Eliot Institute Registration Information

Register early.   Apply several months ahead for the best chance of being
included in the summer camps and for preferred room assignments.

You can print out our registration form, sign and mail it in to the address on the registration form. Please remember to sign the registration form and mail it with your deposit ($50 U.S.Funds per person for camps at Seabeck; $50 Canadian Funds per person for camps at Naramata).    

Eliot Institute is unable to accept credit/debit card payments.  Fees for the Eliot camp at Naramata Centre in Canada must be paid in Canadian funds.

Changes or Cancellations:   Inform the registrar as soon as possible if information needs to be updated or someone needs to cancel.

Arrival/departure: Check-in begins at 4 p.m. the first day. Departure is after lunch on the last day of camp.

Housing:   At both camps, families are housed together in one room when possible. Rooms have shared or private baths.  Rooms are generally assigned upon confirmation of registration, but may be subject to change. All effort is made to accommodate housing requests within a community of diverse needs. Your patience and flexibility are appreciated.  You will be advised of your room assignment when you check in at camp.

A more detailed description of housing options is available at www.seabeck.org and www.naramatacentre.net

Meals:    Meals are served family style at Seabeck, and cafeteria style at Naramata.  Campers are free to enjoy their meals without any KP duty!!!   The food is tasty and plentiful.  

Special Food Needs:  Vegetarian and other special diets can usually be accommodated IF requests are made at least three weeks in advance .  List the names and needs on your application form. 

The Seabeck dining hall has a guest refrigerator for those who need to maintain their own supply of a special item, such as soy milk.   Naramata has shared guest refrigerators in most accommodations and at the campgrounds.  Some rooms have cooking facilities.

Accessibility:    Please ask the Registrar about any special mobility needs you may have.  Most public rooms and many sleeping rooms are wheel-chair accessible.  However, the conference grounds contain many gentle slopes, and activities are held in various locations which can be challenging with a manual wheelchair or walker.

Community Life:  Essential to the experience at Eliot Institute is the sense of community we create during the week together.  Housing is shared and meals are at mixed tables.  It is our intention to create a safe atmosphere where children and adults are supported in participating at whatever level they wish.  To ensure the safety of all campers, Eliot Institute abides by all local ordinances as well as restrictions placed by conference center facilities.  Please see Conference Safety for details regarding smoking, alcohol, water safety, pets, and damage to personal or facility property.  Recreational drugs, fireworks, firearms, and illegal items are not allowed.   In addition, we are committed to ensuring a camp environment that is safe and free from all forms of harassment and abuse. Your participation and cooperation help create our special community. See our Help for New Campers for more information.

Fees: Fees are adjusted annually.  Check our posted fee schedule for current camp fees.

Financial Assistance: Limited funds are available for financial assistance. You must be a pledge-paying member of a Unitarian Universalist congregation or Church of the Larger Fellowship. Special consideration may be given to students and young adults.

Camp Staff : Conferences are planned and staffed by volunteers, and all attendees will be invited to help in some capacity. Some positions which require special skills, certifications or significant time commitments are recognized with credits which may be applied to camp fees. Contact Conference Deans or the Registrar for details on camp staff positions available. PLEASE NOTE:  Staff members and their families must register for camp and pay the normal deposit fees.

Registration Process and Policy
Registrations:

1.  Registration forms and deposits are conference-specific and may not be transferred to another individual or rolled over to another conference. They must be accompanied by the full, non-refundable deposit ($50 for each registrant). Each registration form must bear the signature of an attending adult, signifying review of Conference Rules and acceptance of responsibility for timely payments. Adult children (over age 18 and out of high school) should submit their own applications, rather than be included with the parent family.

2.  Registrations may be received no earlier than 15 months in advance.  If more registrations for a following year camp are received than Eliot can accommodate, the registrar may hold a lottery drawing to determine which are confirmed and which are placed on a waiting list. Registrants will be advised of their confirmed or waiting list status. Wait-listed registrations will be confirmed as space becomes available. Registrations which are not subject to lottery drawing or wait list are generally confirmed within two weeks of receipt.

3.  Children under age 18 must attend with a parent, guardian, or adult sponsor over age 25.  Before admittance to camp, all adult sponsors must submit the Sponsor Form and all children must have Medical forms on file.

Invoices will be sent 90 days before camp or upon confirmation, whichever is closer to start dates.

Payment in full is due 60 days before camp or within 15 days of receipt of invoice. Fees must be paid in full before admittance to any camp.

Waiting list: You may contact the Registrar at any time to find out your position on the waiting list.  Please inform the Registrar should you decide to drop off the waiting list so that others may be given correct information regarding their status.  

Note:  Waiting lists are often depleted by camp start date.  If you remain on the waiting list, there is a pretty good chance you will get into camp.

Once a wait-listed applicant receives notification of confirmation, the deposit becomes non-refundable.

If an applicant is assigned to the wait list and not admitted to summer camp by May 1, s/he has three choices:  1) Remain on the wait list; 2) Have the deposit refunded; or 3) Transfer the application to a future camp (including the following summer). These choices are available until the start of camp.

Anyone who is on the waiting list for longer than three months and not admitted to camp will be given priority entry to the same camp the following year without being subject to a lottery or waiting list.

Cancellations: In the 30 days prior to the beginning of camp, the $50 deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable. In cases of cancellation 30 days or more before camp begins, the $50 may be applied to any future camp currently accepting registrations. If you believe there are exceptional circumstances which need to be considered, you may pass along such a request to the Registrar.

Visitors:  Visitors are welcome on the first and last days of each conference and may join us for meals on those two days only if prior arrangement is made with the Registrar.  There will be a charge for meals and day use.  We're sorry, but overnight visitors cannot be accommodated.