Please read all of this information carefully, even if your child has attended camp in the past!

Transcription

1 Dear Parents, Thank you for choosing Camp Tannadoonah for your child s camping experience this summer! Attached is a parent packet containing additional information about your child s camp attendance for Please read all of this information carefully, even if your child has attended camp in the past! There are some new policies and new information for If you have any questions, please contact the Camp Fire office at or me at Amber@tannadoonah.org. Your child will be a part of Camp Tannadoonah s 94th year of summer camping, and 85th on beautiful Birch Lake! Our promise as a Camp Fire organization is: Young people want to shape the world. Camp Fire provides the opportunity to find their spark, lift their voice, and discover who they are. At Camp Fire it begins now. Light the fire within. Your child will take part in many rich traditions at camp, and will learn outdoor and independent living skills throughout the week. Our staff will guide your child through a variety of programs and activities. Most importantly, your child will form friendships and memories that will last a lifetime! See you this summer! Sincerely, Amber M. Grundy, Ph. D. Director, Camp Tannadoonah Amber@tannadoonah.org

2 Important Policies PLEASE READ CAREFULLY! NEW Writing in the cabins at camp: For many years, campers have written their names, messages, and other things on cabin walls, floors, bunks, ceilings, etc. We have turned a blind eye to this practice in the past. This year, and in the years to come, we are making a major investment in improving our camp facilities, and we will not allow this practice of writing in the cabins to continue. If your camper is found to have written on any surface (walls, beds, ceilings, floors, etc.), this will be considered an act of vandalism, and handled accordingly. Your camper MAY BE SENT HOME FROM CAMP and you WILL be fined $50 for each instance of vandalism. Please do not allow your camper to bring any markers to camp! An appropriate place for campers to sign their name will be provided, and will be displayed at camp. That is the only place they may leave their mark. NEW - Social Media Policy: Our camp staff are not allowed to be friends with, or follow, campers on any form of social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. If your camper requests a staff member to be friends on Facebook or other social media, the staff members have been instructed that they must decline that request. However, because of a growing number of requests from campers for a way to communicate with our camp staff before and after their time at camp, we have created a Facebook Group which is monitored by the camp directors. It is a closed group and only registered campers, the parent(s) listed on the camper registration form, and 2014 camp employees will be approved to join the group. The link to join the group is We invite you and your camper(s) to join the group, and ask questions, meet some of the camp staff, and connect with campers who might be attending the same week as your child. You may also share memories, stories, and photos of the camp experience. All posts will be reviewed and approved by the camp director before appearing on the page. Contacting Parents in the case of illness: Parents will be contacted immediately in the event of an emergency, at the discretion of the Camp Director or health officer. Any time a camper is restricted from normal program participation for more than half a day because of illness, parents will be contacted. Medical Care: If a camper is referred to medical attention outside of Camp, your family accident/health medical insurance will be billed, and you will be advised of and billed for any other medical expenses such as special medication and/or supplies advised by the physician. Cancellations / Refunds: If your child is unable to attend camp, please notify the Camp Fire office at or us AT LEAST ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE so that we may give another child on the waiting list a chance to attend. No refunds will be given if the cancellation is made less than one week in advance. The deposit is not refundable under any circumstances. No refunds will be made once a child reaches camp except when he/she is sent home at the request of a physician or the camp health officer for medical reasons. Refunds will be processed after the completion of our summer session and will be mailed no earlier than August 15 th. Lost and Found: Please mark all items with your camper s name. We highly recommend using iron-on name labels for all items you send to camp! Please leave valuable items at home. All lost and found items will be held at Camp until September 1. After September 1, these items are donated to charity. Camp Fire River Bend and Camp Tannadoonah are not responsible for any lost or stolen items. If you have any concerns or questions about the policies described above, please contact Ms. Amber at or amber@tannadoonah.org.

