Frequently Asked Questions - Practical Details:

Visit www.new-culture.org for a listing of New Culture groups, or visit www.nfnc.org for background information from the oldest New Culture group.

Friday evening, July 7, through Sunday afternoon, July 16, 2017.

Our site is in the mountains of West Virginia, about 3 hours west of the DC/Baltimore area, 2.5 hours southeast of Pittsburgh, and about 70 miles west of Winchester, Virginia.

You can arrive any time after 4 PM on Friday July 7, 2017.  Note that we will have a light dinner available on Friday, July 7.  The first full meal served will be Saturday breakfast.

In order to create the safety necessary for deep emotional work and transformation, we hold camp as a "closed container."  We ask all campers to be on-site and present in time for the orientation and culture-creating workshops that begin on the first Saturday of camp at 9:00 am; drop-ins and latecomers are not allowed.  If you only have time to stay for part of camp, that is fine, as long as you start camp with the whole group and are present for the opening sessions.

Yes! If you would like to help with camp set-up and/or take-down, you can join us during Pre-Camp, July 4-7, or Post-Camp, July 16-19.

Practice New Culture values and processes in an integrated work & play experience!  Please contact us at registration@cfnc.us or 703-755-0607 if you are interested.

PLEASE DON’T ARRIVE BEFORE 4 PM ON FRIDAY JULY 7 UNLESS YOU HAVE MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO HELP OUT WITH PRE-CAMP.

The site is in an area that has an average daytime high temperature of 80 degrees and an average nightly low of 55 degrees; lows in the 40's are not unheard of.  The record high ever was 92, so we don't expect long stretches of uncomfortably warm weather.  In this region, on average it rains about every third or fourth day.

Most people camp in their own tents.  There are many beautiful, flat campsites on the land, some right next to the stream.  We also have indoor dorm-style spaces available for an extra charge. These include a lodge house and several rustic cabins, furnished with twin-size upper and lower bunk beds, full-size futon beds, and queen-sized beds.  The cabins also have small lofts that each contain two twin mattresses side-by-side.

If you would like to reserve indoor space, you can do so during the registration process.   The Registration page has pricing and other details.

There is a motel that is 3 miles west of the Summer Camp site, less than a 5 minute drive.  All rooms have refrigerator, microwave, and private bath; most rooms have two queen beds.  Rates for 9 nights (Fri through the following Saturday) range from $390 to $460. 

For the past few years, we have had 70 to 90 people attending camp.  We will cap enrollment at 100 people, so that everyone will have a chance to get to know everyone else during the 10 days together.

Summer Camp participants are generally intelligent, thoughtful seekers after a "better way."  We welcome people of all ages, genders, sexualities, race and ethnicities, and lifestyle choices.  We range in age from 20 to 80, with large numbers of people in their 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's.  The majority of campers are white, with some black, Latino, and Asian campers as well.  We have a wide range of incomes and life situations.  Most of us are heterosexual or bisexual, with a small and growing number of gay men and lesbians.  Many campers are polyamorous, practicing ethical non-monogamy; all consensual relationship choices are honored.  Some of us are Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, pagan, eclectically spiritual, or atheist.

Many groups "gender balance" their events by requiring an equal number of men and women to participate.  One reason for this practice is to make sure that women do not feel overwhelmed by aggressive male energy; another reason is to have roughly equal numbers of potential partners for "both genders."  We deliberately choose NOT to gender balance.  For one thing, many of our participants are not heterosexual -- with a mix of straight, gay/lesbian, and bi people, the calculus of who might be open to relationships with whom becomes too complex to control.  More crucially, though many people do find romantic connections at camp, that is not our main purpose. Our goal is to increase emotional intimacy and deep heart connection among people in all sorts of relationsihps: live-in lovers, married couples, triads, sexual partners, emotional relationships, romantic connections, open relationships and more.  We give extensive training in boundaries and respect; at other camps where men were in the majority, women reported not even noticing that they were "outnumbered".  Finally, a number of our participants may not identify with traditional genders, so the traditional notion of "gender balance"would not apply to them at all.  Every mix of campers provides its own set of opportunities and challenges; we choose to work with the people who choose to show up.

