Armadillo District CUB SCOUT DAY CAMP Emma Long Metropolitan Park JUNE 18-22, 2012 Dear Parent(s), We are very excited that your son will be attending the Armadillo District Cub Scout Day Camp the week of June 18th– 22nd at Emma Long Metropolitan Park. Our theme this year is “Digging in the Dirt” and camp is from 8:30am to 4:30pm each day. On Friday, we invite parents to come at 1pm and spend the rest of the day at camp with us. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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Location: Camp will be held at Emma Long Metropolitan Park located at 1706 City Park Road in Austin. Directions: For a Google map, click here. From Loop 360, take RM 2222 west; Take a left at City Park Road; Go approximately 5.7 miles until you reach the Park Ranger gate; Tell the cashiers/Ranger that you are there for the Armadillo District Cub Scout Day Camp, they should let you in for free. Upon entering the park, go to the "Y" in the road (not the 1st one that goes on a dirt road – the 2nd one that is near the restrooms) and veer to the right. You will see stone tables covered by a large canopy and a flagpole in the field directly across from the canopy. You’ve made it! Drop Off First Day: Please park and walk your son into camp. We are meeting at the flagpole, which will be located this year in the field across from the restrooms/canopy. We will have signs near the flagpole directing each camper and volunteer to where they need to go. Please be aware, if we do not have a health form on file for your son (or tot or sibling), you will be directed to a registration table to take care of this – which will mean your son may miss part of his first station at camp. Please consider turning in paperwork ahead of camp to avoid this situation! All paperwork requirements can be found on at our website: www.armadillocamp.org. Click on “Registration” and then “Step 4” to view paperwork requirements. Volunteers that are also missing required paperwork will be directed to this table. The upload password is 3mmalong. If you are having problems, you may email paperwork to [email protected]. Drop Off Rest of Week: Please plan on parking and walking your son in on all camp days. Using a “dropoff” circle last year did not work well, as Walking Den leaders need a chance each morning to talk to parents and ask questions. Unless you are volunteering, campers may be brought starting at 8am. Do NOT drop your son off earlier, as he will not be properly supervised. If you arrive after 8:45am, you must walk your son into camp and sign him in at camp headquarters first before he can join his den. Pick Up: For security purposes, we MUST have written permission by a parent for a child to go home with someone else, even his other parent, if that parent was not listed on the registration file. You may have filled this information out already, but if it has changed, please be sure to either tell your den leader in person in the morning at Drop-off, send a written note with your child or send the Den Leader an email. Den Leaders should be contacting you in the next week, at which time you can make sure your file is up to date. In any case, those taking home campers should park first and come to the large canopy to pick up their Scout. If you must pick-up your child early OR you visit camp during the day and are not a volunteer, you MUST go directly to the Medic / Headquarters tent to check-in, located to the right of the restrooms, if you are facing the water. Also, if your child is sick or can’t come to camp, please call and leave a message with me (Meredith, 512-662-1369). Volunteers: There will be parking available for our daily volunteers. One parking option is near the BBGun/Archery ranges in designated spaces. Most volunteers will want to park near the main canopy. To get there, at the “Y” intersection, take a right and park in any spaces in front of or further down. Consider backing into your spot so that in the event of an emergency, it’s easier to get out. All volunteers, please arrive by 7:50am to prepare for our campers. Uniform: By the first day of camp your son will be given a camp T-shirt and bandana. As part of our security measures, he must wear his camp shirt every day during camp. Your son will participate in water activities every day at camp and there will be limited time and space for all of the boys to change into swimsuits, so he should wear his swim trunks to camp every day, if possible. Towels aren’t required, but optional, as most boys dry off quickly in the Texas heat. Closed-

toed shoes are required at all times – sneakers/socks, “Keen” style shoes, and water shoes (which can only be used in the aquatics area) are all okay. Absolutely NO SANDALS, FLIP FLOPS, OR CROCS. **Scouts will wear their camp t-shirts, bandana, and closed-toe shoes at all times during camp!!** **Scouts will also bring / carry a water bottle at all times!!** Trading Post: Our camp will not have a Trading Post. Please do not send money to camp with your son. Swim Test: The Aquatics Director will test each Scout’s swimming ability, do not bother bringing swim test certifications. Lunch: Your son needs to bring a lunch with a drink to camp every day. Please pack your son’s lunch in a gallon-sized ZipLoc™ bag, or something similar, and label it with his name and camp den number. Do not send lunches in a paper sack – we don’t want food leaking onto other lunches. Lunches will be collected in the morning and kept in coolers until lunchtime. Also, no glass or styrofoam allowed at Emma Long Park. Snacks: The camp is providing a simple morning and afternoon snack, which will be either donated from local businesses or come out of the camp budget. If your son is a picky eater, has dietary restrictions or suffers from food allergies, we can’t promise that the snacks will satisfy these requirements. Therefore, you will be responsible for sending your own snacks. If we are able to, we will provide the snack list a few days ahead of camp. Medical Information: We have two registered nurses at camp this year to handle small bruises, cuts, ant bites, etc., and administer medications. If your son is required to take medicine (prescription or OTC) while at camp, it must be in its original container with directions clearly labeled. Your pharmacist can provide an extra labeled container for prescription medicines. Directions on over-the-counter packaging regarding age, dose, and frequency will be followed, unless a doctor’s note is submitted. All medicine (prescription or OTC) must be turned in to the Camp Medic before the beginning of camp each day. Inhalers, insulin pumps and epi-pens still must be shown to the Medic, but will be allowed to stay with your son. Medicine will be kept in a secure location at the Medic Tent. Written permission from a parent or legal guardian is required before camp staff can administer medication sent from home. Please fill out the attached authorization form and turn that in with the medication. Medications should be taken home each evening. In the event of a medical emergency, your son will most likely be treated at Dell Children’s or Seton Central Hospital. Every attempt will be made to contact you and/or your emergency contact. Preventing Heat Exhaustion: For five days, 8 hours a day, your son will be outside enjoying camp activities. Last year at camp, our average temperature was 101 degrees. Camp Leadership does their best to ensure that campers get lots of shade and ample opportunities to get wet during the day. We will also offer easily accessible ice water at all times to camp participants, and frequently encourage campers to drink the water. However, there are several things that you can do to help prevent your son suffering from a heat-related illness: 1. Have your son start hydrating the week before camp. 2. Consider having your son spend some time outside the week before camp. It’s very hard for kids to go from playing videogames in the A/C to being at camp all week! 3. During the week of camp, drink a lot of water before coming to camp and after camp in the evenings. 4. Get ample rest before camp and during camp – this means going to bed even when it’s light outside. ☺ 5. NO SODA – caffeine and sugary sodas actually can increase dehydration. 6. Headaches and stomach aches should be taken seriously after camp each evening – these can also be warning signs of dehydration. 7. Send a hat for your son to wear at camp. Camp Delay or Closing: In the event the camp is canceled or postponed due to bad weather, your son’s camp den leader will attempt to phone you before 7:30am. We will also attempt to post information at www.armadillocamp.org, send a mass email, and have a recorded message at 512-662-1369. If you don’t hear anything by that time, please assume that camp will proceed as scheduled. I look forward to seeing your Scout at camp!!!

Meredith Clarke Cub Scout Day Camp Director Armadillo District of BSA, Capital Area Council 512.662.1369 [email protected]

CAMP QUICK LIST BRING: • • • •

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Day pack or other small container to hold gear. Sack lunch & drink in a labeled, zip-lock bag ... No glass or lunch boxes, please. Sunscreen (Please consider sending both a canister of “spray” sunscreen and a sunblock stick for your son’s face – den leaders may NOT help your son put on sunscreen on and campers can’t share sunscreen) . ***Reusable Water bottle*** Consider the clear style rather than stainless steel, this way camp leadership can more easily monitor water intake. Camelbaks are permitted, but be sure your son can fill this themselves. Medication and the Request to Dispense Medicine form found below. Missing paperwork

DON’T BRING: • Electronic devices (Nintendo DS, Cellphones (unless volunteer leader), MP3 players, etc) • Knives (even if your son has a whittling chip) • Valuables, Money WEAR: • • • • • •

Camp T-shirt!! It will be given to your scout by the first day of camp. Swim trunks!! Closed Toed Shoes / Sneakers and socks!! *No sandals, flip flops, crocs, or open toed shoes!* Sunscreen – come with it already on at camp! Cap/Hat – does not have to be an official Scouting hat Bandana – also provided on the first day of camp.

SUGGESTIONS: • Goggles • Water shoes for swimming • Disposable camera • Extra snacks • ***LABEL EVERYTHING!!***

• GET READY TO HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Release To Dispense Medicine (Complete and bring to camp if any medications from home are to be taken at camp)

SCOUT’S NAME: __________________________________________________________

Condition for which medication is to be given: _______________________________________________________

Name of Medication

Dose

Times

Special Instructions: ____________________________________________________

List side effects and warnings:

__________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

I request that this medication be given by a day camp staff member. I understand that the Boy Scouts of America and the day camp staff shall be immune from civil liability for damages or injuries resulting from the administration of medication, provided such administration conforms to the requirements of the this policy.

_______________________________________ Signature of Parent or Guardian

_______________________________ Day time phone number