1ST TIME CAMPERS
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Cabin groups are arranged by age, entering grade and cabinmate requests. There are typically 10 campers and 2-3 counselors in each camper cabin. Guided by the Y’s core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility, each camper is expected to contribute to a cabin experience where everyone in our diverse and vibrant camp community is recognized, respected, and affirmed.
Living in a cabin group is like creating a new family: campers live together, clean their cabin every day, eat together, and participate in many camp activities together. As with any family, there may be conflicts, but camp counselors are there to help campers work through any issues that may arise.
In addition to spending time with their own cabin group, there are plenty of opportunities for campers to spend time with campers in other cabin groups.
We do our best to honor mutual requests for up to three friends, while striving to create a balanced mix of campers from the same and different school communities.
Camp is a time for kids to discover all the wonders of the outdoors while making friends and forming memories that will last a lifetime. Part of the camp experience is establishing a feeling of independence, and this comes from providing a very busy schedule while limiting access to technology.
YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake staff use the parent/guardian email address in your CampBrain account to communicate important information to families before, during, and after camp. YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake staff will contact a parent/guardian directly by phone in the case of an emergency or if any concerns arise about their camper.
Mail can be slow at camp so we encourage you to either bring a letter or take advantage of our letter-writing station during drop-off. Letters can be given to the leadership team and we will store them and give them out on the date noted.
If you would like family or friends to send letters to your camper please mail it five days before the start of the session. Any mail received after the start of the camp session will be forwarded to the camper’s home address after the session ends.
Packages
Families may send care packages to campers that contain non-food items only – edible items including candy, gum, or snacks will be stored until checkout. Because YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake is in a wilderness setting, food in cabins attracts undesirable animals and insects.
Campers are not allowed to make or receive personal phone calls during their stay at camp except in the case of a family crisis, emergency, or when deemed necessary by the Camp staff.
Why are cell phones not allowed at camp? When children come to Camp, they—and you—are making a leap of faith, temporarily transferring their primary care from you as their parents to us as camp staff. We believe this emerging independence is one of the greatest benefits of camp, and one of the main reasons why we do not allow cell phones and other two-way communication devices (iPad, tablet, laptop, etc.) at camp.
YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake staff are trained to look for signs that a camper is experiencing a challenge in their adjustment to camp. We will contact a camper’s parent/guardian whenever additional support is needed.
Campers enjoy balanced, kid-friendly meal options prepared by our camp chef that even the pickiest eater will love. Menus are prepared to meet standards for healthy eating and meals are served in our Dining Hall. Cold cereal is always available at breakfast. Fresh fruit is available at the service counter during all meals, and a basic salad is available during lunch and dinner. All meals at camp are served family style with campers sitting with their cabin group and counselors.
Please note any food allergies or special dietary needs on the Health History Form during the CampBrain registration.
YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake’s Youth Camp kitchen is peanut and treenut safe. No products are served that contain these as listed ingredients.
Campers may purchase snack items such as ice cream and candy at the Camp Store.
YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake is licensed by the State of California and accredited through the American Camp Association and meets all state licensing and ACA guidelines for camper safety. The ACA accreditation holds camp to a higher standard of safety and quality in programming. As a branch of the Golden State YMCA, YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake meets all guidelines for Y-USA safety practices, including intensive safety measures related to aquatics. Counselors that staff aquatics activities and the ropes course, receive additional safety training related to these activities.
We believe in creating a safe place at YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake for our campers and staff. Campers who possess, consume, or are under the influence of any banned items, such as: alcohol, tobacco, nicotine, vaping products, illegal drugs, prescription or non-prescription drugs, or related paraphernalia will be isolated immediately. A parent/guardian will be contacted, and the camper may be sent home. Campers may also be sent home for the use or threat of violence against another camper or staff member.
Campers and parents/guardians are required to review and sign the Code of Conduct before attending camp. Campers will review the Code of Conduct again once they arrive at camp. Please note that the Code of Conduct is applicable from the moment campers arrive at the Golden State YMCA for bus departure.
YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake follows the recommendations of the American Camp Association which extend beyond the basic requirements of state licensing when it comes to health, cleanliness, and food service. Our camp’s ACA accreditation delves into specific areas of programming, including camp staff, emergency management plans, health care, and management. The ACA applies separate standards for activities such as waterfront, horseback riding, and adventure travel. The ACA also provides YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake with extensive best practice resources, to help keep our staff and programs in line with ever-changing standards and expectations.
COVID-19. The YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake team is focused on minimizing the risk of COVID-19 for all campers and staff. We regularly review our COVID-19 safety protocols and update our guidelines to ensure we are operating in a camp environment that is as safe as possible and in accordance with the American Camp Association recommendations and local, state, and federal health guidelines. These guidelines are subject to change. Campers should review these guidelines each year before coming to camp.
Campstaff regularly monitor the national news and local weather. In the event of severe storms, earthquakes, fires, or other emergency weather events, staff are prepared with procedures to keep your camper(s) safe. All cabins and cabin staff are in radio communication with camp leadership and will be notified immediately in case of emergency. YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake staff will contact parents/guardians as soon as possible via email. Check the camp website for information before you call. If you try to call camp during a weather emergency and receive a recording, please leave a message and a staff person will get back to you as soon as it is possible. Our first concern during an emergency is the safety of our campers and staff. We may not be available to answer the telephone.
In the event of a short-term power outage due to weather, we will continue to follow emergency protocol as needed. We are prepared with program plans and alternate activities if a power outage interrupts regular programming. We will only notify you if we need to close camp.
The health center in Camp Gaines, is located centrally in camp and staffed by a Health Officer 24 hours a day. The Health Officer oversees the care of campers and staff throughout the summer, including those with special medical needs, allergies, and those taking medication.
