Group Coordinator FAQ’s
Below are some helpful, frequently asked questions as you plan for your retreat.
- To start, look over Lake Retreat's website for general info.
- Next, fill out our Inquiry Form which will ask questions such as your church's name, desired dates, desired time-frame, etc.
- Lake Retreat will work with you from there on your specific needs, and provide a quote.
- Once you're ready to book, Lake Retreat will create a contract and send it to you for your review.
- You have 14 days to review, sign and return the contract along with the 15% deposit (this deposit is applied toward your final bill).
- Once we have the deposit and signed contract, you are set. As the retreat approaches, you will be asked for a Certificate of Insurance, activity requests, head counts, etc. Our system will email prompt you for these items.
- Head counts are due 2 weeks and 1 week prior to event and should not change more than 10% from the 1 week count.
- Payment is due upon arrival at check-in (please bring payment in the form of a check).
Finally, come and have a great stay with us!
If you are NEW to retreat planning:
- Arrival time/departure time
- What to bring (bedding, toiletries, towel, etc.)
- Which building they should go to when they arrive
- 10 PM noise curfew. In order to be considerate to our neighbors on the lake, all sound after 10 PM should be contained to inside of a building.
- Leave all pets, alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes (including vapes), fireworks, candles, weapons and illegal substances at home
- Follow all posted signs
- Pick up your trash and put it into a trash can
- Do not move or remove any mattresses
- If applicable, here is a list of our Waterfront Rules
- Parking:
- Main Parking is located in the gravel parking lot at the entrance of the camp.
- Okerson Lodge has additional, designated parking.
- Although you can unload/load, there is no parking along the main area of campus (on top of the hill).
- Please obey all parking signs and avoid fire lanes
- Payment (of at least your minimum specified in your contract) should be brought to check-in upon your arrival. The balance over the minimum may be billed after.
- Please make out your check to "Lake Retreat Camp"
- Credit/debit cards may be used (subject to a 3% fee) if the amount is below $300. For amounts over $300 please plan to bring a check.
Tentative Count: TWO WEEKS before event (Gluten Free/Dairy Free Count Due Here per Food Service Policy)
Final Count: ONE WEEK before event. Actual attendance should not exceed 10% of this count. We purchase food based on these numbers so sudden increases affect the meals.
The count should include:
- Campers/Guests
- Staff
- Volunteers
- Speakers
- Please share with all participants Lake Retreat's Food Service Policy and then let us know if they will need gluten free options, dairy free options or if they will be bringing supplemental food and will need fridge space. (Two weeks notice required)
- Please give the total number of guests needing gluten free options, diary free options or those needing fridge space TWO WEEKS BEFORE YOUR RETREAT.
- A second count will be due one week before your retreat.
- Activities can be scheduled with a minimum of two weeks notice.
- Depending on the activity, you may need to instruct your participants to bring additional money.
- For options, details and pricing, visit our Activities Page.
- Go immediately to the office for check-in. Your host's name and number will be posted on the door.
- At check-in, you will go through our check-in process with the host and you will be asked for:
- Payment for at least the minimum (in check form)
- Head Count
- Signed Waiver for each participant
- See Food Service page for updated meal times and other info.
- Please make every effort to have your group to meals on time.
Yes, please have your guests/campers fill out our Activity & Health Waiver
- No. As specified in the contract, each group must provide its own designated, first aid person/nurse and first aid supplies.
- Please instruct your participants on procedures for medication etc.
- If there is an emergency at the waterfront while it is open, Lake Retreat lifeguards will be the first responders.
- There is password protected wifi (although not guaranteed) in most of Lake Retreat's buildings.
- You will get the wifi password at check-in. It is up to you if you want to give that out to your participants.
- We recommend downloading anything that you would need in order to avoid any inconvenience.
- Day Use guests can be added if you have met your minimum guest count (Day Use guests do not count toward your minimum).
- The Day Use Fee is $60/person/day
- This fee includes 0-3 meals on the same day regardless of the number of meals served or eaten
- Please give the Day Use guest count along with regular counts
- Anyone who comes to campus is subject to this or the regular fee except for drop off and pick up.
