CAMPS

Learn about the various camps offered at Chanco on the James

Where no child is left inside

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Chanco on the James has one of the most successful youth camping programs in Virginia. The camp program has been running continuously since 1968 and is accredited by the American Camping Association.

The residential camp for boys and girls ages 8 to16 years is a place for having fun, making friends, trying new things, and enjoying God’s creation. In 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 Chanco enjoyed the recognition of being voted number one “Best Summer Camp” by Virginia Living Magazine.

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Welcome to Camp Chanco

Emphasis is placed on individual growth in a context of Christian community through relationships with other youth and adults, through religious education and worship, and through a variety of recreational activities.

An Episcopal priest, deacon or a qualified religious education worker is responsible for the worship and education program of each session.

About the Chanco experience

Many youth report discovering God in a different way in our relaxed, natural environment. Campers enjoy a range of outdoor activities, camp skits, songs, and rich traditions.

Our residential camp program offerings: Climbing Wall, High Ropes, Zip Lines, Low Ropes, Swimming Pool, Boating, Sailing, Paddleboarding, Arts and Crafts, Archery, Basketball, Gaga, and other Games, Nature Classes, and Evening Programs.

Camp Chanco Mission & Objectives

What we hope to accomplish with the youth that attend our camps.

Camp Mission
  • To provide an opportunity for boys and girls to grow as responsible persons in the context of a Christian community.
  • In a relaxed and fun atmosphere, we hope to develop a sense of belonging in which those who attend may come to know themselves more deeply, learn to relate to others, and experience a deeper awareness of our Lord.
  • Chanco seeks to be a re-telling of the story of God’s love for people through His gifts of nature, personhood, relationships, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
  • As part of the total program of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia, Chanco on the James gives the exciting opportunity for young people to live together in a natural setting. Campers discover, removed from a materially structured daily life, the rich rewards of a shared experience in a community utilizing personal resources for growth and enrichment.
    • This means that campers are helped to become self-reliant, tolerant, helpful, and kind; and that the effort is made to relate these values as learned in the Chanco experience to home and the world at large.
Camp Objectives
  • To provide an opportunity to learn to better appreciate one’s self and others.
  • To provide opportunities for spiritual growth and greater understanding of the Christian faith.
  • To relate the camper to the natural environment for greater understanding and appreciation.
  • To develop skills which have carry-over value the camper’s home life.
  • To develop an understanding of community living and community cooperation.
  • To provide an enjoyable experience in the outdoors.
  • To provide a safe environment in which the camper can function to the best of his or her potential.
  • To maintain and incorporate the objectives of the American Camp Association (ACA).