We will be using port-a-potties for toilets.  There is a shower house with sinks and shower stalls for general use.  There is limited access to indoor bathrooms at the event site, which will be reserved for people with disabilities and other special needs.

For tent campers: tent, sleeping bag, and pad/air mattress

For campers staying in rustic cabins w/electric: blankets, sheets, pillows, pillowcases, towels.

For campers staying in non-electric rustic cabins: lanterns, blankets, sheets, pillows, pillowcases, towels.

For lodge and cottage residents: linens are provided.

For everyone:

Flashlights, extra blankets for cool nights, towels, easy-to-carry water bottle, toiletries, biodegradable soap, shampoo, and conditioner, safe sex supplies, poison ivy remedy, biodegradable insect repellent, rain gear, unscented sunscreen, sunglasses, hat for sun protection, water shoes for stream walking, a watch or other timepiece, earplugs

Summer clothes or sarongs for hot days, warm clothes for possible cool weather

Personal backjack or chair.

Personal snacks or food items to prepare for yourself in the Personal Foods Kitchen if you have special food needs.

Your sense of humor and willingness to co-create an incredible experience.

Acoustic musical instruments, face paints, your favorite dance music, fun and outrageous clothing or costumes for festive dance parties, a personal journal and pens/pencils, books to share in our lending library, flyers about related events, fun and unusual items to offer in our fundraiser auction.

Alcohol or recreational drugs, valuables of any sort, non-biodegradable soap, shampoo, or conditioner, scented products or perfumes, pets of any size, weapons. Some campers are allergic to scents so please do not wear any scented products at camp, including essential oils or other "natural" scented products.

Yes.  Whenever we have children in attendance, we organize a cooperative children’s program with assistance from the parents and other campers.  The program is designed around the needs of the particular children at camp each year.  Please get in touch with us right away if you would like to bring your kids to camp.

Certified service animals are allowed at camp.  Please get in touch with us if you would like to bring a service animal to camp.  No pets, please.

Coffee and tea, both caffeinated and decaf, are available.  Please leave alcohol and recreational drugs at home. (Learning to relate well to people requires all the unaffected faculties we can muster!)  There is a designated smoking area.  Please leave perfumes and other scents, including "natural" scents, at home to accommodate for allergies.

Yes, though we suggest that you spend as little time as possible on the phone or internet, in order to be present with the community-building, learning opportunities, and personal connections at camp. Most cell phones do not work at our site, though they do work about a mile up the road. We will have some landline availability onsite, with free US long distance. WiFi Internet will be available in the environs of the lodge.

We will have an indoor hospitality area at the Mountaineer Motel (3 miles west of the Summer Camp site; 5 minute drive) that will have phone lines that can be used for longer calls, with free long distance in the US.  There is also WiFi Internet.  Cell reception is also better there; US Cellular is the main carrier, but Sprint and Verizon roam onto US Cellular.  Some other services may also be able to roam onto US Cellular.

All of the meals are vegetarian and vegan, with a lot of variety.  Please let us know if you have a food allergy; we will do our best to accommodate you.  Snacks, leftovers, fruit, and tea are available at all times.  We also have a Personal Foods Kitchen for those with special food needs to store and prepare their own foods.  Note that we take special pride in the quality of the foods that we prepare; most campers, even those who regularly eat meat, find that they need little or nothing to supplement the camp fare.  Dishes, cups, and silverware will be provided; you are welcome to bring your own if you prefer.  A light dinner will be available on Friday, July 7.  The first full meal served will be Saturday breakfast at 7:45AM.

Creating a New Culture means bringing awareness to all aspects of life: relationships, communication, play--and work!  We ask all campers to help co-create the experience with about 10 hours of community service during their stay - kitchen duty, clean-up after meals, keeping our meeting spaces orderly, etc.  All service contributions at camp will take into account any physical or other limitations you may have.

All music-making is greatly appreciated. Bring your instruments and talents. Be part of the live music celebration and share your music during free times, mealtimes, Open Sessions, or the Open Mike evening.”

There is ample parking close to or in the campground. If you have a special need that requires your car to be near you, let us know. Please plan to use your car as little as possible during camp, to reduce fumes and preserve our connections to each other and nature.