- Weekend Retreats or 2 night Stays: If a guest/camper stays one night, then the full charge is due.
- Lake Retreat Camp does not charge a technology fee and, thereby, does not guarantee any sound equipment or technology, and do not supply sound/tech support. We are happy to loan out our equipment, but if there is something that you know you will need, please plan to bring it along with you to avoid any inconvenience.
- You can see your specific meeting space tech set up by going to its page here: Facilities Overview
- Each meeting space is different but most have either a projector/screen or large screen TV. Please bring your own adaptors and device.
- If your meeting space has a sound system then it will be set up with one microphone and mic. cord. All other equipment should be brought with you (i.e. extra mics, cords, instruments, laptop, connectors, adaptors, etc.)
The “minimum” on your contract is the number of guests that you agree to pay for:
- For instance, if your minimum is 35 guests and your rate is $100 per person, then your minimum charge is 35 x $100 = $3500.
- This means that if you came with only 30 guests, you would still pay $3500 (or 35 x $100). If you came with 40 guests, then you would pay $4000 (40 x $100).
- All guests, campers, volunteers, leaders and staff should be included in the count.
- Payment for at least the minimum is due at check-in when you arrive (please have payment in check form).
Activities do not count toward your minimum charges.
The Cleaning/Building Fees do not count toward minimum charges.
Day Use Guests do not count toward your minimum charges and can only be added once you have met your minimum.
- If you suspect you have left something at Lake Retreat, Fill Out Lost & Found Inquiry Form and describe your item(s), what room you stayed in, which group you attended with, the dates you stayed with us and your contact information.
- If we find it, we will contact you. You can arrange a time to pick it up at our office or we can ship it to you for a $25 fee (plus postage if over $5).
- We do not keep lost & found items beyond two weeks.
- Lake Retreat Camp is not responsible for lost & found or stolen items.
- We recommend leaving items of value (sentimental or monetary) at home.
Most carriers work well at Lake Retreat except for T-Mobile.
Lake Retreat employs a variety of preventative and treatment measures as well as professional help to assist with pest control. For more detail see Pest Control Info.
- Yes, Lake Retreat Camp supplies the lifeguards at the waterfront during the summer season.
- Lifejackets are provided for boating and other activities.
- The dock is closed when Lake Retreat lifeguards are not on duty.
- A swim test is given to all guests under 18. If a swimmer cannot pass the test, they can still use the boats, slide and shallow end.
- Here is a list of our swim test and Waterfront Rules
- All guests, campers and staff should be symptom-free (from flu-like symptoms) for 48 hours before coming to camp.
- Guests with COVID Symptoms or a positive test may not come to camp until the appropriate amount of time has passed. See COVID documents for guidance.
- Please let your camp host know if you have a guest displaying flu-like symptoms (diarrhea, vomiting, etc.) so that we can appropriately contain and sanitize any affected areas.
- Your campers may receive mail at Lake Retreat, but we recommend having parents send it along with the campers in order to avoid postage cost, delays, or damage.
- Please instruct senders to clearly label the mail with your camp's name AND dates of the camp.
- Example:
C/O Susie Camper - 8/1-8/5 (Faith Church)
Lake Retreat Camp
27850 Retreat Kanaskat Rd SE,
Ravensdale, WA 98051
- Example:
- Lake Retreat typically gets the mail one time each day Monday-Friday.
- Lake Retreat is not responsible for lost, stolen, or late mail.
- Do not send items of value (sentimental or monetary) through the mail.
The certificate of liability is due to Lake Retreat at least one week before the first day of your event.
You can find more info on your contract.
Contract Excerpt:
- "A certificate of insurance with Lake Retreat Camp listed as additional insured (Required: Per Occurrence Limit: $1M, Aggregate Limit: $3M) must be provided to Lake Retreat before arrival."
Please contact your insurance provider and ask for a "Certificate of Insurance with Lake Retreat Camp listed as additional insured". Give them the dates of your retreat, the per occurrence and aggregate limit.
They will usually email it to you and it is typically a 1-2 page document. Forward that to info@lakeretreat.org
Yes. You can view the options HERE