3 Check In and Check Out Please note that we are on Eastern Daylight Time, which is one hour ahead of Chicago. Check in is 2-4pm EDT on Sundays No early check-ins are allowed. Please do not arrive at camp before 2pm EDT on check in day. We will not start the check in process early. If a camper must check in late, please contact us in advance to make those arrangements. Check out is 10-11am EDT on Saturdays Check out day is Saturday for all sessions except Mini Week and Super Week. Check out for Mini Week and Super Week is Wednesday, July 2, Campers will only be released to people who are listed on the release form. We may ask for identification so please come prepared. Campers not checked out by 11am will be charged $10 per hour until they are picked up. If a camper must check out early, please contact us in advance. If your camper is attending two or more consecutive weeks, they MUST be picked up on Saturday and return on Sunday unless you have registered for the weekend stay option. Medical Records and Medications The American Camping Association (ACA) requires a Health Information record to be completed by a parent or guardian each year. This form is crucial and must be filled out completely. Your camper will not be permitted to attend camp if you do not complete the health form. All immunizations must be up-to-date, especially tetanus. We collect all of our health form information through CampDoc.com. You will receive a Welcome E- mail from CampDoc.com with information about how to complete your camper s health information. If your child attended last year, you will just need to log in and check to make sure the information is all correct and update a few sections that are new this year. All medications prescription and over the counter must be turned in to the nurse at check in. Medications must be in original containers and placed in a labeled plastic bag. We cannot distribute medications that are not in their original, labeled containers. Please send only the amount of medication needed to last the duration of your camper s stay at camp. If your child has any special needs (including diet), please call us at least two weeks in advance at so we can prepare appropriately. Camp Balances The balance of camp fees is due at least 2 weeks before your camper is to arrive at camp. Your camper s space may be forfeited to a camper on the waiting list if balance is paid late. Absolutely NO CHECKS will be accepted upon arrival at camp. Before June 1, please mail payments to: Camp Tannadoonah 905 E. Jefferson Blvd., Suite D Mishawaka, IN After June 1, please mail payments to: Camp Tannadoonah Harvey St. Vandalia, MI You can also call to make payment at: We accept VISA, MasterCard, or Discover. Or, to pay via PayPal, please send funds to store@tannadoonah.org Activity Registrations We need to have your child s activity registrations at least one week in advance. If you wish to add or change your child s activities, please amber@tannadoonah.org to make those changes at least one week before they are to arrive at camp. You do not need to pre-register for archery, nature, drama, sports and games, gaga ball, or crafts. Camp Store Funds Campers may make a deposit at the camp store upon arrival to camp. Campers may not carry cash at camp, so this store deposit is the only spending money they will have during the week. We recommend a store deposit of $25. Store deposits may be created using cash or credit (no checks). The store deposit is not mandatory; all campers will still receive two snack items at the afternoon store time, which are not charged to the store account.

4 Sending Snail Mail All campers love to receive snail mail, and we have daily local delivery. You may consider writing a letter before your child arrives at camp, since mail delivery tends to be slow. Write often! All mail should be addressed as follows: Name of Camper Camp Tannadoonah Harvey St. Vandalia, MI ing Your Camper Camp Tannadoonah has partnered with Bunk1 for all camper s. To send your camper an , go to our website at Tannadoonah.org. Click the your camper button. Then click register here on the right. The invitation code is: IBRIQFSM Once you have registered, you can purchase bunk notes credits ($1 or less per credit). More information about the Bunk1 system can be found on our website at Homesickness The staff has been trained on how to handle this expected hurdle. Please know that the directors and counselors are taking great care of your child; we are committed to helping them throughout the week so that they can have a positive and successful camp experience. If your camper is homesick, it is usually a temporary period, and the staff helps to overcome this feeling by channeling your child s energies towards other activities. By the time you receive a low letter, your child is probably feeling much better! Here are some tips for preventing homesickness before they get to camp: DON T make the pick-up deal by telling your child that you will come pick them up from camp if they don t like it. Children typically lose any motivation to succeed at camp if they think a parent will come get them. They will hold you to this deal and it will make it much harder for us to help your camper adjust to life at camp. Part of camp is learning to work through situations that may not always be easy or comfortable. DO talk about homesickness before they leave home! It is so important to talk with your child about how normal it is to feel homesick at camp. Talk about what they should do if they experience homesickness at camp. Let them know that you can be homesick AND still have a great time at camp! DO set some camp goals with your child. In addition to making friends and having fun, camp is about trying new things and learning new skills. We encourage all of our campers to set some personal goals, whether it is learning how to water-ski, learning a new song, trying something different, or becoming a better photographer. DON T tell your camper that you ll be so sad without them! Of course it is okay for them to know that you will miss them, but we want to avoid them worrying about mom or dad at camp. Try saying, I am going to miss you, but I know you are going to have the best time! I can t wait to hear all about it next weekend. When you write to your child, follow these tips to help them have a successful camp experience: * DO Be positive! * Don t tell them about things they re missing out on at home * DO Be newsy, upbeat, and encouraging * Don t deliver bad news in an or a letter (call us!) * DO Tell them you know they re having fun * Don t tell them how much you miss them And please! Don t tell them they can call home, or say you ll come get them if they want you to. We generally do not allow campers to call home during the week; typically phone calls home only make homesickness worse. If we have concerns about your child, we will have a staff member contact you. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns during the week. The phone number at camp is You can also reach Miss Amber at Amber@tannadoonah.org.

