Sam Brock is the executive director of Ironwood. He was one of the original “desert pygmies,” a.k.a. staff kids. He moved to Ironwood with his parents, Walt and Betty Brock, who founded Ironwood in the early 1970s. When he and his wife Cindy first joined staff in 1991, he served as the camper services director setting priorities for the various operations crews as well as filling the calendar. He later served as the director, overseeing day-t0-day operations of camp before becoming executive director in 2013. Sam and Cindy, or characters that look a lot like them, often show up on the skit stage. They have four desert pygmies, who are all married, and four grandchildren with a fifth on the way.

Arrival and Departure: Everyone coming to an Ironwood camp, retreat, or conference must register at the office. Please do so upon arrival. The office is open at arrival times and each work day from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. First and last meals, as well as registration times, will be announced in the brochure for each camp.

Late Arrivals: Should your arrival be delayed for some reason, please call the camp office at 760.257.3503 to hold your reservations and to give us an estimate of your arrival time, especially if you will be late for the first meal.

What to Bring: Bed and bath linens are provided for campers age 18 and up. Campers should bring a flashlight, Bible, note pad, pen or pencil, toiletries, and spending money. Please call if you have questions. You might also want to bring suntan lotion, sunglasses, Chap Stick, hat, flip-flops to wear to and from the lake, and a camera.

Please do not bring pets, cigarettes, drugs, fireworks, or clothing with worldly advertising.

Special Diets: Because we cannot accommodate various special diets, please bring your own supplementary foods, if needed. A refrigerator, microwave, and toaster are available to store and prepare special diet foods. Food from a Homestead meal may be set aside for a future meal.

Clothing Tips: During spring, fall, and winter camps, the weather in the desert varies from quite warm to quite cold. Be prepared for either. For horseback riding, boots or shoes with heels are encouraged for a safer situation.

Ladies . . . Any fashion worn must come to the top of the knee. Appropriate clothing includes knee-length shorts, skirts, or dresses and loose-fitting pants or jeans. Colored, modest shorts must be worn over swimsuits. If the top of the swimsuit is not lined or has a low neckline in front or back, a colored T-shirt or tank top must be worn over it. A large towel or cover-up must be worn while going to and from the lake.

Gentlemen . . . Long pants are recommended for services and evening meals. Other fashions that come to the knee are appropriate for activity times.  Swimsuits must be modest, trunk-type suits. No excessively tight, thin, or short suits.

Firearms: If firearms are brought, they are to be used only at the shooting range and at scheduled times. They should be locked in your vehicle at all other times.

Lost & Found: Lost and found items not requested within 30 days will be disposed of. Requested items will be mailed at your expense.