YMCA of Northeastern Ontario summer day camp parent handbook SUDBURY YMCA NORTH BAY YMCA 2017
Welcome! DEAR CAMPER FAMILIES, Camp should be one of the most exciting times in a child s life. We at the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario understand the benefits of a positive camping experience. Making new friends, learning new skills, understanding more about one s self and the work around them that s what it s all about! To ensure that your child s camp experience is a positive one, this handbook has been put together for you and your child as a guide for this summer s adventure. Even if your child has been coming to camp for years, every summer there is some new information. In the pages that follow, we have the answers to all your burning questions. There is information that will make planning the logistics of your summer fun a breeze. Read this package carefully, highlight your favourite tidbits, and keep it around for future reference. We have many skilled and enthusiastic staff on board for this summer who are eager to share fun adventures with new and returning campers. We look forward to having your child join us at camp. Thank you for entrusting us with their care you can be sure they are in good hands! OUR STAFF We strive to hire enthusiastic, safety-conscious, child-focused and well-mannered staff seeking to be positive role models in the lives of children. We require that all camp staff have a current Criminal Reference Check and have current Standard First Aid and CPR Certification. We take pride in our staff and provide a minimum of 32 hours of training which includes program planning, behaviour modification, health and safety, supervision and other camp-related topics to ensure that your child has a positive experience. WHAT TO BRING TO CAMP Please ensure that your camper brings the following items each day: Indoor and outdoor clothing (Rainy days will not spoil the fun!) Change of clothes including a spare pair of socks Running Shoes Swimwear, Towel and a plastic bag Hat Bottle of Sunscreen (minimum of SPF 30) Insect repellent (optional) Lifejacket (if required) Water Bottle Lunch and 3 Snacks Nut Free! Please do NOT bring electronics
LUNCHES & SNACKS Campers are responsible for bringing their own lunch and beverages each day. There will be opportunities for snacks throughout the day. Campers are very active throughout the day, so please ensure to provide multiple snacks as well as a water bottle to stay hydrated! Due to the severity of some allergies, please be advised that YMCA Camps are a nut-sensitive space. Camp Tillicum On Fridays, participants at Camp Tillicum have the opportunity to participate in a BBQ lunch including a hot dog, a healthy snack and a beverage. The cost of BBQ lunches is included in your child s camp registration. Durham Street Day Camps Campers have the opportunity to purchase lunch/snacks at Harmony 140 Café. SIGN IN/OUT Each camper must be signed in/out each day with the supervising counsellor by an authorized individual who is listed on the camper s registration form. Only parents/guardians or people on the pick up list are allowed to sign campers out unless alternate arrangements are made in writing with the appropriate Directors. Please note that anyone picking up your child (including parent/guardian) will be asked to show a piece of photo identification at pick up. Photo identification is requested to ensure the safety of your child in accordance to our Child Safety and Protection Policy. Please note that your I.D. may be requested more than once. Please be sure to have it available each day upon pick up. DAILY PICK UP AND DROP OFF TIMES : 7:30AM 6:00PM Parents/Guardians are welcome to drop off as early as 7:30am and pick up no later than 6:00pm. Each camper must be signed in and out of camp each day with the supervising counsellor. Please be sure to bring your health form on the first day. Parents/Guardians who do not have a health form on the first day will be required to fill one out at drop off. Pick up and drop-off will be in designated areas only. Please allow a few extra minutes on your first day to become familiar with the designated areas. Our welcoming staff are available to guide you in the right direction and ensure a positive experience. BUS TIMES FOR OFF-SITE DAY CAMPS: CAMP FALCONA SUDBURY BRANCH Transportation is provided to YMCA Camp Falcona from two locations; the YMCA of Sudbury and the Neil s Independent in Hanmer. Please see the times below. Due to the condition of our road parents/guardians are not able to drive their child to camp. Campers may be dropped off to the camp by boat, please arrange logistics with the Camp Director. To provide continued supervision of all children we ask that all signing in and out happen inside the gymnasium at the YMCA or in the parking lot of Neil s Campers will not be able to be signed out in front of the YMCA on Durham Street as the bus arrives. YMCA of Sudbury (140 Durham St) To Camp (Morning) 9:00am 9:30am From Camp (Afternoon) 4:15pm 3:30pm Neil s Independent Hanmer Parents may drop off as early as 7:30am and pick up no later than 6:00pm at the YMCA of Sudbury. If your child misses the bus, alternate arrangements will need to be made by the parent/guardian by contacting the camp at 1-647-477-5194.
