2010 welcome packet

2010 Staff Welcome Packet
YMCA Camp Arbutus Hayo-Went-Ha

Welcome to the 2010 summer season..........

Important Dates:

Lifeguard training course: Friday June 4th at 5pm and concludes June 6th.
Staff Training dates: Wednesday June 9th at 5:00 PM through Friday June 18th
Session dates: First session: Saturday, June 19th – Friday, July 16th
Second session: Sunday, July 18th – Aug. 14th at 4:00 pm

Your address while at camp:
1380 E. Arbutus Lake Road
Traverse City, MI 49686
Office Phone: 231 946-8589
Director: Amanda Macaluso
Email: amacaluso@hayowentha.org
Cell phone: 231 883-5076

Mission Statement
The mission of YMCA Camp Arbutus Hayo-Went-Ha is to create a community that affords each individual camper and staff member the opportunity to develop her leadership and communication skills, while growing mentally, physically and spiritually through teamwork, self challenge and positive motivation.

Preliminary Policies and Expectations
Because of our high standards and responsibility to both campers and their parents, we have specific policies regarding the maintenance of our excellent reputation for a fine camp program and superior role models. Staff members will be expected to exercise mature behavior, discretion, appropriate personal relationship behavior, and sensitivity that are consistent with our work as leaders and models for young people. Wording on clothing worn at camp must be appropriate to all ages, consistent with the values and principles of our programs and be non-offensive. Illegal drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and profanity are strictly prohibited. Good health habits, neatness, appropriate dress and good grooming are as important at camp as any other place of employment. There will be no prejudice towards race, religion or sexual orientation. Staff will not give any appearance of any inappropriate relationship with fellow staff members at either camp. Minimal jewelry should be worn while on duty and ear piercing is limited to three per ear lobe. Campers or their families will see no other body piercing. All employees are expected to make a reasonable attempt at hiding lip, tongue, nose or eyebrow rings/studs while on duty. Please make arrangements to do so BEFORE arriving at camp on June 4th. Camp employees are also expected to make a reasonable attempt at hiding any tattoos. Frequent bathing, cleanliness and hygiene are required. Staff must be able to speak English and understand spoken English. You can find the “Code of Conduct” on the camp web site. We will be addressing the code and staff/camper communications in more detail in staff training.

Getting Oriented
The 2010 summer season staff training starts Wednesday, June 9th at 5pm. (earlier if you require a lifeguard certification) Please plan to arrive at the T. Grace Macdonald Lodge earlier that day or the day before so you are all moved into your cabin and ready for staff training. Pre-camp training is very important, and everyone needs to be here for it. After an initial welcome and greeting Wednesday night we will get started! Camp ends on Saturday, August 14th at approximately 4pm, and you will be free to leave after we finish and you have checked out. Please note the finish date and time and make arrangements to leave after then - not any earlier.

Staff Organization
Administrative Staff: Along with myself, camp has an administration team that overseas all aspects of the camp program. The administration staff positions this year include Camp Director, all Division Leaders, the Program Director, and LC Director.

Support Staff: The support staff work in areas that create the support to run camp. Support areas are food service, health service, facility maintenance, waterfront, ropes course, equestrian staff, arts and crafts, sailing director, nature specialist, office, staff childcare, and transportation.

Lifeguard training course (kitchen and maintenance staff do not need to complete the lifeguard certification)
HWH Camps provides, at no change, the complete Red Cross Lifeguard certification course starting Friday June 4th at 5pm and concludes June 6th. You will need to call or email me if you are planning to attend this course. You are welcome to stay at camp and we will transport you to the pool for these trainings. YMCA Hayo-Went-Ha Camp counselors (some staff in support program positions are also encouraged to complete the lifeguard certifications) are expected to perform lifeguard duties both at camp and on our wilderness adventure trips. Documentation must be in your staff file proving certification prior to June 1st 2010. (Support staff - kitchen, maintenance, and some other positions - do not need this certification) Counseling staff members not passing American Red Cross Lifesaving or lacking possession of an equivalency will be assessed a $50 penalty or its equivalent as outlined by the Camp Director.

There are two swimming skills that our lifeguards must pass on the first day of the lifeguard course. If needed, we encourage you to swim prior to coming to camp to increase endurance. These two skills are:
1. Swim 500 yards (457 meters) continuously as follows:
200 yards (183 meters) freestyle
200 yards (183 meters) breaststroke
100 yards (91 meters) either freestyle or breaststroke.
2. Swim 25 yards (23 meters) using your fastest stroke, then dive down to a depth of 8 feet (2.4 meters) and retrieve a 10 pound (4.5kg) weight from the bottom of the pool bring it to the surface, then return 25 yards (23 meters) to the starting point while carrying the weight with both hands.

