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A quick message from camp to parents
Camp Marston Parents Guide
Arrival and Departure Directions to Camp or the Bus
What to bring Communication with your Camper
Health Care/Medications
Registration Policies Camp Store
Behavior policy Bunk1 Photo Gallery
Staff Hiring and Training
Informacion Para Los Padres
Summer 2009 Themes
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This parent's guide has been written to address questions you may have. Please feel free to call our office for additional information at 760.765.0642.
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Arrival Sundays
If you are driving your camper to camp, please arrive on the opening Sunday between 1:00 and 2:30. We cannot accept campers prior to 1:00. Camp Marston is about a 1- to 1.5 hour drive from most points in San Diego.
What to expect at check in.
Departure Fridays
We invite parents and families to join us for a Friday barbecue between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. This dinner gives time for your camper to show you what they accomplished during their week. In previous years, we have had some parents arriving much earlier than the 4:00 time – please don’t. Those last few hours at camp are a valued time where our counselors debrief and summarize the week’s activities, friendships and personal growth. [back to the top]
Directions to Camp (do not use Web-Map programs!)
We encourage parents to drive to camp, meet the Director and your child’s counselors. Directions – You can follow the directions on our website, or consult a map for your best route .
Bus Schedule
We also offer bus service to Camp Marston from the Mission Valley YMCA, 5505 Friars Road, San Diego, 92110. The Mission Valley YMCA is located on Friars Road, between the 5 & 163 Freeways. For bus-campers, please check in between 1:00 and 1:30. The bus departs for Julian at 1:30 sharp.
The returning bus arrives at the Mission Valley YMCA at 7:00 p.m.
Because of the winding mountain roads, you may consider Dramamine medication for your youngster prior to the bus ride.
Visiting Days
Essentially, our parents visiting days are on opening Sunday’s and the closing Friday’s. We do not permit parent visits during programs. Our sessions are tightly scheduled, and parents visiting can distract entire groups from their day’s agenda. [back to the top]
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What to Bring
In addition to the gear recommended on our Equipment List, please remember the following items on check in day:
• completed Camp Admission Card
• completed Health History Form
• $20-$25 for the camp store
• medications packed separately (they will be submitted to camp health care staff at check-in)
Camp Admission Card
We use the Camp Admission Card as your authorization for parental custody. Please note any persons that are authorized (or excluded) from picking your child up from camp. Do not mail this card; it is your ticket in to camp on opening day. On departure day, we check identification. Please be sure to list any friends/family who may be authorized to pick up your son or daughter. [back to the top]
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Health History
This form is required of all campers. State Health Codes also require Immunization History to be completed. Bring this completed form with you on check in day. If a child has any severe health conditions, has recently stopped taking a behavioral medication or has recently been in a doctor’s care, a physician’s authorization is also required for camp attendance. Otherwise, a doctor’s physical in NOT required.
Insurance
You, as parent or guardian, are responsible for any medical costs incurred as the result of injury or illness while at camp. Be sure to provide accurate information regarding your insurance carrier on the Health History Form. Camp Marston carries accident insurance with a $2,500 limit per incident.
Pre-Camp Health Screening
We encourage all parents to conduct a routine health screen on their children the day of arrival at camp. We are especially concerned about contagious conditions, including colds, flu, fever, conjunctivitis (pink eye), or head lice. If your child exhibits any of these symptoms, we require a doctor’s authorization prior to camp attendance.
Health Care
Camp Marston has a Health Center with staff trained in emergency first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques. A doctor is on-call in nearby Julian and 911-ambulance service is readily available. Our nearest hospital is Pomerado, in Poway.
In case of illness, campers will be housed in the Health Center for a brief period. Our practice is to call you if a camper is out of program for more than a half-day. We will also call you to report any accidents more severe than a simple scratch or bruise.
We conduct brief health-screenings with all campers on opening days. Please, if your child is sick, do not send them to camp. We’ll work with you to reschedule the week in case of illness.
Please be sure to provide us with complete emergency contact information, especially if you are traveling on vacation.
In case of accident or more severe illness, it is our practice to contact parents immediately. However, if you cannot be reached, we have your written authorization for emergency medical care on the Health History form.
Medications
Do not pack any medications, including non-prescription meds or vitamins, in your child’s luggage. All medications are submitted to health care staff at check in (State Law). Prescription drugs must be in the original container with licensed physician’s instructions. It is helpful to place these original containers into a zip-loc bag labeled with campers name. Please provide complete, written directions on dosage and frequency. [back to the top] [Example pictures]
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Mail Call!
