Winter Getaway/Harvesters Retreat
We are so excited you have chosen to join us at the 2025 AYL Winter Getaway/Harvesters Retreat! Please familiarize yourself with the important information on this page so that you will have a safe and enjoyable weekend!
If you are NOT currently registered for Winter Getaway and you want to join the trip, go to this site or click the button below.
SCOOP SHEET
Parents, thank you for allowing your child to attend our Winter Getaway/Harvesters Retreat! We hope it will be a safe and memorable experience for your child. Our Asian Young Life adult leaders and the Young Life camp staff are committed to providing your child a safe and memorable experience at camp.
We have prepared a Scoop Sheet/Packing List that provides important information about this trip. Please download the Scoop Sheet, print it out, and post it on your refrigerator so you may refer to it when necessary.
DEPARTURE INFORMATION
We will be traveling to Winter Getaway in two school buses provided by Aldin Transportation. We will meet at the following place and time:
ACADEMIES @ ENGLEWOOD AND OTHER STUDENTS:
Students from the Academies @ Englewood and other schools should meet at 4:30 PM on Friday, February 14, at East Bergen Christian Church, 320 Beverly Rd, Teaneck, NJ 07666
TENAFLY STUDENTS:
Students from Tenafly High School or Tenafly Harvesters, please meet at 4:15 PM on Friday, February 14, at the Harvesters House, 54 Columbus Dr, Tenafly, NJ 07670.
Please note: There is NO dinner at camp on Friday night; instead, we will stop for food along the NY Thruway on Friday night. Be sure to bring $20-$25 for dinner at the rest area.
RETURN INFORMATION
There will be TWO buses returning home at different times:
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Non-Skiers/Non-Snowboarders: For participants NOT skiing or snowboarding, the bus will return to East Bergen Christian Church, 320 Beverly Rd, Teaneck, NJ 07666, on Sunday, February 16, around 5 PM and to Tenafly Middle School, 10 Sunset Ln, Tenafly, NJ 07670 around 5:15 PM.
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Skiers/Snowboarders: For participants who will be skiing or snowboarding, the bus will return to East Bergen Christian Church, 320 Beverly Rd, Teaneck, NJ 07666, on Sunday, February 16, around 10:45 PM and to Tenafly Middle School, 10 Sunset Ln, Tenafly, NJ 07670, around 11 PM. Students will be instructed to call home to let their parents know a more specific arrival time.
PACKING LIST
Expect outside temperatures to be between 15° and 35°, so please pack accordingly.
CLOTHING
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comfortable winter clothing (e.g., hoodies and sweatpants)
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winter hat
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athletic clothing for the gym/game room
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swimsuit and beach towel for the hot tub
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sneakers for the gym
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flip flops for the bathroom
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underwear for 3 days
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pajamas (or whatever you wear to sleep)
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animal onesie (if you have one)
SKI-RELATED
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gloves (essential!)
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snowpants (very helpful)
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goggles (helpful)
TOILETRIES
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toothbrush
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toothpaste
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shampoo/bodywash
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contact lenses and solution
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feminine products (for the girls only)
MISCELLANEOUS
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$20+ for dinner on the way to camp
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$20+ for dinner at the ski resort
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spending money for the camp snack bar/store (The camp accepts cash, credit cards, and Apple Pay.)
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cell phone charger
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water bottle (to stay hydrated)
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laundry/plastic bag (for dirty clothes)
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shower towel
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if you take medicine, please remember to bring it
You do NOT have to bring a pillow, bed linens, or a sleeping bag. These will be provided for you.
Remember to bring your ski/snowboard equipment (including helmet!) if you chose to bring your own equipment when you registered.
PING PONG TOURNAMENT
At this year’s Winter Getaway, everyone will be participating in our Doubles Ping Pong Tournament. It’s all for fun, so don’t worry if you are not that good at ping pong.
Please select someone who is going on the Getaway to be your ping pong partner. Teams are NOT gender specific, so your partner can be either a male or a female.
Please complete the request form at wintergetaway.net/pingpong by the end of Wednesday, February 12; after that time, we will randomly assign a ping pong partner to you.
ANIMAL ONESIE CREW
Every year at Winter Getaway, many of our participants wear "animal onesies" (kigurumi) as part of our "Animal Onesie Crew" when they go skiing/snowboarding. Why? Because it's fun, helps to bring people together, and because they are warm to wear on the snowy slopes as well as at the camp.
We hope you will keep this tradition alive by bringing your own animal onesie and by wearing it at camp! Better yet... Get a group of your friends and wear MATCHING animal onesies! You can be an owl, a tiger, a narwhal, a dinosaur, Pokemon, anything!
FOOD/DIET CONCERNS
Our desire is to meet the food and diet needs of every guest going to Winter Getaway. The camp staff will do their best to meet everyone's food and/or diets needs by providing substitute/alternative food options. Most meals served at camp will consist of standard American food (e.g., pancakes, eggs, beef, pork, etc.). The camp also offers the following special diet requests: gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, and vegan.
