PARENT'S GUIDE

We’re pleased you’ve chosen to send your daughter to Girl Scout camp!  We invite you to help prepare your daughter for camp by sharing this information with her. Much of the success of your child’s camping experience will depend on how you prepare her for the experience. By understanding the camp philosophy, the way we make decisions, and the policies and laws we must follow, you can help your daughter make the most of her camp experience.

If you have any questions about camp and the programs that are available, please contact Karen Lubecki, Camp Director, at (315) 733-2391, ext. 28 or klubecki@girlscoutsfoothills.org.

Don't pass up the opportunity to give your daughter, granddaughter, niece or special family friend a summer of fun, learning, growing, and a lifetime memories!

FAQ’s

When do we arrive and depart?
Can I ask someone other than myself to pick my child up from camp?
Can I call my daughter during her camp stay? Can she bring her cell phone?
Am I allowed to visit my daughter at camp?
How should I pack my child’s belongings?
Can we bring our family pet when we drop off and pick up our camper?
Does my camper need to have a physical?
What is your policy/procedure on medications and camper health issues?
Can my camper bring a radio, Game Boy, tape player or Walkman?
What happens if my camper is homesick?
What kind of behavior is expected during camp?
What is your policy on drugs, alcohol and cigarettes?
What about mosquitoes and bug bites?
How are you ensuring the safety of my camper?
What equipment should my camper bring?
Does my child need to know how to swim? Should I pack her swimsuit?
Should my daughter bring money? Can she buy anything at camp?
What kinds of meals are provided? Can my camper bring candy, gum or snacks?

Will there be a girls-only environment on the Camp Kingsley property during Camp Agaliha programming?

Yes.  We have coordinated schedules with the Boy Scouts to ensure there will be NO BOYS on the property while Girl Scouts are there.  That means it will be just us girls enjoying sunny days and starry nights.

When do we arrive and depart?
Campers should check in between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on opening day. On Friday evening, all campers are invited to bring their families to a closing barbecue at 5:30 p.m. The cost for family members is $7 per person. Camper’s dinners are included in their camp registration fee.

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Can I ask someone other than myself to pick my child up from camp?
Yes, an adult other than a parent/guardian can pick up your child. However, in order to protect your child, we require that you fill out and sign a release form if you plan to have another adult pick her up. This form is available from our Camp Director. We ask that you leave the form with her. Any adult designated to pick up your child will be required to show identification and sign her out with a camp staff member.

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Can I call my daughter during her camp stay? Can she bring her cell phone?
It has been our experience that phone calls from home can add to homesickness. Therefore, we do not permit our campers to use the phone. Please do not allow your daughter to bring her cell phone to camp. Cell phones will be collected and returned to girls at check out time. However, if you have any concerns during your daughter’s stay with us, you may call our Camp Director, Karen Lubecki, at any time. If your daughter has any concerns during her stay, she should also direct her questions, concerns or comments to Karen.

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Am I allowed to visit my daughter at camp?
It has been our experience that having visitors during a camp stay takes away from the independence we are trying to foster in each girl. Additionally, if some girls received visitors while others did not, it could lead to hurt feelings. Therefore, we have a no visitors policy. However, if your child needs something during her stay, you are welcome to drop it off at the camp office and we’ll make sure she gets it.

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How should I pack my child’s belongings?
Please pack as compactly as possible in a suitcase, duffel bag, etc. – anything but a plastic bag. Plastic bags can break and we have difficulty attaching nametags to them. Try to include all items (including books, pillows, etc). in your bag. Laundry facilities are available for washing soiled sleeping bags, if necessary.  We ask that you retrieve all of your camper’s belongings on check out day. Any items left at camp at the end of the season will either be disposed of or given to an agency serving the needy. Girl Scouts - Foothills Council, Inc. is not responsible for damage to or loss of personal property.

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Can we bring our family pet when we drop off and pick up our camper?
For the safety of our campers and the cleanliness of the facility, we ask that any family pets remain in your vehicle.

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Does my camper need to have a physical?
Yes, you must provide us with a signed physical that was conducted within 24 months of your camper’s stay. A current health history is required yearly. Physicals and/or health histories should be mailed to the council office by June 1. Copies of school physicals, if given within 24 months, are acceptable.  The State Health Department requires all immunization dates to be recorded on the health history form. All campers are required to have individual standing orders signed by their physicians. Please mail them to the council office by June 1.

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What is your policy/procedure on medications and camper health issues?
All medications that your camper requires must be turned over to the Camp Health Supervisor. Please keep medication in the original container, clearly marked with your child’s name, and provide instructions for dispensing.  These medications must be listed on your child’s “individual standing orders.”  The Camp Health Supervisor will screen your child and review her health history as part of our check-in procedure. To properly care for your daughter, we need complete information about her physical and mental health. Please don’t hold back anything. What you may think is unimportant may very well be important to us.