The Health Officer will notify a parent/guardian by phone in the following cases:
Most camp staff members have current certifications in First Aid and CPR and are trained to look for signs of illness in campers.
A Health History form must be completed for each camper in their CampBrain account prior to attending camp. For campers under the age of 18, a parent/guardian must complete this form. The parent/guardian signature on the Health History form authorizes CYMCA Camp Sequoia Lake to provide routine and emergency medical care.
Staff members are trained to address bedwetting with compassion and care. First, measures are taken not to embarrass the camper. The soiled items will be cleaned and returned to the bed as quickly and discretely as possible. If a second bed wetting occurs, a parent/guardian will be contacted to discuss other supportive measures, including wearing a Pull-Up at night. Preventative measures such as frequent bathroom breaks and limiting heavy fluid intake at night work well. All campers have a bathroom break before bedtime. Campers who are concerned about potential bedwetting can be woken up by their counselor for a nighttime toilet break, if necessary; please indicate this on the camper’s Letter to my child’s Councelor form in CampBrain.
Head lice infestation is a serious health issue, especially in a close communal environment such as camp. Please examine each camper’s hair before their departure for camp, and don’t send them to camp if you find signs of lice or nits. Counselors are trained to check and report signs of lice or nits to the Health Officer. If a camper is found with live lice or nits at check-in or during the camp session, the camper will be discretely quarantined to stop further spread. A parent/guardian will be called to collect there child from camp.
YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake does not carry camper health insurance or accident insurance. Parents/guardians or their insurance carriers will be billed directly for any hospital or clinic visits and required professional services given to their child(ren) and assume full responsibility for payment. Insurance information must be provided on Health History form and a copy of both sides of the insurance card must be included on the Parent Authorization Form.
If a camper takes medication (prescription and non-prescription) to help them while at school and/or when interacting with others, we highly recommend they continue to take the medication while at camp. This is recommended practice from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Association of Camp Nurses, and the American Camp Association’s Healthy Camps initiative. In our experience, campers who continue the same year-long health regiments in the summer are more successful while at camp.
YMCA Camp Sequoia Lake requires that all medication (prescription and non-prescription) that will be brought to camp must be listed on the camper’s Health History form. In addition to daily prescription pill medication, we highly recommend listing the following on the camper’s Health History form:
All medication must be in original labeled containers; send only the exact amount needed during the stay at camp. All medications are securely stored in the Boo-Boo Station and dispensed by the Health Officer at meals, at bedtime, and as needed. This policy is a camp licensing requirement for the state of California and is designed for the safety and welfare of all participants at camp and to discourage misuse. Inhalers and EPI pens may be carried by the camper according to the physician’s instructions.
The Boo-Boo Station has a supply of over-the-counter (non-prescription) medications that may be distributed on an as-needed basis to a camper who is being seen for routine medical care. This includes Tylenol or other pain relievers, Sudafed, or Delsyum cough syrup; common medications for upset stomachs; and other non-prescription medications. The parent/guardian signature on the Parent Authorization Form authorizes this routine medical care by the Health Officer. Parent/guardians who request phone contact prior to the administration of an over-the-counter medication must indicate this on the Health History Form.
In YMCA Camp Sequoia lake’s rustic outdoor setting, we encourage campers to come prepared with the tools they need to protect themselves from mosquito bites, poison oak, and sunburns. We recommend that campers bring both bug repellent containing an appropriate percentage of DEET (at least 25%), and sunscreen of an appropriate SPF (least SPF 30). Protective clothing and headwear can also help minimize exposure to the sun, bugs, and poison oak.
Camp counselors regularly encourage campers to apply sunscreen prior to exposure to the sun and to re-apply sunscreen throughout the day, and to apply bug repellent and put on long pants and shirts prior to outdoor evening programs or hiking in the woods. We keep an additional supply of sunscreen and bug spray with DEET in the Boo-Boo Station for those who need it.
Please note on your camper’s Health History form in the “Reoccurring Issues” section if there is a history of sunburns or severe reactions to mosquito bites. If your camper has had a significant reaction to poison oak, please note this in the “Allergies” section of the form. Counselors are trained to watch out for campers who show signs of skin irritation and to send campers to the Health Officer if they show signs of illness.
All campers in Traditional Camp have daily opportunities to shower in the bathhouse. In addition, younger campers will have scheduled times to shower every other day. Shower times are supervised by staff and all showers are private.
Campers of all ages experience some feelings of missing home as they transition to camp life. These feelings are valid and expected, and Camp staff have a variety of effective strategies in place to help campers process their feelings about missing home.
If a camper talks to staff about wanting to go home, we chat with them, look for any issues in the camp environment, and help them focus on the positives of camp to help reduce the feeling of missing home. If a camper is having an especially difficult time coping with homesickness after a brief adjustment period, staff will call the camper’s parent/guardian and discuss additional strategies for support. By working together, we are confident that healthy adjustments can be made to ensure your camper enjoys the rest of their time at camp!
While camp staff are well trained in helping children cope with homesickness, there are also steps families can take to help their campers prepare for their time at camp:
For more information, the American Camp Association has put together a helpful article about homesickness.
Please label all belongings, including clothing, sports equipment, shoes, and hats and do NOT bring any irreplaceable items to camp.
Counselors make every effort to ensure campers return with everything they bring to camp, but each camper is ultimately responsible for their belongings. Lost and found items are collected and brought to the Dining Hall each day. Unclaimed items that are not labeled stay at camp.
If a camper discovers something is missing upon returning home, please complete the Youth Cam Lost and found form. Unclaimed items that have labels are returned to the Main Office in Visalia. All unclaimed items are held for up to one session, after which they will be donated to a local charity.
