Facility Use
Amity Acres - General Information

For Girl Scout Leaders only:  For camping: you must first consult Safety-Wise and be sure you have followed the guidelines stated as well as those you have been provided with while in training.

Registration
Two-separate checks: one for the total fee and one for the damage/maintenance deposit.  Your reservation will not be processed without checks for fees.  The damage/ maintenance deposit check will not be deposited unless you have been called after your camping experience and told what damage or issue has created a situation.

Please fill out the reservation form completely and provide several dates and site choices.  We will try to assign you your first choice; a refund of fees and damage/ maintenance deposit will be returned to you if we cannot accommodate any of your requests; fees will be transferred to another date if you need to cancel due to snow.

• No Alcoholic beverages
• No pets
• No smoking except in designated spot and no girls/children present

All buildings and sites are smoke free. If using the designated spot you must bring a container for your cigarette butts and ashes; please take them with you when you leave camp.

• Do Not cut down live trees, use fire wood that is cut and in sites or bring a bundle of pre-cut firewood.

We ask all uses of GSJS property to respect and protect the land and environment (recycle, conserve water, walk on trails, etc.)

• Do Not pick flowers or leaves from trees or bushes
• See Leave No Trace

Any unsafe or disruptive behavior/attitude or any activities that do not comply with our camp ettiquette expectations could result in dismissal from GSJS property without a refund at the discretion of the Department of Camping & Facility Services.  Camp Etiquette

Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore are not responsible for loss, or damage to, any personal items brought to camp.

Check-in time
no earlier than 4 pm unless otherwise arranged with the camping registrar
Our schedule shows when you have made arrangements to come in early; please do not arrive early unless you have specifically made arrangements with the facility/camping registrar.

Camp Amity Acres campers will return the evaluation form when they return the key to the Ocean Service Center. Damage/Maintenance deposits will not be shredded without a satisfactory approval from property staff and the return of a completed evaluation form.

Check-out time
no later than 3pm unless otherwise arranged with the camping registrar
Our schedule shows when you have made arrangements to leave late; please do not do leave later unless you have arranged this with the facility/camping registrar.

Please be a good Girl Scout and leave this site better than you found it.

Check-out procedures

All trash must be removed from inside and outside the site you have used; garbage must be placed in designated areas. Costs for unusual cleaning, repairs or replacements above the damage/ maintenance deposit will be assessed to the troop/group Trash is to be placed in the dumpster near the parking lot and all recyclable items must be taken off site Please do not leave items for others to use; please take any food, spices, craft items, newspapers, magazines with you when you leave.

No deposits will be refunded until the GSJS Property Department approves the condition of the site; if anything is to be assessed against your deposit you will be called before your check is cashed. 

Site/Facility Care

• For cooking use only charcoal or propane stoves
• You must obtain a fire permit for campfires from the Camping Services Department.
• Build all fires in the grills (charcoal only) or fire rings
• Keep fires small
• Be absolutely sure fire is out before leaving the site and leaving camp.
• Coals/Ash: burn coals to ash-separate with tools to let cool down while you are winding down your activity.  Never leave a hot or warm fire unattended.  If you are leaving and coals/ash are still ho/warm - put balance of ash/coals in a bucket of water to cool-this will smell.  When totally cool (overnight preferable) drain water, put coals/ash in a garbage bag in the dumpster.

• Gasoline/kerosene lanterns
• Gasoline/kerosene stoves
• Liquid fire starters

Fires in camp: all fires, both indoor and out, must be attended to at all times by a responsible person. 

Fire Ban Stages

Fire Ban

In the event of a fire ban, the only fires permitted are those that are contained; above ground, fueled by charcoal or propane and used for cooking purposes only.  You will be notified of all fire bans before your camping trip or camp use by the registrar.

Heat

There is a heat control switch located in the main hallway, which regulates the heat in the kitchens, common room and hallway.  The heat control switch for the dorm rooms and the nearby bathroom are on the wall in each dorm room.

To operate the heating unit, turn the labeled switch to the “occupied” position.  DO NOT heat any rooms that you are not planning to use.  Use Resources Wisely
Upon leaving the building turn all switches to the “unoccupied” position.

Leaving the heat on after you leave may cause you to loose your damage/maintenance deposit.

Lights

The outdoor floodlights are automatically controlled by timers and photoelectric sensors.  They will turn on and off by themselves.  There are three security lights in the hallway that remain on at all times.  There are no switches for them.  All other light switches are clearly marked.

Note:  One deck light switch is located in kitchen #2; the second one is by the hall phone.