Our site can accommodate only a very few small RVs and campers.  Please get permission in advance if you plan to bring an RV.

The closest airports are Dulles International Airport (IAD), Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), and Reagan National (DCA). Camp is about two and a half hours from Dulles, and a little less than three hours drive from the last two airports, so plan either to rent a car or we can help arrange a carpool or group ride from there to camp. We have an e-list to assist in helping campers find rides with each other. There is also an Amtrak station in Cumberland, MD; we can arrange to pick you up from there.

We encourage as many people as possible to carpool to camp. Once you have registered, we will add you to an online group where you can network with other campers and arrange carpools. We do offer one pickup on Friday evening from the Amtrak station in Cumberland, MD. The organizers will help out with carpools as much as possible.

We encourage you to pay as much for camp as you feel comfortable paying. Even the high end of the sliding scale is an excellent price for 10 days of meals and high-quality workshops. All of the organizers donate their services. Every bit of the money received goes toward making camp and other New Culture events happen, including providing scholarships for campers with financial need. Bottom line, we want you to feel good about the amount you contribute. We do have worksheets available to help think about this issue, if you would like!

Yes. Camp is run by the Center for a New Culture, a non-profit corporation with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. If you would like to contribute to CFNC, please get in touch with us. You can also contribute items to our fundraiser auction, held at camp every year.

Yes. We are committed to making camp financially accessible, and we have scholarship funds available. Work exchange is available before pre-camp and after post-camp - the work is usually done in the Washington DC area or at our site in West Virginia , and can sometimes be done in your home area as well. We are also open to barter arrangements. Please get in touch with us - if you want to be there, we want you to be there!

Camp is run by a group of camper volunteers. Core organizers take responsibility for all aspects of camp, including the finances; many additional volunteers take responsibility for specific parts of camp, such as registration, evening activities, etc. All of the organizers donate their services. All funds are held by the Center for a New Culture, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation with tax-exempt status, and are used to create camp and other New Culture events.

Yes!  We have opportunities for volunteers.  Please get in touch if there is some aspect of camp that you would like to help out with.

We do not offer work exchange at camp, because we do not want to create a “second class” of campers who do not get to go to as many of the workshops and events.  Similarly, we do not offer work exchange for camp set-up and take-down, because we want all the volunteers to be there because they want to be there, not because they feel obligated to be there.  If you are available before pre-camp or after post-camp, we are open to work exchange arrangements at those times.

We ask you not to use candles and any other open flames in your tent or cabin.  You may build campfires in the fire pits; please pay the site $5 per 2 buckets of firewood, and be sure that any fire is extinguished before you leave it or go to sleep.  There are dedicated smoking areas at camp; please do not smoke in or near any of the other public spaces at camp.

Much but not all of our space will be clothing-optional.  We’ll provide a map at registration with the boundaries of the clothing-optional space.  There will also be signs posted at the boundaries of the clothing optional areas.  Please respect these boundaries.

The site will be accessible for most people with some types of disabilities, but may be challenging for others.  If you have questions about disability access, or have any special food, medical, or other needs, please get in touch with us to see if your needs can be accommodated.

If you would like to donate any of these items, please contact us at sce17@cfnc.us or 703-755-0607.  We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and donations are tax-deductible.

Restaurant equipment, cookware, and serving utensils

Corelle dinnerware:  plates, bowls

Wall hangings and artwork for the common areas

Back jacks or other low chairs

Sleeping bags and pads, pillows, blankets

Large pillows

Lingerie and dress-up clothes, especially large sizes for men

Computer projector

Sound equipment

New Culture Summer Camp seeks to build a sustainable, violence-free culture through exploring intimacy, personal growth, transparency, radical honesty, equality, compassion, sexual freedom, and the power of community.

Transparency and radically honest communication means being open to verbalize anything that is in your heart, including the parts that you are most reluctant to verbalize. Of course, you are always at choice as to whether you want to be a little honest, radically honest, or not honest at all; at the same time, we suggest you be aware that radical honesty is one of our core values.

