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1. What do I bring?
Going to camp? Please consult your Welcome Guide for a packing list and a general idea of what your camper will need on a daily basis. This guide is included as part of your confirmation email and can also be found on the website for the camp and/or program that you are registered for.
For a list of what to bring to club events, check with your Club Leader.
2. I have registered, now what?
After you complete a registration, a confirmation email (including parent guide, Health History Form, etc.) will be sent. A $75 deposit is required per session for day and resident camps, $70 for Inni Mini campers. If balance is not paid in full at time of registration, it will be charged two-weeks prior to attending camp.
3. What is the staff to camper ratio?
Camp Fire USA Inland Northwest Council uses ratios outlined by the American Camp Association. These are the maximum ratios for the following age groups, but when possible groups are smaller.
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For overnight camp: (adult to child)
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For day camp: (adult to child)
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7-8 years old
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1:6
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3-5 years
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1:6
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9-14 years old
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1:8
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6-8 years
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1:6
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15-18 years old
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1:10
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9-14 years
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1:8
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15-18 years
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1:12
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4. What kind of screening do staff go through? Age requirements? First Aid/CPR trained? Criminal background checks?
Counselors, lifeguards, activity specialists and support staff are carefully selected and interviewed. Camp staff come from diverse backgrounds, much like the campers they serve.
Background checks are just the beginning. In addition to national background checks, all staff receives intense training before the camp season begins, as well as ongoing support throughout the season. Each new staff member must also have at least three references, while returning staff must supply one reference not used in previous years.
Many of our counselors are college students, with at least one year out of high school. The preferred minimum age for employment is 18 years old.
5. I have two kids attending camp, but they are in different grades, will they see each other?
Boys and girls within one grade of each other may be placed in the same camper unit; however, the older child will be placed with the younger child.
Camp Fire USA programming realizes the value of age appropriate learning and progression of skills. Campers are placed with in units based on their grades for the fall school year. While camper groups are co-ed, overnight shelters are not. ie. A 3rd grade girl and a 3rd grade boy may be in the same camper group, and in the same unit, but not in the same shelter.
There are occasions where all camp gets together as well: open swim, meals (at Sweyolakan meals are served family style, campers choose where they want to sit and each table has at least one staff member), and ceremonies (Council Fire at Camp Sweyolakan and Jubilee at Camp Dart-Lo).
6. How do campers choose their programs at camp?
A day in the life of a camper is as unique as they are. Camp programs are camper driven, so the camper group gets to decide what their day looks like. A day may include: flag raising, morning announcements, team building games, handcrafts, nature hikes, songs, Red Cross certified swim lessons, free swim, archery, outdoor skills, snacks/meals, charades.
7. How does the camp staff deal with issues like homesickness, bullying and campers with special needs?
All of these issues (and more!) are included in staff training.
Homesickness - Parents can help combat this issue by leading up to camp with sleepovers or perhaps beginning with a day camp and an overnight experience. Prepare your camper with letter writing materials to write home, just before they head off to camp; write a letter to them so they will have some words of encouragement when they first get there. Have a conversation with your child about talking to their counselor. Our counselors are trained to look out for certain signs but the sooner a child can express their concerns the sooner we can help!
Bullying- We take the issue of bullying very seriously. Camp staff receives training that specifically addresses signs of bullying. Our approach is pro-active; to create an atmosphere that fosters open communication and team building.
Campers with special needs- All first time YBIC (You Bet I CAN!) campers are pre-screened by the camp director and reviewed with the Inclusion Project Coordinator before attending camp. YBIC campers are mainstreamed, or integrated, into camp. Thanks to a grant from the National Inclusion Project we are able to offer spots for YBIC campers all summer long. Click here to read more about the National Inclusion Project.
8. What are the camp directors qualifications?
Please visit "Meet the Camp Directors" page to see a biography on our camp directors.
9. Why is being ACA (American Camp Association) accredited important?
ACA accreditation is a mark of distinction that is earned by fewer than 27% of all camps in the nation. Accreditation verifies that the camp meets or exceeds standards in all areas (health & safety, program quality, transportation, qualifications of staff, food service, sanitation and site/facility issues). Camp Sweyolakan and Camp Dart-Lo are ACA accredited.
10. What measure does the camp take to ensure the safety of their campers?
The safety of our campers is our #1 priority. Our ACA Accreditation shows that we care to undergo a thorough (up to 300 standards) review of operations from staff qualifications and training to emergency management and safety. American Camp Association collaborates with experts from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Red Cross, and other youth-serving agencies to assure that current practices at your childs camp reflect the most up-to-date, research-based standards in camp operation. Camps and ACA form a partnership that promotes growth and fun in an environment committed to safety.
At Sweyolakan, American Red Cross Certified lifeguards monitor the water. In addition, all participants wear life jackets on non-motorized crafts as well as the Aqua Jump.
11. What kind of healthcare facility/staff is available to campers?
Sweyolakan:
- Health Cottage. Managed by a Registered Nurse (RN) the health cottage is a place where
campers can come to cure any of their ailments. All campers are screened on the first day by the camp nurse.
- CPR/First Aid Certified. In accordance with ACA, staff are certified to ensure at least one adult in a group has received training. Staff receive additional training on: cuts, abrasions, bee stings, CPR, burns, nose bleeds, seizures, fainting, hyperventilation, immobilizing a limb and when not to move a victim
- Health History. Required yearly, contains valuable medical information in order to provide the best services for your child
- Medications in original containers. All medications are turned into the bus/boat counselor upon checking in. Medications are kept at the Health Cottage for storage and dispensing. Exceptions may include inhalers, bee sting kits and creams/ointments at the discretion of healthcare staff.
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