If you require a special diet, please complete the form at wintergetaway.net/food or click on the button below, and we will do our best to accommodate you!
IMPORTANT POLICIES
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ILLNESS: If you develop COVID or have any other illnesses like a cold or the flu on the day of our departure, we ask you to stay home. Please TXT/call us at (201) 777—0-AYL (0295) if you are sick.
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RESPECT OTHERS: We are committed to fostering a safe environment in which ALL participants are treated with respect and dignity. Inappropriate behavior like hazing or pranking, which embarrasses and humiliates others, undermines this principle and is strictly prohibited and will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Engaging in such behavior will result in immediate disciplinary action, including dismissal from camp.
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PHONES: Cell phones are NOT permitted while we are at camp. Cell phones will be collected at camp on Friday night and will be returned to students at the end of camp on Sunday. Students WILL have access to their phones at all times at the ski resort and on the bus.
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DRUGS/ALCOHOL: Absolutely NO alcohol, e-cigarettes/juul, hookah, or illegal drugs are permitted. You won’t need drugs or alcohol to have fun this weekend! If you bring such items to camp, we will notify your parents, who will be asked to take you home.
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SKIING/SNOWBOARDING SAFETY: Always stay in control and always wear your helmet while skiing/snowboarding, stay on trails consistent with your ability, and never ski/board alone. Snowboarders must also wear provided wristguards.
CAMP/SKI RESORT INFORMATION
CAMP: Young Life’s Lake Champion, 247 Mohican Lake Rd, Glen Spey, NY 12737
CAMP PHONE NUMBER: (845) 856-6871
CAMP WEBSITE: lakechampion.younglife.org
SKI RESORT: Big Bear Ski Resort, 192 Karl Hope Blvd, Lackawaxen, PA 18435
SKI RESORT PHONE NUMBER: (570) 226-8585
SKI RESORT WEBSITE: ski-bigbear.com
PARENTAL CONCERNS
Parents, be assured that we take your child’s welfare seriously and that we want your child to have a safe experience. Supervision at the Getaway includes adult volunteer leaders as well as local public school teachers. The overall ratio of adult supervision to teens is about 1:10. Male and female housing at the camp is clearly defined, separated, and chaperoned. Students are closely monitored at all times. In addition, a fully licensed EMT and a registered nurse will be with us at all times. Furthermore, at the ski resort, we require all students to wear helmets, and all beginners are required to take lessons provided by ski school instructors. Please be assured that the safety and well-being of our young people are our first priorities.
For this trip, we will be taking 57 high school students, 13 adult leaders, and a support team of 20 additional adults working behind the scenes for a grand total of 90 people! Please keep us in your prayers!
Asian Young Life is a Christian nonprofit organization committed to making a difference in the lives of Asian American teenagers. As a Christian group, we desire to help teenagers learn about God, but we do so in a way that protects every child's right and ability to make his or her own decision regarding faith issues. All students are welcome regardless of what they believe. To learn more about our mission and beliefs, please visit our About AYL page.
SCHEDULE
Please note that the activities for Winter Getaway will take place primarily at Young Life's Lake Champion, but on Sunday afternoon some of the participants will be departing the camp to go skiing and snowboarding at Big Bear Ski Resort and then returning home on Sunday night. Those not skiing or snowboarding will leave camp on Sunday afternoon and return directly home.
Below is a schedule of events that will take place throughout Winter Getaway. There is NO dinner at camp on Friday night; instead, we will stop for food along the NY Thruway on Friday night. Participants should bring $20-$25 for dinner at the rest area. In addition, the camp has a snack bar that will be open when we arrive. Students are permitted to bring food to the camp and on the bus if they desire.
FRIDAY EVENING
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Depart for camp at 4:30 PM, stop for dinner along the way
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Arrive at Lake Champion at 8 PM
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Mixers/Ping Pong Tournament
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Small Groups
SATURDAY
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Breakfast
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Camp Activities
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Lunch
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Free Time
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Harvesters Area Meetings
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Dinner
- AYL Club (outreach event)
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Small Groups
SUNDAY
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Breakfast
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Harvesters Worship Service
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Small Groups
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Lunch
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Cabin Clean Up
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Skiing/Snowboarding at Big Bear Ski Resort (depart camp at 3 PM)
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Non-skiers/non-snowboarders return home at approximately 5 PM
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Skiers/snowboarders return home at approximately 11 PM
Cell phones will be collected from students when we arrive at camp. Cell phones will be returned to students on Sunday when we depart camp. Furthermore, all students will have their cell phones at all times while at the ski resort and on the bus. If you need to contact your child, please call or text the Asian Young Life staff at (201) 777-0-AYL (0295) if there is an emergency.
HOW TO CONTACT YOUR CHILD OR AYL
Days Until Winter Getaway !