Welcome to Camp Lenox. Whether this is your first summer or your fifth, you are joining a staff that has been the blood of Lenox for over 110 years, and the campers who arrive in June will remember the summer largely because of you.
This handbook covers the practical side of working here: how to get to camp, what to bring, how time off works, and the policies you need to know before you arrive. Read it through before you start packing, and keep it handy through the spring. If something is not answered here, email the office and ask.
Key Dates
New Camper Open House
Sunday, June 13 (11:00 AM – 3:30 PM)
Camp Begins
Friday, June 25
Rookie Day
Sunday, July 11
Parents' Visiting Day
Saturday, July 17 (9:30 AM – 3:30 PM)
First Session Departure
Wednesday, July 21
Second Session Arrival
Thursday, July 22
Camp Ends
Thursday, August 12
Coordinate your travel plan before you book anything.
Email Sophie Daley at sophie@camplenox.com with your intended route and arrival time and wait for approval before you purchase any tickets. Unapproved travel can leave you stranded without a pickup.
How You Travel
Permitted Arrival Window
By car, directly to camp
After 9:30 AM and before 5:00 PM
Train to Albany (ALB)
After 9:30 AM and before 8:30 PM
Bus to Albany or Lee, MA
After 9:30 AM and before 8:30 PM
Flight into Hartford (BDL) or Albany (ALB)
After 9:30 AM and before 8:30 PM
Flight into JFK, then train or bus to Albany
After 9:30 AM and before 8:30 PM
If you are flying into JFK, plan for the connection time to Albany when you choose your flight. Arrivals outside these windows may not be able to be met, which is another reason to clear your plan with Sophie first.
Shipping your bags ahead is not required for staff, but it is the easiest way to travel, especially if you are flying domestically. We work with ShipCamps and staff receive a special discounted rate. Contact ShipCamps directly for pricing and to arrange pickup and delivery.
Staff flying in from outside the U.S. can bring their luggage with them. Bedding is provided for international staff.
Camp Lenox is a screen-free camp for campers, and staff are held to the same spirit. Your phone will be securely stored during the program day and returned to you during your off time.
Come prepared to disconnect. Most staff find it is the best part of the summer once they adjust. Tell your family and friends ahead of time that you will not be reachable during the day, and give them the camp office number for emergencies.
Camp has a health cabin staffed by a doctor and nurses for illnesses and injuries. If you are sick or hurt, go to the health cabin. Do not try to push through it, and do not self-treat in your bunk.
All medication must be kept in the health cabin. This includes prescriptions, over-the-counter medicine, vitamins, and supplements. Nothing may be stored in a bunk where campers live. This is a licensing requirement and there are no exceptions.
For anything beyond what the health cabin can handle, there is an urgent care center nearby in Lenox, MA, and camp will arrange transportation.
See your dentist before you travel and take care of any outstanding work. Getting dental treatment during the summer means time away from camp and out of pocket cost, and it is easily avoided with a check-up in the spring.
If you wear glasses, bring a second pair. Camp is hard on eyewear and there is no quick replacement out here. If you wear contacts, bring more than enough solution and lenses for the full summer.
Camp Lenox has a zero tolerance policy. Alcohol, marijuana, vapes, and any other controlled substance are strictly prohibited on camp property. This applies to possession as well as use. Violation results in immediate termination and removal from camp. We are responsible for children here, and there is no flexibility in this policy.
An outside laundry company picks up, washes, and returns staff laundry once a week.
Camp issues each staff member a black laundry bag. You are welcome to use your own bag during the week, but transfer everything into the camp bag before pickup.
Label your clothes with a Sharpie, especially anything you care about. Marked items find their way back; unmarked ones often do not.
Bring enough clothing to comfortably cover a full week between washes.
Each bunk has cubbies (open shelving) and a small hanging area. If you want more organization than that, small plastic drawers work well and are easy to pick up once you arrive.
Bedding
Mattresses fit twin bedding. Bring your own pillow, sheets, a comforter or sleeping bag, and a cotton blanket. A warm comforter is strongly recommended. We get what staff call three blanket nights.
Bedding is provided for staff flying in from outside the U.S.
Lockers are available in the counselors' lounge. Cameras, laptops, and similar items are generally safe at camp, but use a locker if you would rather not think about it.
Daytime: typically 75–85°F (about 24–29°C). Occasional hot spells into the low 90s, but they do not last long.
Dramamine should be administered 1 hour before departure, if necessary.
Medications requiring refrigeration should be handed to a bus counselor and will be stored in a cooler. These medications will be given to our medical staff upon the campers arrival.
No trunks or duffel bags are allowed on the buses!
This matters most for staff coming from outside the U.S.
UV here is much stronger than in the UK or Ireland. Even on overcast days the UV index can sit at 6 or higher and climb into the teens. Bring sunscreen and reapply often.
Bring bug spray as well. Mosquitoes can be aggressive, particularly early in the summer. The office can usually help if you run out.
The Fourth of July is a major event. If you are international, bring your country's flag and any fun outfits that represent where you are from.
Camp colors are orange and black. Orange and black clothing always comes in handy for theme nights.
Prom and banquet night: bring a nice dress or nice clothes, which will also cover you for nights and days off.
Bunk games such as cards and easy travel games are great for rainy days and evenings.
Musical instruments are very welcome. Last summer we had a fantastic staff band.
A full packing list is available on your dashboard.
Anything that arrives before you do will be waiting for you when you get here. Amazon often offers a 30-day Prime free trial, so start it close to your arrival date if you plan to use it.
Address packages as:
[Your Name]
Staff Camp Lenox
2042 N Main Rd
Otis, MA 01253
All-In Night
One night a week we hold a staff meeting and nobody leaves camp. It usually turns into one of the better nights of the week: late-night basketball, gymnastics, pickleball under the lights.
Days Off
There is a camp van you can sign up for, and a camp-approved volunteer driver can take a group anywhere within about an hour of camp. You can also rent a car from Hertz or ride with a friend who has one.
Local malls and restaurants within driving distance.
A nearby quarry that is safe for swimming and jumping.
Jiminy Peak, a ski resort in winter, with a mountain coaster and treetop adventure course in summer.
Boston is about two hours away and New York City about three. Staff plan day trips for Patriots training camp, Red Sox games, or just to explore.
Ask returning staff once you arrive. They have a long list of favorite spots that never make it into a handbook.
Each age group has pre-planned trips through the summer: water parks, trampoline parks, dinner and a movie, and more. When you accompany campers as the adult chaperone, your costs are covered by camp. Bring some extra money for the extras (i.e. at the movies, camp pays the ticket, you buy your own popcorn).
Off-camp trips planned just for your group are not a thing here, so save that energy for your own day-off adventures.
Each staff member receives three short-sleeve shirts and one long-sleeve shirt. They are not required for daily wear, but please wear them when you are representing camp:
Weekends
Rookie Days
Parents' Visiting Day
When coaching
On any trip out of camp
Internship and professional practice credits: we have supported staff through university paperwork before. Send us the form and we will get it filled out.
