I am self surrendering to Carswell Camp Aug. 29 and was wondering how Holidays worked around there? I have four children who will visit Thanksgiving and Christmas....does anyone know if they can have dinner with me (besides what is available in the vending). Are there things I can buy them in the comm? Any information who be great! Thank you!!

F.Y.I. in the future you may get a better response to your threads if you place then in the Federal Forums.

Now to the meat and potatos of your question. Carswell, whether it be the Camp or the Medical Facility both appear to have the same visiting rules. You can review all the visiting rules if you will "CLICK" on the following link:

WWW.BOP.gov (http://www.BOP.gov)

Once there, do a search by entering "Carswell" in the appropriate search area and highlight the "facilities" option below that. There you can "CLICK" on a link to visiting regulations. Basically for Carewell the visiting hours are:

Mon - Fri: 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Sat, Sun, and federal Holidays: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm

As for meals and or food, you will be allowed to eat from the machines. Meals within the facility are for inmates and staff only. No visitors will be allowed to eat in the dinning facility or be allowed in any areas outside the visitation area (While visiting). As for bringing stuff from the commissary, that is a NO NO as well. When you come for visitation, you may bring your glasses (if you wear them) a religious medalion and chain, a plain wedding band, your Kahki's, a soft shoe permit (if applicable), and you I.D. card. Anything else will be considered contraband and is banned from the visiting area. I hope this helps. If you should ave further questions, please feel free to PM me or post in the Federal Forums, I will be glad to help.

Keep the Faith.

Michael :thumbsup:

I'd just like to add...my fellah is also in an FPC, and when the visiting rooms are overflowing, occasionally they will open the cafeteria and allow people to sit in there after lunch is served to the inmates, so sometimes that is an area that is opened up. Also, last year inmates were allowed to go to the chapel with visitors and have Christmas services together, but that is a camp-by-camp issue, as most rules are.

Thank you so much for your reply. Not exactly what I was hoping to hear, but at least they get to visit. Thanks for the tips!!!

They should have some kind of crafts you can make. My boyfriend is in a camp and they have leather shop, ceramic shop, and an art room. You have to wait to get in these and pay for your own supplies, but you can make things to send home. If you are not a crafty person, you could have a family member buy what gift you want each of your children to have. He always has his mom and dad buy me something for birthday, christmas, valentines, etc. It is not the same as if he were here to give it to me, but I know that it is what he wanted to get me from him.

Thank you, crafts are a great idea. I am glad to hear they have those things available. Thank you for your reply!!

There is not much to purchase at commissary for gifts. However, you can make things. Visitation at Carswell is friday, saturday, sunday and monday. Friday and monday are from 5:00 to 9:00 unless it falls on a holiday then it is 8:00 to 3:00 just like the weekend. I was at Carswell Camp from Dec. 2003 until late 2004. I have heard there are alot of younger ladies there now. They have vending machines in visitation but the prison will not feed you during visitation. Any more questions, just ask.

LostOne

You can buy some things in the commissary and mail them home to your children. You don't say how old your children are but my husband has sent things like flavored chapstick to our son when he was little, which he liked a lot. And he would buy the plastic cups in the commissary and decorate them for him. As said above, if there is a hobby shop, you can make other things. My husband also used to draw mazes for our elementary-aged son, write poems, drawings, etc. And, from this end, I will tell you that ANYTHING his father sent him was treasured - because the message was that his father loved him and hadn't forgotten him. Zelda

Your husband should be able to contact Prison Fellowship and have your children's names submitted to Angel Tree. People from the community then buy gifts in your husband's name, and the children recieve presents from him. Community members only know the childrens' ages and their needs, never their names, and the kids don't know that Daddy didn't shop for the gifts himself unless you choose to tell them.

Thank you all so much, I report on Monday, Aug. 29th. My kids are 11, 9, 4 and 2. My husband is great and will do very good with them. I feel better about being able to make/purchase things for them. Thank you all for your information! I really appreciate it!