YMCA Camp Falcona Frequently Asked Questions

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1 Before Camp YMCA Camp Falcona Frequently Asked Questions This is our first time coming to camp, can we come and visit the camp? Yes, we run an open house July 9 th 10:00am to 3:00pm and encourage all families new and old to attend. This date is for both families that are registered and not registered for Summer We hope to see you all there! What should we pack? Anything we should not send? Any suggestions on what to pack it in? Please refer to our packing list online. We suggest that you pack your belongings in a duffel bag or a Rubbermaid box. There will be help for those who need a hand carrying their bags to their cabins. Transportation What are my options for transporting my child to camp? Please see the bus options below. Campers are also able to be picked up from the Sudbury Greyhound Station and the Greater Sudbury Airport for a fee. If you need to change your Transportation selection after registering please contact the Camping Office Beginning of Camp End of Camp Bus Stop: Sudbury (Lily Creek) Bus Stop: Lasalle Secondary School Kennedy St. Parking Lot Bus Stop Val Therese (Pizza Hut) 8:00 AM 3:00 PM 8:45 AM 2:15 PM 9:30 AM 1:30 PM Staff What training does your staff have? How many counsellors are in each cabin? All of our staff go through an extensive, onsite, week-long training that covers everything from our emergency procedures to dealing with various camper issues, and how to supervise and instruct all of our camp activities.

2 Who will administer my child s medication? Camp Falcona hires a Wellness Manager who is in their 3 rd year of a university level nursing program, who has practical health care experience. For medical emergencies, the Sudbury Hospital is less than one hour away. Communication How can I communicate with my child while they are at camp? You can send s to your child while they are at Camp Falcona; (falconacamper@sudbury.ymca.ca). Please put camper name and session in the subject line. Please note that your child will not be able to send you s in response. You can also keep in touch through the mail, we suggest sending your child with pre-addressed and stamped envelopes. Please see the address below: Camper Name & Session c/o YMCA Camp Falcona 140 Durham St. Sudbury, ON P3E 3M7 Please note that you might need to send mail before your child leaves home for it to arrive while they are at camp. When signing in your child at drop off you can also leave a letter/package with the camp staff to deliver at your desired time. How can I keep up with what is going on at camp? The best way to keep up with the goings on at camp is to follow us on Facebook! Please note that we do not post any photos of children that are at camp until after the session is over. You should also receive a weekly from the Camp Director updating you on your child s session we try to send them out mid-week. At what point might I expect a call from camp? There are very few circumstances that you will reguire a call from camp - some of these include if your child is unable to participate in regular scheduled programming, if their time at camp is being negatively affected or if they are negatively affecting another s experience, or before any medication is administered that is not approved on the health form.

3 If I cannot make the Open House, is there another way I can ask the Camp Director a question before my child attends camp? Yes! Please contact the Camping Services Office ( ) to set up a Camp Director consult. At your convenience the Camp Director will contact you to answer all of your questions. Meals What food allergies can your kitchen accommodate? What about dietary restrictions? Are you nut free? Our kitchen does a very good job at accommodating most dietary needs. Vegetarian/Vegan as well as gluten intolerances and allergies to specific foods are no problem for our kitchen staff. We are very conscious about continuing to providing a balanced menu for individuals with alternative diets. For those with more severe allergies or dietary needs we encourage you to contact us to discuss how we can best accommodate your needs. Camp Falcona is a Nut Aware facility. Because we have so many people visiting our site we cannot guarantee that it is always100% nut free. We do ensure that no nut products enter our kitchen and our site is cleaned and sanitized between each group. Epi Pens are located all around camp and our staff are trained in how to react to an allergic reaction. My child is a picky eater, will there be other options? At Camp Falcona we encourage kids to try new things but also plan our menu to be child friendly. Each meal offers one main dish and a few side options. We always have our toast station set up and fresh fruit is always available between meals. What are some typical meals you serve? Please see an example two day menu below. We plan our menu on a two week rotation to add some variety into the meals. Day 1 Day 2 Breakfast (8:30am) Lunch (12:30pm) Dinner (5:30pm) Snack (8:45pm) Oatmeal Grilled Cheese Pasta Apple Cereal Sandwiches Garlic Bread Orange Slices Tomato Soup Caesar Salad Pancakes Veggie sticks and Milk, Water Sausages Dip Brownies Juice, Milk, Water Juice, Water Oatmeal Cereal Fruit Salad Scrambled Eggs English Muffins Juice, Milk, Water Pizza Veggie sticks and Dip Juice, Water Chicken Stir Fry Rice Garden Salad Milk, Water Jell-O Popcorn