If you receive a call from our health supervisor during your camper’s stay, don’t panic. She/he may have a question regarding your medication, might need a form completed in more detail, or may want to inform you of medical care your child is receiving. Parents will be contacted by the health supervisor for the following reasons/events: need for health care beyond that which can be provided on the site; emergencies needing EMS and transfer to hospital care; communicable diseases; and repeated visits to health center for the same problem in the week.

Parents will be called and updated about the situation and follow-up conversations will take place when the camper is picked up on Friday evening.

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Can my camper bring a radio, Game Boy, tape player or Walkman?
Your camper can bring such items, but can only use them in her tent with headphones during designated quiet times.

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What happens if my camper is homesick?
Please remember that homesickness is quite common for many campers, especially first-time campers.  Please refer to the separate sheet in your confirmation materials about homesickness.

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What kind of behavior is expected during camp?
Campers are expected to behave in a positive manner at all times. They must show respect to all fellow campers, staff, other people’s belongings and camp property. Violations will be dealt with on an individual basis. No illegal drugs, weapons, or firearms are allowed on camp property.

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What is your policy on drugs, alcohol and cigarettes?
Campers are not allowed to possess any of these substances in any form. Any camper found to possess any of these substances will be removed from her unit, her parents will be called immediately and asked to pick up their child.

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What about mosquitoes and bug bites?
Insects are a natural part of the camp habitat. Each person’s body chemistry is different and this chemistry affects her susceptibility to bug bites. If your child is vulnerable to bites, we encourage you to experiment with several types of bug repellants before sending her to camp to find one that will work the best for her. Since most children get the majority of bites at night, we have mosquito netting available for purchase in our Trading Post. The camp supplies the dowels and our staff will help campers put up the netting.

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How are you ensuring the safety of my camper?
Since the safety and security of your camper is of the utmost importance to us, we have taken the following safety measures:

• We are in contact with local authorities. They patrol the camp on a regular basis as a precautionary measure.
• Each unit has a high-band radio that puts staff in immediate contact with the Camp Director and the Camp Health Supervisor.
• Our emergency procedures exceed the New York State Requirements.

Staff members’ sleeping quarters are located between the children’s tents. This allows the staff to be aware of the children at all times while still providing privacy for both campers and staff.

We understand that it is natural for you to have concerns about your camper’s security. However, we ask that you conceal your worry from your daughter. This will help prevent her from coming to camp frightened and apprehensive.

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What equipment should my camper bring?
We recommend that each girl have sturdy, tie sneakers. Although canvas and platform sneakers are popular, we ask that your camper not bring them to camp for safety reasons. They can be the cause of injuries. Sturdy, tie sneakers are better suited for camp terrain, which consists of woods, roots, rocks, etc.

Another important item to bring is rain gear. We still conduct outdoor activities when it is raining. Jackets that are water repellent, such as some parkas and windbreakers, will not keep your child dry. She needs waterproof items, such as a raincoat. Keeping her feet dry is also very important, so please send boots with her, even if they are winter boots. Specific items that your camper needs for her program will be included in her confirmation packet.

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Does my child need to know how to swim? Should I pack her swimsuit?
Every camper will be swim tested on the day she arrives at camp, so please don’t pack her swimsuit and towel. If your child wears her suit under her clothes to camp, be sure to bring clothes, including underwear for her to change into after the test. She will be placed in a swim group according to her abilities at the time of the test, and a color-coded bathing cap will be issued to her. Many variables, such as swimming in a lake versus a pool, previous instruction, and whether she swam during the winter will affect her performance on this test. The camp’s waterfront staff will decide which class is most appropriate for your child, regardless of levels she might have reached elsewhere. We want your camper to have fun in a safe program.

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Should my daughter bring money? Can she buy anything at camp?
Camp has a store, called Trading Post, with merchandise consisting of batteries, stuffed animals, novelty items, stamps, patches, T-shirts, sweatshirts, mosquito netting, etc. Prices of the above named items range from $1 - $20. The store is open on arrival and departure days.  Girl Scout Gift Certificates and Gift Cards are gladly accepted at the Trading Post.

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What kinds of meals are provided? Can my camper bring candy, gum or snacks?
Camp meals are plentiful, nutritious, and approved by a licensed dietitian. In general, our menus are popular among our campers. Our cooks will gladly accommodate allergies and special needs such as diabetes. We do supply occasional snacks as part of our camp program. If you send food, candy or gum with your camper, we expect that she will share it with the rest of her unit. She will not be allowed to keep food packages in her tent.

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