CAMP TILLICUM NORTH BAY BRANCH Transportation is provided to YMCA Camp Tillicum from the YMCA of North Bay. Parents may drop off as early as 7:30am and pick up no later than 6:00pm at the YMCA of North Bay. The bus will be leaving the YMCA at 8:30am and will be returning to the YMCA at 4:30pm. To provide continued supervision of all children we ask that all signing in and out happen inside the gymnasium at the YMCA and will not be able to be signed out in front of the YMCA. If your child misses the bus, the parent/guardian is responsible for driving the camper to camp. Directions can be found at www.ymcanorthbay.com. HEALTH FORMS & MEDICATION Health forms are required before any child can be signed in on their first day of camp. A health form will be electronically sent to the email address provided at registration and additional copies can be found on our website. Children signed up for multiple sessions at a specific site do not require multiple health forms if there are no changes. Children that required medication while in our care will be administered by our staff. All medication must be in the original container with the child s name and specific instructions clearly marked. Please note any medication required that is not listed on the health form will not be administered before parental consent. LOST & FOUND Our camp staff try their best to ensure campers return home with all of their items! There are a few things that can be done at home: Have the camper pack their bag with you, so they can identify their own clothes Label everything possible with your child s name we always try out best to send back Lost and Found if there is a name on it after their session Don t send expensive items to camp **Please note that the YMCA is not responsible for the cost of any damaged or lost items At the end of the camp season, the YMCA will hold lost and found at it s branch locations until September 22, 2017. After September 22, 2017 any unclaimed items will be donated to a local charity. FALCONA DAY CAMP: OPTIONAL OVERNIGHT $25.00 SUDBURY BRANCH Offered during weeks 4, 5 & 9 only, campers will have the opportunity to experience what it is like to spend the night as an overnight camper at YMCA Camp Falcona! YMCA Camp Falcona will provide Wednesday dinner and snack as well as Thursday Breakfast and Lunch. Please note that this year s spaces are limited. Registration is now open and payment of $25.00 is required at the time of registration. For more information, please contact the YMCA Camping Services Office at 705-674-6171.
Preparing for camp Camp is an exciting and fun place: friends, adventures, skills, stories songs and more! We strive to provide a safe and positive experience for all campers. Our camp community is founded on YMCA core values of respect, responsibility, caring, honesty, excellence and inclusiveness. We offer programs to children from all backgrounds, abilities and needs. Part of your child s experience at camp is that of celebrating the different abilities that each camper (and friend) brings to camp. BULLYING We are committed to making every effort to ensure that all campers have a safe, happy and enjoyable experience. Bullying is an issue that surfaces just about everywhere in our society at school, at home, and even occasionally at camp. We believe in building a positive and supportive camp community that leaves no space for bullying to occur. Unfortunately, and despite all of our best efforts, bullying can sometimes occur. The good news is that our staff are well-trained in how to detect the early warning signs of a bullying situation. Early detection generally means that our staff can channel any negative behaviours into positive ones before any feelings are hurt. In the case that bullying does arise, our staff are trained to diffuse and deal with the situation appropriately. This can involve exercises in communication, team building games, and problem solving activities using a community-based approach. Should the bullying continue to escalate, senior staff and the Camp Director may become involved. In the severe case that the positive camp experience of a child is threatened by a persistent bullying problem, our camps have a zero tolerance policy. Bullying is not an acceptable behaviour at camp, and could result in the camper being sent home. In preparing your child for camp, please talk to them about the importance of treating everyone with respect. Please encourage your child to speak with their counsellor if they ever feel that they are a victim of bullying. Anonymity is protected when dealing with a bullying case that is brought forth in private by a camper. After Camp: Another form of bullying that does not affect us directly while at camp is Cyber Bullying. After camp, we are not able to monitor who campers keep in contact with via Email, Facebook, Twitter or in other online communities. Although these sites are convenient and fun, they can occasionally provide a space for bullying. As it is often difficult to detect, cyber bullying can be more damaging than face-to-face bullying. It is important to be aware of this type of bullying, and play an active role in your child s online activities. VIOLENCE Violence in any form against another person is unacceptable at our camps. In the case that a situation escalates, our staff are trained in disciplinary methods that do not include physical means. Some of our camp activities may involve physical contact (such as dodge ball or tag games), but they are controlled and supervised. CAMPER TO CAMPER BEHAVIOUR Our camp communities place a huge emphasis on respecting others and ourselves. Counsellors carefully monitor the way campers relate to each other and are trained to intervene when necessary. Campers that deliberately try to lessen the enjoyment of Camp for another will be asked to discuss the situation with a counsellor and senior staff. In extreme cases, parents will be called to discuss on-going negative behaviour. Bullying, theft, harassment none of these behaviours belong at camp. Let s foster an inclusive community that ensures everyone s experience at camp is positive! LANGUAGE Swearing and the use of distasteful words (including derogatory racial, sexual or religious terms) in speech or songs is not acceptable at camp. Our camp staff role model positive language while at camp and will promptly address situations where unacceptable language is used.
