Day Camp Parent Guide YMCA CAMP NISSOKONE

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1 Day Camp Parent Guide YMCA CAMP NISSOKONE Dear Camper Parent: Thank you for choosing YMCA Camp Nissokone for your son or daughter s day camp experience. Camp is a place to build confidence, make new friends, learn new things, and have fun! For both first-time and returning campers, feelings of anticipation mix with the excitement of meeting new friends, trying new activities, and having outdoor adventures. The impact that camping has on an individual lasts a lifetime. At camp, a child grows through friendships made within a group of his/her peers. Sharing, teamwork, and compromise are important lessons. Setting and achieving goals while acquiring new skills helps build self-esteem. Please take time to read the following pages carefully and fill out the necessary forms completely as soon as possible. There truly is nothing quite like the friendships and individual growth that a camping experience can provide. We re sure you ll share our excitement for Camp Nissokone as you learn more about our camp and how we provide a safe environment for your camper. We feel right at home at Nissokone, and we hope your family will too. If you have any questions, please contact us at the camp office at , or us at camp@ymcadetroit.org. We look forward to seeing your child at camp! In the Spirit of Camping, Ryan Mertz Executive Director rmertz@ymcadetroit.org P (989) P (248) (Business office) Henry Weyand Assistant Director hweyand@ymcadetroit.org

2 Day Camp YMCA CAMP NISSOKONE Camper Drop-Off: 7:45-8:00 am Please plan on being in camp on Monday morning, the first day, by 8:00 am. Upon arrival you will be greeted and directed to the check-in area. If you have arranged for extended care, please see the information under those sections. Breakfast and lunch are included daily. Whether you re a first time camper or a veteran camper, arrival at camp can be a time of apprehension, excitement, and wonder. The best thing you can do for your child is get him/her settled in, kiss your camper goodbye, and let the counselor take it from there. Camper Pick-Up: 4:30 pm Day camp ends at 4:30 p.m. and parents must checkout at the office. Campers will be released only to adults authorized on the Parent Consent Form. Parent or other adult will be asked to show I.D every day. Please put all authorized parties, including your spouse, in addition to yourself on the consent form (e.g. mom, dad, brother, sister, friends, etc.) Your child will not be released to anyone not previously authorized on the form. If you have arranged for extended care, please see the information in the next section. Extended Hours: A.M. CARE: Extended hours BEGIN at 7:45 am. Our program is not staffed until 7:45 am and we cannot have campers left unattended, so please, no early arrivals. Parents must sign their children in every morning at the Camp Nissokone office. The counselor will then take the children to their morning activity. Camp Nissokone breakfast will be served at 8:00am. P.M. CARE: Parents who have arranged for PM Care may pick up their child between 4:30 and 5:30 pm. Campers will be picked up at the office. Forms: The following forms will need to be filled out one week before camp in order for your camper to attend camp. 1. YMCA Camping Services Assumption of Risk and Waiver 2. Custody Form (Who can pick up my Child)/Sunscreen Permission Form 3. Camper Behavior & Expectation Agreement 4. Health Form/Immunizations/Copy of your insurance card These forms can be located on the camper registration site using the same sign on and password that you registered with. Please contact our office if you have trouble with filling out the forms (248)

3 What To Pack For Camp: Plan to pack appropriately for your camper and the length of their stay. Backpacks or day packs work great. LAUNDRY FACILITIES AT CAMP ARE FOR EMERGENCY PUPOSES ONLY. Clearly mark all items with your campers name. Day Camp Packing List Day pack ( backpack ) to carry everything Towel Bug repellent (non-aerosol) Chap stick Comfortable shoes/sandals (no flip flops) Swim suit (one piece style only) Water bottle Sunscreen Hat Light jacket or sweatshirt / rain gear Not Allowed At Camp: Cell phones, ipods, weapons of any kind, knives, fireworks, electronic games, other electric devices, plus anything you cannot afford to lose. YMCA Camping Services is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Items previously mentioned that campers bring will be held for safe keeping by the Camp Office until the end of the day. Pranks/Practical Jokes: We do not teach, model, encourage or practice in pranks or practical jokes. When these things happen people get hurt, feelings get hurt, or property gets damaged. Camp staff will strive to replace pranks and practical jokes with positive activities. Appropriate Dress: The Camp dress code mirrors the policies of most schools. No spaghetti straps, tube tops, strapless attire, short shorts, blouses that reveal the midriff or flip-flops. Also prohibited is clothing that portrays inappropriate behavior, logos or language that could be offensive. Swimming/Waterfront: The waterfront is one of the most popular program areas at Nissokone. On the first day of camp, campers will receive a swimming evaluation. Depending on their ability and desire they will be placed either as a Red Swimmer (beginner), Yellow Swimmer (intermediate) or a Green Swimmer (advanced). We utilize the buddy system, which has proven to be the safest method in supervising groups on the waterfront. All aquatic activities are under the close supervision of trained and certified lifeguards. Lost & Found: Please call us right away. We will try our best to locate it! Please remember that the YMCA cannot be held responsible for missing or damaged items. Please mark all items with the camper s name. Any items left behind will be donated to charity 2 weeks after that session. Homesickness: Going away to camp can be a challenging experience for a child of any age. Short term separation from parents and learning independence are important parts of growing up. Many children have some difficulty coping with the challenges that come with going away to camp. This anxiety is perfectly normal and is common. Talking with your camper prior to camp lets them know you have confidence in their ability to cope with the new camp lifestyle. Focus on the positive aspects of camp: making new friends, exciting activities, and how proud you will be when they succeed. We are sensitive to campers and parents who are missing each other. We are happy to work through the process and keep you informed. Cell phones are ALWAYS a negative influence and do not help the adjustment

