Summer Camps (FA-specific, FA-friendly, tips, etc.)

[Macabre]

It is.

We found that having a couple of opportunities ended up being enough. Instead of string together 8-12 camps back to back, picking one or two week or two week long camps were great for him. You will find some opportunities for her--they exist in high school (there may be some things at the high school itself).  The year after DS' freshman year he started working as a camp counselor for the drama camps his school hosts for area elementary and middle school children (nut free!).

[ninjaroll]

In vetting the nuts and bolts of Camp Blue Spruce I'm looking at where it is and what the road access is like.  The physical camp is located at Black Rock in Falls City, Oregon to the west of Salem, about 51 minutes by car to the nearest large hospital.  According to some of the reviews of Black Rock and the host camp, Camp Tapawingo, there is a single road in and out. 

My comfort zone is not there yet due to child's age.  Having said that if an FASer is sending a young one there let me know if there's any way I can help as a 'local'. Minimum age is 9.  Blue Spruce has a really solid reputation even if they're renting facilities.  They seem to have everything sorted out quite well.

[LinksEtc]

Tweeted by @kfatweets

FREE Webinar March 10 7 pm ET Off to Camp with #FoodAllergy #foodallergy attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/14348… pic.twitter.com/M7MeSCHmfb

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1434849844876721409

[Mookie86]

It was a huge emotional and financial relief once this could happen. Because summer used to cost us thousands for camps, too. It was our daycare. 

Camps have also been our summer day care. It's weird to get to the point where she's aging out of camps. She'll be a rising 9th grader this summer. It will certainly be a financial relief to not have to pay for camp but there's such a huge leap in letting go to let her stay at home.

How about being a CIT (Counselor In Training) where she's gone to camp?

[LinksEtc]

"Summer Dreams – Navigating Unlawful Barriers to Summer Camp Access for Food Allergic Youths"

http://allergylawproject.com/2015/03/03/summer-dreams-navigating-unlawful-barriers-to-summer-camp-access-for-food-allergic-youths/

[maeve]

It was a huge emotional and financial relief once this could happen. Because summer used to cost us thousands for camps, too. It was our daycare. 

Camps have also been our summer day care. It's weird to get to the point where she's aging out of camps. She'll be a rising 9th grader this summer. It will certainly be a financial relief to not have to pay for camp but there's such a huge leap in letting go to let her stay at home.

How about being a CIT (Counselor In Training) where she's gone to camp?

Unfortunately, the camp she went to (Fairfax Collegiate) doesn't have a CIT program; they only hire teachers and college students as instructors.  Other CIT programs we looked at start at grade 10, so she's still too young. She's got a gap year this summer.

[Janelle205]

Just wanted to add that if anyone has questions or wants inside help with thinking of questions to ask or what type of accommodation to ask for, please send me a private message, and I will help you as much as you can.

For anyone new or not familiar: I've worked at summer camps and outdoor ed for 13 years now.  I've done nearly every job there is, aside from maintenance.  I've been a counselor, activity director, nature director, director and assistant director of an outdoor ed program, wilderness tripping director, office manager, and assistant director of a summer camp.  I've worked at three different camps, and visited/toured a ton of other ones.  I have the most 'inside knowledge' of camps in the midwest, but I can give you a good idea of what to ask and look for at all sorts of places.  I also have pretty extensive knowledge of ACA regulations, so if the places you are looking at are accredited, I can tell you what that means.

[ninjaroll]

Have you considered trying a solo venture as a consultant to camps to retrofit for LTFA?  You're just so dually specialized with very little competition with that expertise, like Sloane Miller in the food service industry.

[LinksEtc]

"United States Department of Justice Announces Settlement Against Summer Camp"
http://allergylawproject.com/2015/06/29/united-states-department-of-justice-announces-settlement-against-summer-camp/


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Camps Must Accommodate Children with Food Allergies
http://community.kidswithfoodallergies.org/blog/camps-must-accommodate-children-with-food-allergies

Did you know that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 plans also apply to summer camps? Our friends at Allergy Law Project blogged about this recently.

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DOJ: camp must provide access and administer emergency meds