REFUND & CANCELLATION POLICY: All cancellations will incur an administrative fee of $30. Cancellations must be received within 14 days prior to the program start date. Cancellations within 14 days, will only be refunded (less administration fee) if the registration space is filled from a waiting list or a medical letter for the camper is submitted. Refunds are not issued if a Parent/Guardian withdraws the camper from camp early or if the camper is sent home for misconduct. All payments returned, including pre-authorized and credit card payments, will be subject to a $30 NSF fee. LATE PICK UP FEES We ask that if parents/guardians are running late and will be arriving past 6:00pm to please contact the branch to let them know. Parent/Guardians who are late picking up campers will be billed $15.00/half hour. OPEN HOUSES: YMCA CAMP FALCONA Sunday July 9, 2017 10:00am 3:00pm No registration required. For more information, please visit www.falcona.ymca.ca or contact summer.brooks@sudbury.ymca.ca YMCA SUDBURY DURHAM STREET DAY CAMPS Friday June 16, 2017 5:00pm 7:00pm No registration required. For more information, please visit www.sudbury.ymca.ca or contact raeannen.mcadam@sudbury.ymca.ca YMCA CAMP TILLICUM Sunday July 2, 2017 10:00am 3:00pm No registration required. For more information, please visit www.ymcanorthbay.com or contact brian_finner@northbay.ymca.ca YMCA NORTH BAY DAY CAMP Friday June 9, 2017 5:00pm 7:00pm No registration required. For more information, please visit www.ymcanorthbay.com or contact brian_finner@northbay.ymca.ca
2017 Branch & Contact Information SUDBURY YMCA BRANCH YMCA Falcona Day Camp Located on Nelson Lake www.falcona.ymca.ca Camp Falcona 2017 Contacts : Summer Brooks, Registrar, Camping Services T: 705-674-6171 or 800-465-9622 summer.brooks@sudbury.ymca.ca Julian Haayen-Madden Director, Camp Falcona T: 647-477-5194 (May-Sept) julian.haayen@sudbury.ymca.ca Rob Groccia Senior Manager, Camping Services T: 705-688-7300 ext 2140 rob.groccia@sudbury.ymca.ca YMCA Durham Street Day Camps 140 Durham St. Sudbury www.sudbury.ymca.ca Durham Street Day Camp 2017 Contacts : Raeannen McAdam Supervisor of Recreation Programming T: 705-688-7300 ext 2134 raeannen.mcadam@sudbury.ymca.ca Sydney Robbins Team Lead of Day Camps T: 705-688-7300 ext 2134 sydney.robbins@sudbury.ymca.ca NORTH BAY YMCA BRANCH YMCA Rotary Camp Tillicum Located on Lake Nipissing www.ymcanorthbay.com 2017 Camp Tillicum Contact Brian Finner Health & Fitness Supervisor T: 705-497-9622 ext 223 brian_finner@northbay.ymca.ca YMCA North Bay Day Camp 186 Chippewa St. North Bay www.ymcanorthbay.com 2017 North Bay Day Camp Brian Finner Health & Fitness Supervisor T: 705-497-9622 ext 223 brian_finner@northbay.ymca.ca