FOOD ALLERGEN AWARENESS:

Please remember we do not allow nut products or any food item produced in a factory where nuts may be present.

There could be children in the bunk who are highly allergic and even the slightest contact with a nut product could cause them serious harm.

• Common items to avoid are; cookies, cakes, brownies, M & M’s, Dylan Candies, and Snicker bars.
• Please check all wrappers for nuts or nut oils of any kind.
• If you’re not sure, please, check with the camp first.
• This policy applies for all camp outings including travel to and from camp.
• Lastly, home baked products often have traces of nuts through oils or the mixes that are used therefore they are not permitted.

PACKAGE POLICY:

Raquette Lake Camps is a “package-free” camp.

We do not accept any packages or oversized envelops for campers during the camp season. Any packages received from Amazon will be refused. If your child is missing sunscreen, bug-spray, shampoo, hair-brushes, tooth-brushes, toothpaste, water bottles, batteries, or any other necessities, please let the group leader know and WE will provide it. If you feel that you must send an urgent item, please call a Director prior to sending. Otherwise, please bring any requests from your child on visiting day. If your child has a birthday during the summer, we allow a Birthday Package (please see the birthday policy below).

BIRTHDAY PACKAGES:

• Do not put any type of food in the birthday package!
• Gifts are only for your child not for their bunkmates!

If your child’s birthday falls during the camp season, we will make sure this day is very special for them! They will raise the flag, have a scheduled call home, be presented with a t-shirt, and have a cake in the Dining Hall. The whole camp will sing Happy Birthday, and a photo will be taken. We will host a party during rest hour for your child.

NOTE FOR PACKAGES:

Please label the outside of the package with your child’s name and birthday. This package should not contain any food, candy, gum, party favors for the bunk, silly string, etc. It can ONLY contain a card and gift that is for your child. No bunk gifts.

ELECTRONICS AND MUSIC POLICY:

Raquette Lake Camps is a “screen-free” camp.

• As today’s technology becomes more and more connected; our goal of providing your children with a place of disconnect and friendships becomes harder and harder to achieve. Due to this, we have opted for a ‘screen-free’ camp environment to safeguard our campers.
• Please leave any and all electronics with screens at home! This pertains to ALL cell phones, iPads, iPods, e-readers, portable game players, video players, cameras, smart watches or anything else that has a screen! (ONLY music players such as; SanDisk MP3, Emerson MP3, Mighty MP3, CD player & iPod shuffle are allowed).
• For books please send hard copies.
• We encourage you as a parent to follow our guidelines and explain to your child the new policy and its benefits. Remember your children are here to socialize and build friendships among other campers and staff. Camp is their opportunity to put down the screens and disconnect from the online world and look up to see the beautiful world that is around them.

NON-ELECTRONIC GAMES & TOYS, SKATEBOARDS, HOVERBOARDS & RIPSTIKS:

Please do not send too many games and toys with younger campers. Your child must learn to take care of their personal possessions, the fewer the better! Nintendo DS, PSP & other personal electronic games are not permitted at camp. Skateboards, Hoverboards & Ripstiks are not allowed in camp.

VISITING DAY:

• We have only one visiting weekend, the third Saturday (RLGC) and Sunday of the season (RLBC).
• Grandparents should plan to visit only on our scheduled visiting days.
• Full day visiting hours begin at 9:00 AM and end at 3:00 PM.
• NO CAMPERS ARE ALLOWED TO LEAVE CAMP ON VISITING DAY!
• We love pets, but not on Visiting Days. We must ask you to adhere strictly to our “no pets” policy.
• As a reminder, we are a completely smoke & alcohol free camp.
• Last but not least, WE ARE A NUT-FREE CAMP, please do not bring any food items that may contain allergens.

All Supys and Aides are permitted to leave camp for dinner Saturday evening with their parents. We highly recommend that you make reservations in advance since it is Visiting Day weekend.

CAMP POLICY REGARDING VISITING DAY TREATS:

While we understand your desire to share the delights of food gifts with your camper when you arrive for Visiting Day, please limit these treats to what they can consume in a 24 hour period of time. That evening the children have a giant bunk party and all of the food that is not eaten is thrown out! Again, Remember, no nut products of any kind are allowed on campgrounds! This includes products made in a factory that has nut products. Please call the camp if you are unsure about specific food items and their acceptability.

BUNK GIFTS:

PLEASE NO BUNK GIFTS!

Bunk gifts create unnecessary competition in the bunks. They also create undue pressure on parents to purchase “like value” gifts as other parents have purchased. We do not want any child to feel in any way inadequate about the gifts they give or receive. Counselors receiving bunk gifts are in effect receiving a tip which is also against camp policy and philosophy. Please do not bring bunk gifts for any child other than your own on Visiting Day. Bunk gifts are not permitted.

GRATUITIES:

We do not allow our counselors and staff members to accept gifts or gratuities of any kind during the camping season.

Examples would be cash, gift cards or other gifts given to staff members. This helps us to maintain a professional atmosphere necessary for sound camping. All of our employees are aware of this policy, and any gesture of this nature would be embarrassing to all concerned. Staff members who violate this policy may be subject to dismissal. The best gesture you can make toward a deserving staff member is a personal thank you and a note to the Directors.

SMOKING, ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES & EARLY DISMISSSAL:

• At no time, on or off camp premises, are campers allowed to smoke, vape, drink alcoholic beverages, or use drugs of any kind. Our staff members are fully informed of this policy. As many of our campers are teenagers, it is necessary that you stress this issue strongly with your teenage child: We do not tolerate any use, experimentation with, or possession of drugs in any form.
• Disregard for any portion of this policy, or constant and flagrant violation of any camp regulation may result in a child’s suspension from camp without tuition refund.
• Offenders will be subject to penalties in accordance with laws of the State of New York.
• At the sole discretion of the Directors, campers may be discharged for any behavior deemed detrimental to the camp and/or campers.