Campers love receiving letters from home while at camp. Please address them as follows:
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Name, Session ___, Cabin ____
YMCA Camp Marston
P.O. Box 2440
Julian, CA 92036
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If you’d like to send a package, please do not send any food items. All food items will be discarded if sent. Campers will be encouraged to write one letter home during their week. Do not be alarmed if the letters are brief as the youngsters are busy at camp and “no news is good news” as far as campers are concerned.
Homesickness
Going away to camp can sometimes be a challenging experience. We understand parent concerns, “What if my child is very homesick while at camp?”.
Our practice is this. First - prevention. We’ve found that keeping children busy, busy, busy is the best homesick prevention around. Sometimes, however, children experience varying degrees of anxiety.
We will counsel a homesick camper and try to help them through their difficulty. Most times, we are successful. If time is passing and your child is not adjusting well, we will phone you to report and discuss courses of action. Experience shows that only 1-2 campers out of 1,500 go home due to homesickness each summer.
Phone Calls Home
Our policy is to not allow campers to phone home during the week. Experience has shown that these calls are extremely disruptive. One of the valued outcomes of camp is a youngster learning independence. Phoning home would detract from that important goal. In rare circumstances due to behavior or severe homesickness, our staff will initiate calls, with your son or daughter. [back to the top]
Lost & Found
We try to manage lost and found items continually through the camp session, but it is a challenge! On check-out Friday, be sure to check our display of any un-claimed items. If you discover something is missing upon your return home, call the camp office as soon as possible. After 3-weeks, we will donate any un-claimed items to a local charity.
Laundry
Please pack enough clothes to last for your child’s entire 1-week session. For campers staying longer than a week, they will be permitted a load of wash/dry during the hold-over weekend, the cost charged to their camp store account.
Electronics at Camp
Camp provides children a chance to live without electronic devices. As such, we do not permit cell phones, gameboys, I-Pods, MP3's and similar devices. If these items are brought to camp, they will be stored at the camp office and returned at the conclusion of the session.
Makeup at Camp?
We have a “no makeup at camp” rule. The outdoor lifestyle of camp-life does not call for campers to apply make up. Your child looks beautiful as they are and there is no time or facility for applying makeup. Please help us by not allowing cosmetics to be packed in campers’ luggage. [back to the top]
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Payment Information
A $100 deposit per week is required to confirm your registration and is applied toward the total camp fee. Deposits are not refundable. The balance of camp fees are due May 15, 2008.
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There is a $25 processing fee for any changes made after May 15.
Suiego Camp
Refund Policy
Prior to May 15, 2008 camp fees are refundable, less the deposit. Due to the popularity of our camps and the difficulty filling spaces just prior to the camping season, no refunds will be issued after May 15, 2008. In case of homesickness, dismissal or voluntary withdrawal, there is no refund issued. [Back to the top]
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Summer Camp Store
Camp Marston operates a small store for the purchase of t-shirts, souvenirs and a limited amount of candy each day. The children are not permitted to use cash at the store, instead, parents deposit $15-$25 into a store account at check in. Campers can then charge against their balance. Unused store money will be refunded to you at camp’s end. We encourage campers to donate any remaining store balances to the Tijuana YMCA Youth Programs fund. [back to the top]
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Behavior at YMCA Camp
Our staff will make every effort to provide positive, realistic expectations of your child. Campers that cannot live within the rules of camp, or are adversely affecting the experience of other children, will be dismissed without a refund. Parents are then responsible to come to camp and pick up their child. [back to the top]
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On-Line Photo Gallery
We are pleased to offer on-line photo galleries for camper-parents. You’ll receive a password on check-in day. This service allows you a “one-way window” into camp life. You may also choose to purchase “Bunk-Note” emails to send to your child, and you’ll have the opportunity to invite relatives to enter the password protected area. Please understand - our photographer strives to get all children into the photo gallery, but due to timing and out-of-camp trips (Teen Program), not all children end up in a photo. This service is provided by a company called Bunk1.com; their customer service number is 888-465-2267. [back to the top]
Staff Hiring and Training
All of our staff are interviewed and reference checked before they are hired. In addition to this we "live-scan" all employee fingerprints to check their background with the FBI. We provide a week long intensive training to teach our employees how to spot and react to different situations that may occur at camp. While camp is in operation we maintain a 2-10 ratio of staff on site at all times to ensure your child is well supervised. Your child's safety is our highest priority. [Proven Safety Practices page] [back to top]
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