Miracle Ranch
15999 Sidney Road SW
Port Orchard, WA 98367

From Bremerton and points north

• Follow Highway 3 south to Gorst.

• Continue around the inlet on Highway 16 South/East.

• Highway 16 becomes a divided highway.

• Take the second exit: Sedgwick Road.

• Turn right (west) at the exit ramp stoplight.

• Turn left onto Sidney Road (second stoplight).

• Proceed seven miles.

• As the road passes Horseshoe Lake County Park, it makes a sharp right turn; you make a left turn into the Miracle Ranch gate.

From Tacoma and I-5

• Take I-5 to Highway 16/Bremerton exit.

• Follow Highway 16 west, across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, to the Purdy exit.

• Proceed into Purdy, turn left at Hwy. 302 and cross the bridge.

• Continue a little over two miles to 94th Ave NW.

• Turn right. Proceed to the Miracle Ranch gate. (Miracle Ranch is located on Horseshoe Lake).

Sleeping bag and pillow

Toiletries (towel, soap, toothbrush…)

Bible, notebook, pen

Flashlight

Sunscreen (labeled w/ name)

Beach towel and flip-flops

Warm jacket

Several changes of clothes

Riding boots w/ heel, long pants (if riding add-on)

Active footwear (closed toed shoes)

Long pants and long long-sleeved shirt (paintball)

Swimwear: boys, no speedos

Swimwear: girls, modest one-piece or tankini

Fitted sheet for bunk bed (optional)

Trading Post money (see below)

Refillable water bottle (optional)

Medications - must be checked in with the Nurse

Please do not bring:

Peanut products, cell phones, iPods/MP3 players, radios, tapes, DVD or CD players, laptops, fishing gear, knives, fireworks, personal sports equipment, animals/pets, tobacco, or any expensive items. Alcohol, drugs, or weapons of any kind are prohibited.

High school campers who drive to camp must turn in their car keys to the camp leadership team.

Mail

Please address any mail or packages for the camper with the following details: [Camper’s name], [Camp date or name of Camp], and, if known, the Cabin #.

Our camp's address is as follows:

Miracle Ranch
15999 Sidney Rd. SW
Port Orchard, WA 98367

Please note that our mail delivery service can be slow, so we strongly recommend dropping off letters and packages during check-in. We will ensure they are delivered to the campers at a later time. Unfortunately, we can no longer forward mail that arrives after the camp has concluded.

Email

You have the option to send one-way emails to your camper at [email protected]. When composing the email, kindly include the camper's name in the subject line and, if available, their cabin information. Please note that we cannot print or include attachments with these emails.

Phoning & Visiting

We are aware of our significant responsibility to ensure your camper's well-being. In the event of any emergency, you will be promptly informed. Therefore, to maintain the camp's schedule and preserve camper morale, we discourage incoming and outgoing personal phone calls and personal visitation during the camp session. However, if you have a pressing concern, you can contact the camp director to address the situation.

Our camp store offers a variety of items, including snacks ranging from $1 to $4, as well as smaller items and Miracle Ranch shirts, among others. During longer camps, we utilize a "bank" system, eliminating the need for campers to carry cash. You can add store deposits during registration, contact our office at 253-851-4410 to add funds, or deposit on the first day of camp.

The amount of spending money needed is at the discretion of each camper. After camp, any remaining bank balance of $5 or less will be contributed to the CRISTA Camps scholarship fund, while any amount exceeding $5 will be refunded to the card on file. For weekend camps, we kindly request that campers bring cash or a card for purchases instead of utilizing the account system.

Closed Camp

• Once at camp, no camper can leave without written consent from his or her parent or guardian. Campers will only be released to those people whom the parent has authorized to pick them up.

• Teen campers who drive to camp must report to the camp leadership team and turn in their car keys.

• All visitors must check in at camp, wear a badge once checked in, and be accompanied by a host.

Activity Safety & Certifications

• CRISTA Camp's lifeguards are Red Cross-certified for swimming in lakes, and Kitsap County tests our lake water weekly.

• Camp staff and interns are First Aid certified.

• Ropes course facilitators and each ropes activity are certified by an ACCT (Association for Challenge Course Technology) trainer.

• Miracle Ranch is site certified by the CHA (Certified Horsemanship Association) for all horse activities.

• We adhere to best practices for our trail bike, paintball, archery, and all other activities.

Camper Safety

• When a camper is in the nurse's station, he or she is never privately examined. There are always two trained adult staff present at all times.

• CRISTA Camps include parents in any decisions made about a child's need for medical treatment, and we take advantage of the numerous local clinics nearby when a need is determined. A nurse oversees treatment at the camp.

• Miracle Ranch is equipped to execute general safety plans and crisis management plans when necessary.

• Resident campers must submit health and waiver forms signed by their parents or guardians upon arrival at camp.

• The presence of 50+ trained and caring adults on camp during any given week ensures that kids' activities are closely monitored. There are always full-time, adult, year-round employees at Miracle Ranch. We've hired a professional staff with years of experience and training in safety issues monthly.

• All CRISTA staff undergo a careful screening process consisting of an application, interview(s), and character references.

• All adults at camp have completed a trak-1, WATCH, and DSHS background check in which staff and volunteer leaders must disclose any misconduct, as permitted by state law.

• The CRISTA Ministries Human Resources department trains all full-time and summer staff on maintaining appropriate boundaries in relationships with kids.

Bullying Prevention

At CRISTA Camps, bullying is inexcusable, and we have a firm policy against all types of bullying. Our Camp philosophy is based on our mission statement, which ensures that every camper can experience a safe environment at camp, gain new friends, and go home with great memories.

Unfortunately, persons who are bullied may not have the same potential to get the most out of their camp experience. Our leadership addresses all incidents of bullying seriously and trains staff to promote communication with their staff and their campers so both staff and campers will be comfortable alerting us to any problems during their camp experience. Every person has the right to expect to have the best possible experience at camp, and by working together as a team to identify and manage bullying, we can help ensure that all campers and staff have a great summer with CRISTA Camps.

Sickness at Camp

CRISTA Camps asks our staff, parents/guardians of campers, and high school and summer staff attending our camp to take precautions to avoid sending campers or leaders if they have had any flu-like symptoms in the 24 hours before departure. Such symptoms can include fever, sore throat, cough, headache, tiredness, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, chills, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Food Allergies & Food Safety

We can address most food allergies with reasonable substitutions and by campers avoiding particular food items. Please discuss any special situations with our registrar at least one week before camp starts so there is ample time to discuss any concerns with the food service department. We have peanut-free kitchens but sell packaged snacks in our concession spaces that may contain peanuts or peanut oil. All kitchen workers have Food Handler Cards, and Kitsap County routinely inspects our kitchen.

Cabin Inspections & Cleaning

Cabins and beds are cleaned, disinfected, and inspected between different use groups. All high-touch surfaces are disinfected daily.

CRISTA Ministries

CRISTA Camps at Miracle Ranch is part of the CRISTA Family of Ministries. A robust and healthy organization supports the camp, and policies are set with the bigger mission of CRISTA in mind. All camp employees adhere to CRISTA's doctrinal statement and conduct policies.