Welcome to the 2011 staff.
Important Dates:
Lifeguard training course: Friday June 3rd at 5pm and concludes June 5th.
Staff Training dates: Wednesday June 8th at 6:00 PM through Friday June 17th
Session dates: First session: Saturday, June 18th – Friday, July 15th
Second session: Sunday, July 17th – Aug. 13th 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.
Getting Oriented
The 2011 summer season starts Wednesday, June 8th at 6pm – unless you need to complete the 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 13th 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.
For International Staff – Lifeguard training starts Friday, June 4th at dinner for orientation and will continue at the pool on Saturday and Sunday. On Monday we will start the CPR certification. Your pay begins the 4th June or the day you start. (This is a busy time of the year so if you arrive at camp prior to the 4th and would like to start work we will definitely have a job for you!) Staff working the spring season will receive via email a contract for the contracted time prior to June 4th.
For American staff - HWH Camps provides, at no change, the complete Red Cross Lifeguard certification course and therefore will not be days you will be paid. This course starts Friday, June 4th at dinner for orientation and will continue at the pool on Saturday and Sunday. On Monday we will start the CPR certification and that day will be a paid day. If you do not need to participate in the lifeguarding course and do not plan to arrive until June 8th the CPR certification will be offered again during the ten days of staff training.
Also this year we need staff with Wilderness First Responder certification to go on some of our bigger trips. (Explorers and Isle Royale particularly) If you have this certification you will receive an additional $200. You should include a copy of this certification for your file.
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 3rd or 8th. 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. Enclosed is our Hayo-Went-Ha Camps “Code of Conduct.” We will be addressing the code and staff/camper communications in more detail in staff training.
Staff Organization
Administrative Staff: Along with myself camp has an administration team that oversees all aspects of the camp. The ad staff positions this year include Camp Director, all Division Leaders, and the Program Director(s).
Lifeguard training course
HWH Camps provides, at no change, the complete Red Cross Lifeguard certification course starting Friday June 3rd at 5pm and concludes June 5th. 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. Hayo-Went-Ha Camp counselors 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 2011. (Support staff do not need this certification but Horse Ridng staff should.) 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:
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.
We will have frequent updates on the camp web site so share the address with your friends and family. Facebook – Now you are on staff you can join the facebook group and meet other staff – the facebook group name is AHWH staff 2011. 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 (see acceptable contact methods in your staff contract), and we expect you to follow this request. 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 not post or comment on any camper pages, blogs or pictures. (other than appropriate communication and encouragement to return) 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 a photo 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 will be mailed to you with your staff contract for you to view and use as a guideline with camper communication. One is also added to this blog.
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.” A medical form can be found on the camp web site for you to print off and complete. 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 without having had an exam performed, you will be asked to do so during your free time before the campers arrive. All international staff will need to bring a copy of their Health form as outlined with either Camp America or ICCP. Hayo-Went-Ha Camps are requiring all staff to arrive with proof of yourHepatitis 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.
Standard vehicle driver requirements
In order to drive a camp vehicle this summer you must be an authorized employee of the YMCA and be 21 years old. 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.
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 add it to the google document I have created to update all staff arrival information. i will send the google doc link via facebook.
Work Weekend
Please mark your calendars – Our annual work weekend is May 15th and 16th and we would love your help. It is a fun weekend were we have 30 – 50 staff and volunteers assist maintenance staff to clean up, complete projects and open up camp after the winter months. It will be a great weekend to get back at camp and meet some of the new early staff arrivals. Let me know if we are expecting you! The more the merrier!
Please let me know if you have any questions and I will be seeing you really soon.
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.