4 period. View the camp photo s & send one-way s to your camper. Check out our website for further resources to ease homesickness. Visits: There are no visiting days during any camp session. Drop in visits can disrupt programs, divert staff from their jobs, and sometimes set off homesickness in your own or other campers. If you have any questions or concerns about your child, please feel free to contact us at Photos And For free picture viewing and one way s: go to ymcadetroit.org/nissokone Phone Policy: The camp phones are for business and emergencies only. Due to the number of campers at each of our sites, it is impossible to make the phones available for calls home from the campers. Of course, in an emergency or to help with the campers social adjustment, the camp staff will be in contact with you. Camper Health Care: Medical staff are at camp 24 hours a day and public health care facilities are a short distance away. Parents will be notified in the event that a camper is in the Health Center for more than 3 hours (fever, tummy ache, etc) or if the camper requires any treatment out of camp. Medical Policy: All prescription medication must be turned in the original prescription bottle and must be dispensed according to the directions on the label by state law. If the doctor has changed the dosage or directions for administration, submit a signed letter from your physician with the new directions. This letter must include camper s full name, dosage amount, delivery time(s), and any limitations. DO NOT repackage drugs or submit another person s medication. This is prohibited by Michigan law. Medications must be turned into the Health Officer at check-in at the camp or to the bus monitor at the bus pick up site. Medical Insurance: In the event your child needs medical treatment and/or prescriptions, the family s insurance will be billed. Parents will be notified of any accident or illness that requires treatment. A copy of an insurance card must accompany camper to camp. Medical Screening: If your child is sick or may have a communicable condition, please keep them home. We recommend that your child have a physical examination or health check by your family physician prior to camp. Camper Safety: We take every safety precaution into consideration when planning and conducting our activities and have extensive staff training so that we can avoid accidents, injuries or dangerous situations. All of our staff has been trained in first aid and CPR. In addition, we have a full-time Nurse or Health Officer on site. Emergency services are only minutes from camp should the need arise. All of our policies, procedures and rules are developed with the safety of your camper in mind. Site Safety: Camp staff is identified with a name badge and/or staff shirt. Parents are encouraged to bring campers on the first day to meet the camp staff and become comfortable with the facility. Any visitor must check in at the camp office or be escorted by a camp staff member. We receive regular visits from the County Sheriff s deputies who regularly patrol the area. We practices fire drills and other emergency procedures weekly with campers.

5 Parent Notification: The Camp Nurse or Camp Director will call the parent in the following instances: 1. If the camper must go to the doctor or medical facility 2. If the camper spends more than 3 hours in the Health Center 3. If we are dealing with a behavior issue and need assistance to correct the behavior 4. If the camper is experiencing separation anxiety and is not adjusting to the camp environment Refund & Cancellation Policy: All deposits are non-refundable. Deposits are TRANSFERABLE without charge until May 1. REFUNDS (excluding the camp deposit) can be made until May 1. After May 1, session fees can be transferred to another session during the current camp season or refunded 50%. Two weeks prior to any camp session, fees are refundable only in the case of illness or injury with a written notice from a physician to YMCA Camping Services.No refund is made for late arrivals or early departures.in case of homesickness, dismissal or voluntary withdrawal, there will be no refund of fees.please direct any questions about billing, payments or transportation changes to YMCA Camping Services at