5 Suggested Packing List **All of the camper s belonging should be packed in a suitcase that will fit under their cot (no taller than 16 inches)** It is a very good idea to write your camper s name on all clothing and personal items that you send with them to camp! Camp Tannadoonah and Camp Fire are not responsible for lost items. Clothing At least 2 pairs comfortable, closed-toed shoes. (please note: closed toed shoes are required in camp. Athletic shoes are recommended. Absolutely NO flip-flops or open-toed shoes are allowed except for waterfront and shower house) 7-9 shirts 4-6 pairs shorts 1-2 warm sweatshirts or jackets 7 pairs underwear 10 pairs of socks (more is always better!) 1 pair long pants / jeans Pajamas or sleepwear Raincoat or poncho Costume that fits week s theme *Optional!* 1-2 swimming suits Water shoes for waterfront use (recommended because of zebra mussels in the lake) Flip flops (for waterfront or shower use ONLY) Toiletries and Personal Items 2 towels Shampoo and conditioner Soap Toothbrush and toothpaste Bug spray or lotion Sunscreen Hairbrush and/or comb Reusable plastic water bottle Deodorant Bedding Fitted bed sheet (twin size) sleeping bag or blankets pillow(s) Other Recommended Items Flashlight and extra batteries (note: some cabins do not have electricity) Postcards or stationary Envelopes (we recommend you pre-address them) and stamps Pencil / pen Stuffed animal or comfort object Medications (which MUST be turned in to the nurse upon arrival at camp) Laundry bag What NOT to bring **These items will be confiscated and returned to parents at the end of the week. Items such as weapons, alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs will result in a camper being sent home from camp immediately.** Cell phones ipods, radios, or other personal music players Video games or other electronics Items containing inappropriate words or symbols Food, candy, or gum Knives or weapons of any kind Lighters or matches Glass containers or bottles Alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs of any kind

6 Directions to Camp Tannadoonah Coming from the South Bend / Mishawaka, IN area Take State Road 23 (in Indiana) / M-62 (in Michigan) heading North Go through Granger, IN and Edwardsburg, MI Turn right at the blinking light on to Brownsville Road. Follow Harvey as it curves 90 degrees to Coming from the Elkhart, IN area Take SR-19 North also called Cassopolis When you cross into Michigan, SR-19 becomes MI-205 MI-205 North curves to the right and becomes US-12 East Turn left on Calvin Center Rd Turn right onto Brownsville Rd Follow Harvey as it curves 90 degrees to Coming from the North (Grand Rapids, MI area) Drive South on US 131 In Three Rivers, Michigan, curve right onto M-60 West towards Niles / Cassopolis Turn left at the blinking light onto M-40 South Turn right onto Harvey Camp Tannadoonah is located at Harvey. The Camp is directly in front of you as Harvey curves to the right, just after you pass Birch Road on your left Coming from the North-East (Detroit area) Take I-94 West towards Chicago Exit onto US 131 just past Kalamazoo Drive South on US 131 In Three Rivers, Michigan, curve right onto M-60 West towards Niles / Cassopolis Turn left at the blinking light onto M-40 South Turn right onto Harvey Camp Tannadoonah is located at Harvey. The Camp is directly in front of you as Harvey curves to the right, just after you pass Birch Road on your left Coming from the west (Chicago area): Drive East on the Indiana toll road (I-80/90) Take exit 92 (Elkhart, IN) Turn right (north) on SR-19 also called Cassopolis When you cross into Michigan, SR-19 becomes MI-205 MI-205 North curves to the right and becomes US-12 East Turn left on Calvin Center Rd Turn right onto Brownsville Rd go about 3.5 miles on Brownsville Rd. Follow Harvey as it curves 90 degrees to Coming from the South (Indianapolis area) Take US 31 North Take the ramp on the right to get on US-31 / US- 20 business route heading West US 31/20 West becomes US 31 North when you cross into Michigan Take exit 3 for US-12 East US-12 East becomes M-60 East Take US-12 / M-60 for 14 miles to Hospital Road Turn right on Hospital Road (becomes Brownsville Rd) Follow Harvey as it curves 90 degrees to Coming from the East (Toledo, OH area) Take 80/90 West towards Chicago Take exit 92 (Elkhart, IN) Turn right (north) on SR-19 When you cross into Michigan, SR-19 becomes MI-205 then becomes US-12 East Turn left on Calvin Center Rd Turn right onto Brownsville Rd Follow Harvey as it curves 90 degrees to