World Wide Web
• Camp Website - We will have frequent updates on the camp web site during the summer so share the camp web address with your friends and family. www.hayowentha.org
• Facebook – Now you are on staff you can join the facebook group and meet other staff – the facebook group name is AHWH staff 2010. Be sure to also become a fan of the official YMCA Hayo-Went-Ha facebook group.

In this technological age, the concern for camper safety must extend outside of the security of camp itself. Internet websites such as: myspace.com, facebook.com, friendster.com, livejournal.com or even google.com (or any similar such space currently existing or that will be developed in the year(s) to come) offer campers and staff the ability to create personal web pages and blogs but also expose our campers’ personal information to the world.

While at camp, staff is asked to keep their personal lives and time off activities away from the camper’s eyes and ears. When you leave camp at the end of the summer, we ask that you keep camper contact to a minimum and there will be more discussion about acceptable contact methods during staff training. Communicating with campers on websites like myspace.com (see list above) is particularly disturbing as our campers may become party to inappropriate communications which can cause them and their family embarrassment and potential harm. Therefore, we must insist that you post or comment only appropriate comments and if you are friends with campers your pages, blogs and pictures must be appropriate. We also ask that you consider what you are writing in general when it comes to your experiences at camp. Please remember that anything you write on sites like myspace.com (see list above) can be read by our parents and campers. If your writing pertains to camp then what you say reflects upon us and impacts on our reputation. We must also address posting pictures from employment at HWH on websites like webshots.com, flickr.com or any from the list above. If you have posted any pictures from camp that contains campers, they must be REMOVED IMMEDIATELY. You do not have permission to use photos of any campers. This can only be given through a signed release by the parent that camp obtains each summer for use on our official website. The only pictures of campers allowed to be posted publicly are those on our official website. Additionally, our official website pictures contain no personal information such as names, etc.

A staff code of conduct can be found on the web site and will be reviewed to a great length during staff training. The staff code of conduct can be used as a guideline with camper communication.

All staff job descriptions can also be found on the web site.

Health form
The American Camping Association and the State of Michigan now require that all staff have: “written verification from licensed medical personnel that the individual has had a health examination with in the past 24 months” which means that you must have a health history and exam filled and signed by a “licensed medical personnel.” Both the health form and the form to be completed by your Doctor can be found on the web site. All international staff will need to bring a copy of their Health form as outlined with Camp America. If your health form is valid from last year you will need to simply update it with the Health Officer when you arrive at staff training. If you arrive at camp with out having had an exam performed, you will be asked to do so during your free time before the campers arrive. ICCP applicants should print off a health form from the camp web site and have it completed! Hayo-Went-Ha Camps are requiring all staff to arrive with proof of your Hepatitis B inoculations and MMR inoculation. Please include this information with your Health form. Please note: proof of a TB test is NOT required this year. Be sure to also bring prescriptions and outside medical needs and a copy of your Hospital and medical insurance.

Camp will provide each staff member with routine medical treatment in the Health Center, Workmen’s Compensation Insurance and public Liability Insurance.

Central Registry Clearance Request
All USA staff who are 21 years or older must complete a Central Registry Clearance Request. This is a one time form – so if you did it last year you do not need to do it again. This form can be found on the web site. Staff who are required to complete this form should do so and take it to their closest DHS office for processing. ALL Michigan staff should do this themselves before arriving at camp. If you are having trouble locating an office in your state (if you are not from Michigan) please return the completed form to me at camp and I will process it from here. All US staff over 21 must have this form on file regardless of your position, or length of employment.

Standard vehicle driver requirements
In order to drive a camp vehicle you must be an authorized employee of the YMCA. You must be 21 years old to transport children (unless emergency help is needed) and must be 20 years old to drive for errands or transport staff. You must have a valid driver’s license (US, International, or home country equiv.) and must be approved by Camp Administration based on camp transportation needs. A transportation form and a driving test will be given to you upon arrival if you are eligible to drive this summer. International staff must obtain a driving history/background check in their home country to qualify - this is a proof of a clean driving history. (In Australia it is obtained through the RTA.)

T-shirt size and travel arrangements
We will be happy to pick you up at the Traverse City airport or Traverse City Greyhound station – both just 15 – 20 minutes from camp. I will need your flight or bus details as soon as you have them confirmed. Please update your information on teh google document you have been invited to. If you have not been invited at this time please email me so I can invite you or simply email me your arrival date, arrival details (plane, car etc, shirt size and if you are planning to participate in the lifeguard course!)

The camp community provides a unique opportunity for teamwork, leadership, and service to our participants. We trust you will join us in our endeavor to make this a successful season for our campers, and for you.

If you have any questions at all or your summer plans change in any way please email me as soon as possible. amacaluso@hayowentha.org

SEE YOU SOON!