It means that you get to choose, minute by minute, what you will do or not do.  There are only a few rules at camp, and these help make a safe container for us (e.g., no drugs or alcohol, no violence); beyond those rules, everyone is empowered to choose their own course.  We encourage people to check in with themselves and how they are feeling at the present moment.  Sometimes people make plans or try activities that don’t turn out as they expected. Follow your joy and excitement, rather than a sense of obligation.

Since so many of us have experienced rejection and carry wounds from those experiences, you are unlikely to be the only one with these feelings.  Luckily, you have many options.  You can sit with your feeling and see what you might learn from it.  You can ask for support from fellow campers or from our trained staff.  You can offer to help with the work of camp; the cooks and the organizers are always happy for more help, and it’s a great way to meet people. You can decide that you are welcome and include yourself in conversations or ask for hugs.  You can be transparent and tell people you are feeling left out and want to connect.

We will be learning about and practicing deep connections with others during the five days at camp.  In order to ensure that people are able to be truly present and available for themselves and each other, we ask everyone to maintain clear minds and bodies by abstaining from drinking alcohol and taking recreational drugs during camp.  Also, the site has strict rules against recreational drugs that we wish to respect.

Absolutely not.  While hugging and touch are very much a part of most New Culture folks’ way of being, everyone is always completely “at choice” about whether to participate.  We encourage you to take responsibility for your experience by clearly communicating your preferences about touch to the people around you.

No. You are always “at choice” about what you wear or don’t wear in the clothing-optional areas.  Typically, depending on the weather, some people will be fully clothed; others will be shirtless or semi-clothed; and a few will be wearing nothing at all.  We do ask that people put a sarong or towel between their bare bottoms and the chairs or cushions.

Yes, unless you have a prior agreement with this person that touch is always welcome; and even then, it can be a good idea to check in frequently.  After all, the most enjoyable kind of touch is that which is welcomed by all participants.

Yes.  There are camper volunteers and trained staff who support campers with empathy & peer counseling, first aid & emergency medical attention, and mediation & facilitation.  If you would like to volunteer, you will have an opportunity to make your skills known at camp.

Our clear intention and mission is to create a safe, heartful, intimate community together and to generate an energy field of love.  One aspect of doing this is to create and honor our sacred container as we experience the workshops and assorted group processes, which are designed and intended to build intimacy and connection.  Your frequently leaving the field would be disruptive both to the flow of our workshops and to the container/energy field.  Because of this, we request that you keep any trips away from camp to an absolute minimum.  Also, if non-campers should happen to drop by the campground, we will not be able to invite them into our space.  By honoring these requests, you will help to keep our sacred container intact and thus foster the intimacy and safety necessary for Summer Camp participants to reveal ourselves fully to each other.

Besides being a wonderful escape from some of the larger society’s regimentation and numbness, Summer Camp can be an intense personal and interpersonal experience.  As such, it offers opportunities and challenges to face our own innermost inconsistencies, insecurities and instabilities, and to encounter and respond to those of others.  Not every situation at Summer Camp may be to your liking; please keep in mind that you are always at choice to participate or not. Having said that, one of the best parts of Summer Camp is taking experiences that would be challenging in the larger society, and learning to turn them into gifts!

We do not make rules about sexual encounters, but we highly recommend conscious, informed decision-making.  To make this possible, appropriate conversation before engaging would include sharing relevant sexual and relationship histories, any health concerns, guidelines for use of safe sex supplies, and any boundaries to be honored.

We also ask people to be mindful about where they are being sexual, particularly if there is a “family camping area” that includes children, so that those who don't wish to observe can also remain "at choice".

Although many campers practice multiple loving relationships, Summer Camp is a place where all relationship choices are honored and represented.  You are at choice to live and love in the way that pleases you best.

You are entirely at choice.  We hold a group intention of honoring the presenters by starting events on time.  Unless the presenter has requested that no one join after the presentation has started, however, latecomers will be welcome to step into events.  At the same time, it is respectful not to expect others to summarize for you what you have missed or to jump in on a discussion that you have heard little of.

Most importantly, working together builds community.  Doing something real together such as helping prepare a meal allows us to experience people in a different kind of setting, and to practice the relationship skills that we will be learning.  If you have a handicap or illness that would make it difficult for you to contribute, please check in with us before camp.