HEALTH AND SAFETY AT CAMP
Your Child’s Health and Safety is Our Priority
Farm & Wilderness has a team of nurses and medical support staff who are on-campus and on-call throughout the summer. We have four on-campus health clinics as well as access to local hospitals and health centers. The vast majority of our summer staff are trained in Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder/EMT.
PLEASE READ THROUGH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO ENSURE A SAFE AND HEALTHY SUMMER FOR YOUR CHILD
Physical Exam Form & Immunization Records
Your child’s physical exam form and immunization records from their primary physician is a necessary part of the application to camp. Please ensure that you upload a copy of the information outlined in the Physical Exam Form, completed by your camper's physician, on our registration portal prior to arriving at camp. You may use our form to submit information or substitute a form your physician provides to you, provided that form covers the same information. This form must be submitted anew every year, and all campers must have had a physical exam within one year of the start of their camp session.
Immunization records, once dates have been input into their CampDoc Health Profile, will remain in their profile from year to year to review and confirm, when you may also enter any boosters they have since received.
We require all campers are up to date with the current schedule of regular childhood vaccines as per school/childcare guidelines set forth by the VT Department of Health. Please reach out to admissions directly if you require more information about the processes for medical or religious exemptions or amended/alternative/catch-up immunization schedules, all of which are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Food & Allergies
We are proud of the delicious, nutritious meals and snacks that we serve. Whenever possible, our campers participate in various aspects of meal production by working in gardens, collecting eggs, learning to cook, cleaning up and other activities. We provide healthy, high quality food and regularly accommodate a variety of dietary needs such as omnivores, vegetarians, vegans, and gluten-free diets. We are also able to provide for campers with allergies to such things as peanuts, eggs, etc, and are not a nut-free facility. Every camper has access to healthy food choices that are safe for them to eat, though dietary restrictions may reduce the number of options available to them at each meal, or during trips, cookouts and other special events, especially in the case of multiple allergies/dietary restrictions. We do our best to accommodate a wide range of eating habits but cannot guarantee that all preferences/pickiness can be accommodated. We ask questions about your camper’s diet during the registration process, so our staff can be informed and prepared to nourish our camp communities!
Medications
Please be aware that Farm & Wilderness can only administer prescription drugs in accordance with direction from licensed medical personnel. Farm & Wilderness must have a doctor’s written direction on the original labeled bottle of medicine. Over the counter (OTC) medication must be given to camp staff in the medication's original packaging. Camper parent/guardians must supply the camp with enough medicine for the time the camper attends Farm & Wilderness or make arrangements to ensure that the prescription can be refilled at camp. Some medications may require approval from the prescribing doctor to ensure the camper can safely participate in camp. It is not recommended to disrupt a camper’s medication schedule during the time they are at camp.
Physical and Behavioral
Campers at Farm & Wilderness must be able to move daily on foot over uneven and natural terrain. They must be able to sleep outside in rustic wooden or canvas structures with other campers and staff. They must be able to lift and carry a backpack for hiking and trips, as well as eat provided meals and hydrate regularly. All campers must follow directions and participate willingly in camp activities, daily chores and community living activities. Campers must refrain from violence, verbal assault, bullying or any similar behavior. See more information in our handbooks for further information about physical and behavioral expectations for your camper.
Ticks
At Farm & Wilderness, we take ticks very seriously. During the summer, we do regular tick checks.
Here also is a link to our staff protocol for Tick Checks.
Here is some basic information about ticks and tick borne illnesses in the U.S.
Here is some basic information on Lyme disease – the most common of the tick-borne illnesses in the U.S.