Camp Nor'wester

Four weeks seems like a long time to be away from home. Why is your program so long?

The foundation of our program is to provide children the opportunity to become part of a dynamic, supportive community and to experience the joys and challenges inherent in being a contributing member of a small group of their peers.

Our experience in the area of group development supports an extended, away-from-home experience. While an individual's skills can be increased in a short period of time, the development of relationships within a group takes longer. Over the course of four weeks, campers gain insight into themselves and others, develop conflict resolution tools, and acquire the confidence necessary to face new activities previously out of their comfort zone.

We consider the four-week session the cornerstone of our program. At the same time, we recognize that parents of younger campers may prefer to develop some familiarity with our camp experience before committing to the full four weeks. We are pleased to offer a two-week session for our youngest campers that will introduce them to the Nor'wester program and prepare them for an extended stay in the future.

We are happy to discuss concerns you may have about your child's (or your own) ability to successfully complete a two or four-week stay. We can also connect you with families who have sent a child and who could answer some of your questions.

How do the children get to camp?

Campers are met in the Seattle area. Those flying in from out of town will be met at the Seattle/Tacoma airport. Those living in the area will be met at a location, to be announced, in north Seattle. Staff members will accompany each group of campers on charter buses to Anacortes, where they will be met by additional staff and ride charter boats to Johns Island. The process is reversed for the trip home.

Families with enrolled campers arriving by plane at Seattle/Tacoma airport will be given suggested flights and times of arrival/departure to coordinate with bus and boat schedules.

What training does your staff have?

All staff participate in 13 days of training prior to the campers' arrival. Administrative staff and professionals present topics such as safety, emergency response, working effectively with children, low impact camping, and dealing with homesickness and discipline. In addition, all staff are required to have current certification in First Aid and CPR. Local paramedics will spend a day with staff reviewing safety and emergency situations. Many staff are required to have special or advanced certifications, depending on the job they are hired for, such as Life Guard Training, Small Water Craft Certification, Guiding, Wilderness First Aid, and National Archery Association Certification. All our staff are hired for their maturity, experience, and leadership skills.

What is the ratio of staff to campers?

Our supervision ratio of staff to campers is approximately 1:3. A team of two Unit Staff supervises each group of campers. In addition, each department has 1 to 8 full time staff, depending on the activity. During the day, a group of 15 campers may attend an activity supervised by 3 to 7 total staff, again, depending on the complexity and risk involved in the activity. Drama may have a ratio of 1:5, while kayaking would be 1:2.4. In the evening, all staff participate in activities like soccer, dances, campfires, resulting in a 1:3 supervision ratio.

Do all the campers come with a friend?

Most children coming to camp for the first time do not come with a friend. But they leave camp with many new friends. Significant effort is made during the first hours and days at camp to ensure that all campers connect with each other, learn names, and become familiar with the group they are living with.

New campers coming with a friend are typically allowed to bunk with that person, at least for the first week. Requests from returning campers to bunk with specific individuals are not guaranteed.

How will my child get the medicine he needs to take?

Our nurse will meet with all campers when they arrive, review health forms, and collect medications. Medications are distributed at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If a dose is needed before bedtime, the counselor will send the camper to see the nurse at that time. Campers are not allowed to keep any medications with them except inhalers and Epi-pens.

What other medical care is available?

Our nurse will treat campers for minor cuts, scrapes, or injuries, as well as things like colds or upset stomachs. If the nurse determines that additional medical care is needed, staff will accompany campers to the medical clinic in Friday Harbor, which provides acute and emergency care.

My child has special food allergies, is that a problem?

While our facilities are not set up to provide many specialized diets, we are able to adjust our menus somewhat to accommodate some dietary restrictions. Prior to final enrollment, parents of campers with food allergies can be sent a copy of our menu to review and then discuss possible adjustments with our director, Christa Campbell, who is also a dietician. In some circumstances, campers may bring nutritional supplements or special products to add to their meals.

How will I know what clothes and equipment to send with my child?

After your application has been accepted, you will receive a clothing list outlining the recommended items for your child's stay. Campers old enough to participate in the four and five-day trips will receive an additional list of equipment which will be needed. The general rule of thumb is to send old clothes, prominently labeled, whenever possible.

Our camp store stocks certain items, such as cook-kits, tarps, flashlights, and other outdoor equipment as a backup if you are unable to purchase the items prior to your child's arrival at camp.

What about showers and hygiene?

Kids will get dirty at camp and will most likely come home with a trunk containing twigs, dirt, and possibly someone else's clothes. That being said, we make every effort to monitor the daily hygiene of every camper. Showers are scheduled for every unit, at least twice a week. When a group is in the shower house, staff are present. Campers are given daily reminders about such things as brushing teeth, changing clothes and wearing clothing appropriate to the weather conditions.

Living out of a trunk, for 2-4 weeks, without the help of Mom or Dad to organize and sort things, can be a real challenge. It is part of the camp experience. Campers can best be prepared prior to camp by being expected to do these sorts of things at home.

My child wets the bed. How do you handle that situation?

We are very sensitive to this situation and Unit Staff are given detailed instruction on how to handle it. Parents and guardians can help us by doing a few simple things. Tell your child that you will be letting the camp know about his situation. Tell your child that he or she should let the Unit Staff know whenever he has an incident so they can help him. We know this takes some courage but he needs to know that there are probably several campers in the same situation. It would be best to send your son with a sleeping bag with synthetic filler that does not require an industrial size washer/dryer or special handling. Our machines are regular capacity and if a bag cannot be washed in them, it will need to be sent off island and will not return for at least two days.

From our end, Unit Staff are expected to check your son's bed daily, to ensure that it is dry. If it is wet, the sleeping bag is removed, washed, and returned when it is clean. We also use moisture resistant mattresses for younger campers.

If this is a regular occurrence it would be Ideal if you would send two bags, so that when the wet one is being washed we can use the other. In addition, we might recommend that you talk to your son about wearing some sort of disposable undergarment to bed. We have successfully used this practice with several campers. Unit staff are discrete and would work with your son on how to dispose of the undergarment each day.