Telephone

There is a telephone in the main hallway of Friendship Lodge for emergencies.  Its phone number is 609-698-9839. Collect and credit card calls can be made by dialing the operator.  Emergency phone numbers are posted nearby

Keys

Keys are available at the Ocean Service Center in Toms River or from Barbara at the Program Activity Center in Farmingdale.  Please call in advance for arrangements to pick up the key(s).

Locks

The locks on the doors are all spring activated.  This means that to unlock the doors turn the key ¼ turn to the left; to lock doors turn key ¼ to the right; doors do not lock from the inside.

Fire Alarm

See instructions near the fire alarm.

• Get everyone out of the building immediately
• Account for all campers – both adult & child(ren)
• Wait for the fire department away from the building
• If there is no fire but alarm continues to ring
• Adults should do the following:
• Go to the Alarm Panel
• Open the alarm box
• Look at all smoke detectors in the building for a red light to determine the source of the alarm
• Press Silence to stop the alarm, and then press reset
• When the alarm company calls, if not fire, state “Trouble Alarm, No Fire”
• Make a note of the smoke detector that’s not working for repairs.

Bathrooms

There is a separate bathroom facility adjacent to each room.  They are fully equipped, including showers.  Hot water is provided.  Since the toilets run on a septic system, nothing must be flushed down the toilets except toilet paper.  This includes: tampon applicators, etc.  Flush toilets before leaving the building.

An additional leader’s bathroom is located in the hall; there is no shower facility in this bathroom.

Kitchens

Dorm 1 uses Kitchen 1. Dorm 2 uses Kitchen 2. Each kitchen has its own refrigerator, sink and gas stove.  Please note – there is no freezer.  Please use only the kitchen you are assigned.

You must turn on/off the refrigerator with the switch located at upper corner of each refrigerator.  Leaving the refrigerator(s) on after you have checked out can cause you to loose your damage/maintenance deposit.  Leave the refrigerator door open when leaving.

Refrigerators

For outside camper use there are now two refrigerators in the basement of Friendship Lodge that can be assigned to your tent site.  Please tell Barbara you wish to use one of these if you are camping outside and a key to the basement will be provided to you.

Garbage

All dishwater should be strained for food or other solid particles; put food/solids in garbage bags.

All cooking grease should be placed in a container and when cool dump into a garbage bag.  DO NOT DUMP GREASE INTO THE SINKS, TOILETS OR ON THE GROUND.  All trash must be put into bags and put into the dumpster which is located in the parking lot.

Please replace all garbage bags.

Please take all recyclables home.

Common Room

The common room is to be shared by all groups utilizing Friendship Lodge.  Additional chairs and tables are in the storage room in the hallway of Dorm #1.  Do not lock this door. 

Fireplace

The fireplace is wood burning and you must open the flue before igniting.  Clean and close the flue when leaving; see operating instructions posted in the building.  Leave two tables and some chairs up at all times.

Coals/Ash: burn coals to ash-separate with tools at fireplace to let cool down and go out overnight.  If you are leaving and coals/ash are still hot - put balance of ash/coals in a bucket of water to cool-this will smell.  When totally cool (overnight preferable) drain water, put coals/ash in a garbage bag in the dumpster.

Basement

The basement is an open area that must be reserved for use; it does not come with the dorms or common room use. 

Parking

All parking is to be in the parking lot not at the Lodge or at any of the sites.  You may bring a car into the small parking area near the Lodge to unload.  One car may be parked in this lot for emergency purposes only.

Check-out 

• Sweep floors; pick up litter; empty garbage to dumpster near parking lot.
• Please go green and take recyclables home with you

Refunds/Cancellations

To be eligible to receive a refund of your fee a written cancellation must be received by the facility registrar two weeks before camp date. 

Loss of Damage/ Maintenance Deposit

Any clogged toilets, plugged pool drain, windows or doors left unlocked, stoves/ovens left on or dirty, lights/heat left on will result in the loss of your damage deposit.  Obvious vandalism to the pool or damage to the outdoor or indoor facilities will be paid for by the group using them.

Double check and note all damage on the check-in form before giving it to the Camping Service staff person.

Anyone who leaves a site/facility in poor condition may lose all or a portion of their deposit.

For Girl Scout Leaders

If camping at Friendship Lodge, Lakeside or any other indoor facility, LT2 training must be completed. 

Each troop/group camping and cooking outside must have a person who is council outdoor trained and a certified adult first aider/CPR accompany their camping experience; these people must be on-site with campers at all times.