Are You Ready For Camp?!

Dear Parents,

Phoenix is heating up and we continue to prepare to make Girl Scout Summer Camp 2009 a positive experience for every camper that will be joining us this year. We know that as we prepare, you and your daughter are also getting ready. Whether this is a first time camp experience or your camper is a seasoned professional there are a few things our camp team would like to share with you. While some of this information is included elsewhere in your parent information packet our camp team identified the items on the following list as being the most helpful to communicate to parents as camp approaches.

If you haven't received a confirmation packet please e-mail Tracie Smith at traciesmith@girlscoutsaz.org

Parent information packets (and forms) may be accessed at: http://www.girlscoutsaz.org/public-events/summer-camp/summer-camp-parent-information/

And we'd like to share with you a few things counselors wish parents knew:

• Mail can be dropped off at check-in. This way, your daughter gets a letter every day.
• If you pack with your child, she knows what she has, and where it is. Also, please understand that your daughter will be re-packing herself.
• Please don’t send your daughter to camp with a suitcase that is extremely heavy. The counselors are glad to help, but are probably not as strong as Dad.
• Please let your unit counselors know if your child regularly wets the bed. This way, they can be prepared to change the sheets and wash bedding/night clothes in the morning while the girls are at breakfast. They can do this very discreetly, so the other girls in the tent or cabin won’t know about it.
• Please send pre-addressed and stamped envelopes with your daughter to write home.
• The average trading post allowance is $10 - $20 per week
• Sisters do not necessarily make the best buddies.
• Girls need a backpack or day bag to carry their gear for the daily activities.
• Please try not to make any major medication changes just before your daughter comes to camp.
• Letters to your daughter should be upbeat – writing about how much you miss her, or writing with bad news can make her very homesick.
• Please don’t tell your daughter she can call if she gets homesick. We will give you a call if camp becomes something more than she can handle.
• Put your daughters name on everything! Put your daughters name on everything!
• Socks need to cover the ankles.
• Please, please, please do not send cell phones with your campers. Thank you.
• Girls will be expected to help clean up after themselves. Please let them practice at home with simple chores such as sweeping, setting the table, and helping with dishes.
• Many girls like to wear flip-flops as “shower shoes” but this is the only time flip-flops are allowed. Rocks at camp bite bare toes!
• Our camps do not have air conditioning in the sleeping areas.
• Please make sure your medication instructions match those on the bottle.
• Practice letting your daughter shower herself and wash/brush her own hair before coming to camp.
• Please do not bring pets to check in or check out. Pets must remain in vehicles at all times.
• Parents – please wear comfortable walking shoes to check in and check out.
• Encourage your girls to talk to their counselors about ANYTHING that is bothering them. We can not help if we don’t know what’s going on.
• Horses are only at Maripai, the climbing tower and canoeing are only at Shadow Rim and the ropes course is only at Willow Springs.
• Bunk Replies are new this year and there will probably be a few hiccups so please work with us.
• If you have any questions or concerns please call us. We are glad to help you so that this is a positive experience for everyone involved.
• Be prepared to have Girl Scout songs sung to you over and over again after you pick up your daughter from camp or the bus stop.
  
  Thank you for listening and we’ll see you this summer!!!