4 At Camp: How is my child placed in a cabin? Can they be with friends from home? 8 to 10 campers are placed in a cabin with two staff members. We place our campers in cabins with children of the same gender that are within 1-2 years age of each other. You can request one cabinmate on your registration form. For those requesting a cabinmate that is older/younger than each other we typically put the two in the younger cabin. Please note that cabinmate requests must be mutual to ensure that they are placed together. The Camping Services Office cannot tell you who is attending what session due to our Child Protection Policy. What activities will they be doing? Campers will have the option of trying a large variety of activities while they are at camp. We try to add at least one new program each year so everyone can try something new! See the list of activities below to get an idea of some of the programs we offer, and for more information check out our Programs Section on our website. Water: Canoe, Kayak, Sailing, Voyageur Canoe, Boogie Boarding Land: Field Games, Archery, Outdoor Living Skills Creative: Arts and Crafts, Drama Games Are there showers? How will my Child keep clean? There are showers at camp and every cabin is scheduled one shower block each week. There are also three all-camp swims each day, and cabin groups take part in water activities every day. For those wishing to bathe in the lake we ask that all products are 100% biodegradable. For younger campers that might need a reminder to brush their teeth or change their clothes, our staff is trained on how to help support these children while away from home. What is tuck? How much money should I be sending? The Tuck Shop is our camp store. Every day children have the option to purchase camp branded items (shirts, flashlights, hats, postcards) or treats from the tuck shop. We suggest sending $25.00/week your child is at camp. All campers receive a free t-shirt!

5 Issues at Camp: How does your staff deal with bullying? Bullying is something that is not acceptable at Camp Falcona. No one should be able to negatively affect another camper s experience. Those who are negatively affecting others experience will have varying degrees of consequences including the possibility of removal from camp. To find out how our staff are trained and how we deal with bullying, please consult our Parent Handbook. What about if my child is homesick? We realize that for many campers, Camp Falcona might be the first time they are away from their parents. Counsellors are trained on how to identify early signs of homesickness as well as how to help campers that are homesick adjust to camp life and enjoy their stay with us. For more information please consult our Parent Handbook. What if there is a medical emergency at camp? All of our staff are trained in first aid, and have specific training in how to respond if a medical emergency were to arise at Camp Falcona. The Sudbury Hospital is a 50 min drive away and local Emergency Response Services are notified at the opening of our camp season in the case of needed support. After Camp: My child forgot something at camp, how can I get it back? Lost and found is sent in to the Sudbury YMCA, and is washed one week after each session. If your items that are labelled, you will receive a phone call from the Camping Services office letting you know these items have been found. We find it very helpful to label everything you send to camp with your child as well it helps packing with them before camp. Items will remain in the Camping Services office for pick up until September 16 th After this date they will be donated to local charities. For those who live out of town we can mail your items to you at your expense. How can I give you feedback about my child s experience? We take feedback very seriously at Camp Falcona. It helps us to grow and to continue to provide the best service possible. Please fill out our online survey (website link will be ed during session) to share your child s experience; we encourage you to fill out the survey with your child at the computer with you.

6 Important Dates: Camper Information Night: April 6 th, 6:00PM 8:00PM at the YMCA of Sudbury Falcona Alumni Work Weekend: May 27 th to May 29 th Falcona Open House: July 9 th 10:00AM to3:00 PM Contact Us! Camping Services Office 140 Durham St, Sudbury, ON P3E 3M7 Phone: or Fax: Camp Falcona Nelson Lake, ON May-September Phone: