בס"ד
Camp Handbook 2010
Camp Leah Rivka
Dear Parents,
Welcome to Camp Leah Rivka. We are glad that you have chosen our camp for your child this summer. As the summer approaches we are very excited to meet your daughter and have her join the Camp Leah Rivka family.
The Rebbe established summer camps like Camp Leah Rivka to give children an environment of Kedusha without the distractions of the city. As you know overnight camp is a time where a young girl can truly benefit from her environment. The chassidishkeit and chayus that a young girl can gain from just one summer can last for the rest of her life. Suddenly all the learning she has done all year in school comes to life. At Camp Leah Rivka this will be our focus, to infuse the girls with intrinsic warmth and love for Chassidishkiet that will last forever. We do this in a positive and optimistic way, creating a warm and loving family.
We are asking for your help in order to fulfill this mission. Enclosed are a list of rules and policies that allow us to maintain the chassidish and safe atmosphere that we will strive to uphold at all times. Please review all these rules carefully and take the time to explain them to your daughter.
On behalf of our staff, I look forward to a wonderful summer together. In the meantime please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns that are not addressed by the enclosed handbook.
With prayers for the immediate redemption,
Moshe Lipszyc
Camp Director
Required Forms
The following items, forms and articles must be completed and returned by the deadline July 1, 2010 in order for your child to attend camp.
1) Please send in a recent picture of your child.
2) It is imperative to fill out the enclosed medical form completely!
Once you have completed and submitted the medical form (and sent a $175 cheque with your medical form for campers travelling on the bus from N.Y.) boarding passes will be sent to you.
Please remember that if you are traveling to Ontario from another country to acquire medical insurance. Secondly please send your child with a valid passport or birth certificate, they will not be allowed to enter the country without it. The passports or birth certificates will be kept in the office safe and be returned when camp ends. If you are sending your daughter to Camp from the U.S. please make sure to send her with a consent form stating that you permit your daughter to cross the Canadian border and attend Camp Leah Rivka.
Camp check list to keep you on track.
Camp Check List | |
Passport or Birth certificate | |
Campers picture | |
$175 cheque to be sent with medical forms for girls using the bus coming from NY | |
Consent form for out of country campers | |
Medical Form | |
Insurance/Health information and copy of Card – Ontario residents need actual health card | |
Medication Information | |
Guardian Signature | |
*** Please note: Citizens of the province of Quebec may not use Medicare in Ontario. According to OHIP one must pay all charges in full and then may submit the receipt to Medicare for reimbursement. Please check with your health care provider to ensure the validity of this information.
Deadline for medical forms, including insurance and bus payments are July 1, 2010.
Rules and Policies
Please reinforce the following rules with your child before camp begins:
1. One may not have fun at someone else’s expense. Camp Leah Rivka will not tolerate disrespectful and/or inappropriate behavior to peers or staff.
2. Any camper defacing camp property (with graffiti or any other means) will be billed for damages and/or will be asked to leave camp.
Items Prohibited at Camp
· We do not allow campers to bring hand held electronic games such as Nintendo, PSP’s or Gameboys to camp. In addition CELL PHONES, PDAs and TV are prohibited.
· I-pods and CD players (or similar devices) are permitted provided that they contain only appropriate Jewish music. However we cannot be responsible for any loss or damage to these items. Devices may be inspected by staff and administrators upon arrival and any devices with any form of video, gaming or inappropriate content will be confiscated.
· I-touch or any devices with internet capabilities are strictly prohibited.
Please note the NO CELL PHONE POLICY is strictly enforced for the sake of the community and the individual campers experience. Any cell phones found will be confiscated and returned at the end of the summer.
Children traveling by PLANE may travel with a cell/mobile phone as long as the camp is notified of this in advance and the child turns it over to the staff upon arrival.
Do not send expensive cameras, watches and jewelry to camp. Camp will not assume responsibility for any loss or damage to these items.
PLEASE NOTE
Camp Leah Rivka reserves the right to use camp pictures in which the child appears in any camp publication.
Camp Leah Rivka reserves the right to use camp pictures in which the child appears in any camp publication.
Dress Policy
Camp Leah Rivka is proud of its high standards of Tznius and we expect each girl to follow them. Every camper and staff member is asked to review the following carefully.
Camp has the right to take away any clothing that is not in compliance with the rules below. These items will not be returned until the end of camp and only then with request of the parents. Please avoid any embarrassment!
Please be sure that all clothing brought to camp is in compliance with the following rules:
1. It is of paramount importance that the clothing your child wears for Shabbos clearly identifies with the beauty and kedusha of Shabbos. NO robes will be allowed on SHABBOS in the dining room.
2. Skirts and dresses must cover the knees while standing, walking or sitting.
3. Sleeves must cover the elbows AT ALL TIMES - wide sleeves are unacceptable.
4. Necklines must cover the collarbone.
5. NO SL0UCH SOCKS or BOBBY SOCKS allowed. If one prefers to wear socks, they must be at least knee length.
6. Skirts or dresses are not to have a slit of ANY length. All slits must be sewn down completely. Straight skirts that are tight fitting or wrap-around skirts that are not COMPLETELY sewn down are unacceptable.
7. Button-down skirts must have the entire bottom flap sewn.
8. Tee shirts with inappropriate slogans are not acceptable.
9. Makeup is not permitted for campers.
10. Ipods, MP3's and the like are not permitted for use during the daily camp activities.
11. Inappropriate books magazines and music of a general nature are not permitted in camp.
12. Sleepwear must be according to the rules of Tznius. SHORTS may not be worn. Pajama pants will only be allowed with a long length shirt or robe over them.
Transportation
Toronto
Campers leaving from Toronto must meet the bus in Café Sheli Plaza (7700 Bathurst Street Thornhill, ON) at 1:30 pm on Tuesday July 27, 2010. We will be going directly to camp at 2:00 pm. Please arrive punctually at 1:30 pm with your luggage so we have enough time to load the bus. It is a two hour drive to camp and we will be arriving at approximately 4:00 pm.
On August 23, 2010 the bus will be arriving back in Toronto at 12:00 pm on Lonny Court. Please pick your daughter up promptly.
New York
Campers leaving from New York will be leaving from Crown Heights on Monday July 26, 2010, at the corner of President and Kingston at 11:30 pm. Please arrive punctually at 11:00 pm with your luggage so we have enough time to load the bus. We will be arriving in Toronto at approximately 10:00 am the next day. Because the girls will be in Toronto for a few hours, we will take them to daaven and then to a restaurant to buy them breakfast/ brunch. We recommend you send $8 with your daughter to pay for a full breakfast from the menu. There will be other options on the menu as well. The bus will pick up the girls coming through Toronto and head up to the camp grounds. It is a two hour drive to camp and we will be arriving at approximately 4:00 pm.
On August 23, 2010 the bus will be arriving back in Crown Heights at the corner of President and Kingston at 10:00 pm.
Airport pickups
All campers flying to Toronto are asked to please schedule their flights to arrive on Tuesday July 27th between the hours of 11:00 am and 12:00 pm.
If this is difficult to arrange, we suggest that you book your daughters ticket for the day before and arrange a ride and a place for her to stay till the next day. She may then come to the Toronto bus stop on Monday July 27th at 1:30 pm to Café Sheli Plaza (7700 Bathurst Street Thornhill, ON), where she will join the rest of the girls and take the two hour bus ride up to camp, we will be arriving at approximately 4:00 pm.
On August 23, 2010 the bus will be arriving back in Toronto on Lonny Court, at 12:00 pm. Please book you tickets for August 23, 1010 between the hours of 4:00-5:00 pm.
If any of the above is not possible please contact us and we will try to accommodate you in the best way possible.
Please send us your daughter’s itinerary so we are able to make the proper accommodations for pickup and drop off.
Anyone who would like to join the Toronto bus is welcome but must notify us in advance so we are able to make the proper arrangements.
Luggage
Each camper is allowed to bring one duffle bag and one average size suitcase. If you chose to send anything else please be aware that we have limited amounts of baggage space and it may not make it on the bus. You will need to wait till your child boards the bus and it is ready to leave in order to make sure that there is room for the extra luggage.
Enclosed is your luggage tags, please make sure to put one on each suitcase handle where it is most visible.
Communication
Please make sure all letters and packages have your child’s full name and bunk on it.
Letter should be sent to:
Camp Leah Rivka
C/O (camper’s name)
996 Chetwynd Rd.
Burks Falls, Ontario
P0A 1C0, Canada
Camp Office:
· The office number will be posted on our website at www.campleahrivka.com
· Website: www.campleahrivka.com
Telephone:
· Phone call Policy: Campers may call home once a week according to the calling rotation policy. The bunk schedule will be posted online on the first day of camp. Please make yourself available to receive phone calls at this time. If there is an issue with your daughters call day, please let us know via email or during our office hours, and we will do our best to accommodate you.
Birthday Phone Calls:
· Please call camp on the day of your child’s birthday to speak to your daughter. If you are unable to call please email us, and we will try to make sure she calls you.
Emails:
· Emails should be sent to campers@campleahrivka.com with the camper’s full name and bunk in the subject line or through the email form on the website.
· If you wish to send your daughter a birthday gift, please indicate this clearly with large letters on the outside of the package, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” as well as the birth date.
Packing List
1 Laundry bag | 2 One piece bathing suits | 12 Hangers | |||
1 Bathrobe | 4 Shabbos Outfits | 1 Chitas and Siddur | |||
3 Sheets | 5 Skirts (NO SLITS) | 1 Comb/Brush | |||
3 Pillow Cases | 8 Shirts | 1 Sunscreen | |||
1 Pillow | 4 Nightgowns | 2 Bars of soap/Body Wash | |||
1 Blanket | 10 Pairs of underwear | 1Shampoo/Conditioner | |||
1 Sleeping bag | 14 Pairs of socks (NO SHORT SOCKS) | 1 Insect Repellent | |||
3 Towels | 2 Sweaters | 1 Toothbrush and Toothpaste | |||
1 long T-shirt that covers knees and elbows | 1 Pair of water shoes | 1 Box of Tissues | |||
1 Hat | 2 Pairs of Shoes | 1 Flashlight | |||
1 Raincoat | 1 Pair of rain boots | 2 Pens and 5 Pencils | |||
1 Warm Jacket | 1 Pair of rain boots | 10 Envelopes with stationary and stamps |
· Please include a list of all the things that you send with your daughter to camp in her luggage. This is in order for her to check that she is not missing anything that she came with when she packs up to go home at the end of camp.
Name Tags
Please indicate your child’s full name CLEARLY on every item sent to camp. Please do this in a way that the information will not fall off or fade away, for example by sewing a label directly onto clothing. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items.
Visiting Day
Visiting Day:
Dates: August 8, 2010
Visiting Day Begins | 1:00 pm |
Visiting Day Ends | 5:30 pm |
If you would like to take your child off camp grounds and need more time, you may do so by getting permission from the office staff before leaving the grounds.
Directions to camp are on the camp website. Simply type in your address and it will provide you with the quickest route.
We welcome and encourage every parent to come visit camp on visiting day. We ask that parents respect this policy and only visit on this day so that camp can run smoothly without disturbances.
Medical Insurance Information
All Ontarian campers must provide us with their original OHIP card. OHIP cards will be kept in the camp safe.
All Canadian campers must provide us with their health insurance number on the medical form as well as a copy of the card.
All American campers must submit proof of insurance coverage. If you do not have an insurance plan that covers doctors and hospital, you can call Noach Heiman at (718) 387-2114 he will provide you with the necessary insurance for a minimal fee of approximately $31.00 for the month. Baruch Hashem Noach Heiman is making a Chasunah this month so please call him any time after June 16, 2010.
Please submit proof of your insurance no later than July 1, 2010.
Bed Wetting
This is something that children, even into their teen years, can experience. It is nothing to be ashamed of, but always becomes an issue when families, fearing embarrassment, fail to notify us in advance. If you know that your child may possibly experience an episode of bed wetting, it is absolutely imperative that you contact the director prior to camp. We have specific suggestions and requirements for dealing with this that will ensure that your child has a successful summer.
Lice Policy
In our effort to provide the best possible experience for all our campers, it is imperative that parents check their children for evidence of lice prior to camp. On opening day, as part of our registration process, each camper will be checked for lice. All campers must be lice and nit free. If a camper arrives with lice, they will be charged $100 for the cleaning process.
All Toronto girls must be in touch with Segal Stevens to get their head checked for lice before coming to camp. No girl will be admitted on the bus without her permission. Please call her at (905)886-4499 or (416) 994-8660 by July 15 to schedule an appointment. (Thank you Segal, you are always there to help when needed.)
Canteen
We advise parents to send canteen money and suggest sending $25.00 - $30.00. This will also be used by your camper for personal spending money on camp trips. This money should be put in a sealed envelope with your child's name inside and addressed to the Head Counselors. Camp Leah Rivka is not responsible for any money kept in the bunk.
Laundry
Laundry will be done once a week. Please send a laundry bag with your child.
Health Concerns
If your child has used a puffer due to asthma in the past, even if it has not been used in a while, please send it to camp. Due to the woods and climate change, asthma may escalate or start up again and the puffer will be needed.
