Lost and Found Policy

It's our goal to have campers take all their personal belongings home with them at the end of their stay at camp.  Sometimes we find orphaned articles of clothing or other possessions looking for their owners.  Here's what happens with lost and found items.

-Any excessively gross item, single socks or undergarments will be discarded.
-If it can be washed, we'll wash it.
-We'll store lost and found items at the camp for a maximum of 30 days.  
-If we do not receive a request for the item within 30 days, it will be discarded, used for camp or donated.
-We will not seek out owners of lost items to get them returned.  You are responsible for all items you bring/send to camp.

How do I get my stuff back!?!?!?

If you've left something at camp, here's how to get it back:
-Contact camp within 30 days of the end of your camp event.  Give us a call (608) 489-3810 or send an email to: info@trailridge.org .  Give a description of the lost item, your name and your shipping address.
-If we have found it, we'll safely package the item and get it sent out to you.  
-Lost and found items requested will be shipped back to the owner COD.

How do you use lost and found items for camp? 

A few things we've been able to re-purpose for camp and for campers:
-Towels: Lost and Found Towels are great for campers who forget to bring a towel to camp.  We also have used them as rags for the shop and for the Housekeeping Crew.  
-Re-Usable Water Bottles: These are also great for campers who may need to carry water with them.  
-Clothing: Sometimes campers come to camp without enough clothing for the week or clothing that does not fit within our dress guidelines.  Having the ability to help them out by lending them some clothing for the week is a great way to continue to reach out to campers' physical needs.

How to keep your stuff out of our lost and found closet

Here's a few tips we've found to help ensure your camper comes home with everything they brought to camp.
1).  Label their belongings.  Use a permanent marker to write their name in the same location on each article of their clothing.  Label their hats, socks, shoes, towel, bathing suit, flashlight--even their shampoo!  Don't forget to let your camper know that all their things are labeled.
2).  Send a "dirty laundry bag" to camp.  On the top of their clothes in their suitcase, pack a bag for them to put all their dirty laundry in.  You can even practice at home by having them fill the bag when they get changed.  Just don't forget to label the laundry bag!
3).  Let your camper be part of the packing process.  Nobody can pack a suitcase with as much finesse as mom or dad, but allow your campers to help by picking out clothing, folding it a certain way or writing a checklist.  
4).  Create a packing checklist.  Some parents choose to write a packing list and check off items as they are packed.  You can include a copy of that list in their suitcase so they know to remember to bring everything home.