is NOT provided on the first day of camp. Dinner will be served at 5:15 PM.

You will be divided into small work groups of 5-7 youth and 1 adult chaperone. Small work groups, worksite assignments, and additional work-related directions will be handed out on opening day. We do our best to balance males and females and experienced and inexperienced people on each team.

Each participant will be working with a team of people who are not from their own church group. This may be uncomfortable for some at first, but team members quickly form friendships. For many, this becomes a highlight of the week. This arrangement also provides many different experiences for your group to share when they return home. All young adults (18-20 years old) will be placed in work teams together.

The day will end with mass.

Each day begins with a wake-up call at 6:15 am, followed by breakfast. The morning program will consist of daily mass and, some days, a short testimony by a staff member. You will be at your worksite from around 9 am to 3 PM. Your day consists of repairing and renewing homes by (but not limited to) painting, house cleaning, yard work, basic construction projects, and/or helping build new homes for low-income families through organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. Other work projects will include helping at daycare centers for low-income families and/or helping at Social Service Centers (food pantries, homeless shelters, etc.). You may or may not be at the same location for the whole week; it depends on the project, weather conditions, and duration of work.

While at your worksite, you will break for lunch each day and have a Prayer/Share time where you will go over discussion questions, explore the Catholic faith, and get to know your team on a deeper level.

After returning to the school, there will be free time for showers, relaxation, socializing, etc. Group leaders are responsible for their own campers during free time; Workcamp staff has numerous other tasks and responsibilities throughout the day and will not be available to act as counselors/chaperones. The first half of each evening program will include fun games and upbeat music, and then we will transition into a more prayerful time with skits, videos, talks, praise and worship, and other opportunities to deepen one’s faith and reflect on the day’s activities.

The final day of camp will consist of breakfast, the last program, the presentation of the Summary Video, and a closing mass.

At this point, you have two options: 1) leave after the closing mass and head home, or 2) participate in an optional Free Day and explore the surrounding attractions/sights with your group, return to the school that night, stay over, and leave first thing the following morning.

The registration fee does not include admission to activities and additional planning efforts. If you return to the school after the Free Day, you will have time to shower and clean up your sleeping area.

At most camps, you may only return to the school between 8:00 PM and 10:00 PM. However, times may vary by location, so if you have specific plans or need special arrangements, please contact the camp manager directly.

Departure time is to be before 9:00 a.m. the following morning. PLEASE NOTE: The last meal provided by CHWC is breakfast on the morning of the Free Day. You will need to make other arrangements for lunch and dinner on the Free Day and breakfast the following morning.